Eddie Martin Big Band - Looking Forward Looking Back (2012)

With 12 rave-reviewed albums down, Martin has a reputation now for updating blues traditions with wit, skill and energy. “Looking Forward Looking Back” goes back further than Blues-Rock with its Hendrix/ Ray Vaughn starting points to the Electric Blues Guitar Pioneers for its inspiration.

He studied the old masters, and with new songs, arrangements and adrenalin-pumped charisma has succeeded in breathing new life into the Big Band Blues genre.

“I love the humour and stinging guitar of Johnny Guitar Watson, the guitar innovation and suave sophistication of Big Band T Bone Walker and the spontaneity and blistering slide of Elmore James. And I love the fantastic horn arrangements of all three” said Eddie in a recent interview about the album.

This is exactly what this all-original 14-track release conjures up. The sounds of the pioneers come alive again in Eddie’s skilful playing, song-writing, arranging and production work. Moving his studio into a Bristol dance hall, the band played live-to-tape on vintage and state-of-the-art gear, evoking the “space” and energy of those inspirational recordings. His long-standing big band (together with Eddie since 1993) is augmented here by Pee Wee Ellis who collaborated to write (as only he can!) the classic Funk Horn arrangement track 11 “Funky One Too”.

Witty lyrics about current events and themes abound. There is fresh, exciting guitar/ slide guitar and not a single re-run of a tired blues-rock lick from his vintage Fenders and Gibsons. The music swings and grooves, revealing a band as enthusiastic and skilled as Eddie at conjuring new takes on often forgotten styles and giving them new relevance.

Above all, there are memorable songs aplenty. The title track itself is a stand- out with its gospel-tinged emotion, soulful guitar and Everyman song-smith craftsmanship.

All-in-all, this is another stunning work of Blues-for-our-time from a Master.