The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience
Self Titled
Chocolate Fireguard Records
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © Nov. ’24
The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience is the latest release by the Yorkshire, UK based blues band fittingly called The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience. The band features singer, songwriter, producer Pat Fulgoni on vocals; Jacob Beckwith on guitars; Sam Bolt on keyboards; Rory Wells on bass; Zebedee Sylvester on drums; and special guest Alex Eden on harmonica. The disc’s nine tracks feature a mix of four originals and five covers.
If you want to kick things off with some smokin’ slow blues, you can’t go wrong covering a classic that Albert King made famous. The song Pat and the guys chose was “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” (Don Nix) and it immediately made the statement that The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience can lay down some serious blues. From Pat’s passionate and gut wrenching vocals, to the moody organ led rhythm, to Jacob’s stinging blues guitar licks, everything about this rendition was perfect.
One of Pat’s original tracks addresses a subject that is near and dear to all of us fans of the genre, the fact that we need to “Keep The Blues Alive”. As Pat and the rest of us know, there’s surely enough going on in this world for that to happen. On top of another commanding vocal presentation from Pat, at over six minutes in length, it’s highlighted by some great Muddy-like guitar riffs from Jacob and fabulous piano and organ runs by Sam. Another very well done slow blues track.
“Bleeding Heart”, a compilation from Pat and Sam, sounds like something you might hear coming out of piano bar while strolling the streets of the French Quarter in N’awlins. You know, the kind of stuff that stops you in your tracks; makes you drop in for a listen; then, because what you’re hearing is so hypnotic, you wind up being there for the next few hours. Been there, done that. Musically, it’s just Pat (vocals), Sam (piano) and Alex (harmonica) singing and playing their hearts out on some good old school barrelhouse blues.
It’s not very often that you find covers of Gil Scott Heron on newer releases and that’s most likely because covering his work is not all that simple. That said, hearing “Lady Day & John Coltrane” made this fan of his a happy camper. It’s a song that Gil wrote back in the early seventies to pay homage to Billie Holiday and John Coltrane – two artists who Gil turned to when he needed to chase his troubles away. I’ve got to say, the versatility The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience displayed on their flawless interpretation of this song has me wondering just how good a jazz album by The Pat Fulgoni Jazz Experience might me?
If you’re a music teacher and your giving a lesson on how to do a cover of a song while making it sound like your own, just play B.B. King’s version of “The Thrill Is Gone” (R. Hawkins, R. Darnell) then follow it with this version by The Pat Fulgoni Blues Experience and call it a wrap. This rendition of the classic song that introduced many of us to the blues is so far from the original that Pat could have possibly gotten away with listing himself as it’s writer. It’s done as a duet with Pat singing what may be one of the most soulful versions of the song while Sam performs a concerto type performance on the piano. Wow!
Coming full circle, the disc closes with another straight up slow blues number. It’s a band compilation titled “Stickin’ The Knife In Blues” and at over eight minutes long it not only gets to feature everyone, but it gets to feature them all at the top of their game on what may just be the disc’s best track.
Other songs on this excellent release include: another of Pat’s originals titled “Drifter”; “Midnight Train” (R.C. Reale, J. Tiven); and “Confusion Blues” (G. Mcdaniel).
Besides friending and following the band on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/patfulgonibluesexperience – this link will enable you to check out all of their other Internet platforms – https://linktr.ee/fulgoni. Remember, when you do contact Pat, please tell him his new friend the Blewzzman sent you.
The Blues Is My Passion And Therapy”
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 “Keeping The Blues Alive” Award Recipient
