There¹s something incredibly soothing about a Terry Blankley disc ­ his
extremely laidback approach is instantly audible, complemented by superb
musicianship, bulletproof confidence and an ear for arranging that triggers
countless musical flashbacks. A clear progression from his last release,
Blankley throws caution to the wind, underlining his unbridled passion for
playing, singing and writing. Stylistically, Blankley frames his blues with
elements of jazz, his big B3 sound wrapping each composition like a warm,
friendly blanket. And, given a love for all sorts of music, he enjoys taking
chances: Come Together is a sumptuous cover, Blankley breathing new life
into a tired original with his reading of the lyrics against solid bass, B3
and piano as well as much-welcome flute and sax. The opening track ­ clearly
dedicated to wife, Lynn ­ lifts the Lonnie Mack original higher with its
soulful and supremely heartfelt vocal while Jack de Keyser¹s solo burns
brightly. Blankley¹s craggy, gruff vocals are sounding more J.J. Cale-like
(if not a dead ringer for Chris Rea) across many of these 16 tracks, notably
4/4 Time and his own Prairie Gold ­ as lovely a roughshod Canadiana
ballad if there ever was one (boasting another blistering de Keyser lead).
His keyboard prowess is best realized the rich flourish of jazz phrasing
shooting skyward from his piano on Boxcar. Like a Randy Newman, Blankley
doesn¹t necessarily hit all the notes he shoots for ­ but he doesn¹t have
to. A dedicated journeyman who wears his heart 100% on his sleeve, he
releases exactly what he wants to, confident in the knowledge that good
music played with love and passion will always prove itself.



­
Eric Thom
EXCLAIM