Many blues harp player strive for an eldorado of the sound, a vintage aspect despite the modern techniques of playing and recording. Often these initiatives end up sounding like a washed-out copy, due mainly to the fact that it's the spirit of the blues that made the pioneers sound good, not just the letter...
Steve Guyger studied direct from some of the masters; there is no doubt that this is where his heart lies, in the early post-war blues. But unlike others better known on the blues scene, he understands the spirit of the style, not just the theory of the playing. That is what makes his approach interesting, and in the end, that is why you can find pleasure in listening to his records time and again. I discovered Steve through his 1997 release Last Train to Dover, an excellent semi-acoustic album with Steve mostly backed by double bass and electric guitar - a very nice and warm album that I strongly recommend. Steve's next effort was Past Life Blues, where he is surrounded by a slightly more classic line-up of drums, double bass and guitar.
As soon as I heard the first track, I Thought I Heard, I felt like I was amongst family: live in the studio recording, ear-catching harp sound, intimate instrumentation. Steve's musicians, by the way, are really top notch. Guitarist Rich Yescalis, in particular, plays very fluid and inventive lines, which make his solos delightful.
Steve plays mostly amplified harp (unlike on Last Train to Dover where he played essentially acoustic) with a really warm and classic sound. His harp playing is sparse, he lets his phrases breathe, his notes ring. He has a great grove and knows how to use amplification to color his sound (listening to this album, I was reminded of JJ's comments on how Little Walter used amplification for more than being heard...) It's interesting to note that although Guyger is firmly rooted in tradition his phrasing sound fresh. It isn't pre-processed canned stuff but the result of well digested influences that have matured into a language of his own.
The choice of repertoire is well thought over. Steve moves from beat-driven pieces (in a relaxed kind of way) to first class rockers like We’re Gonna Ride on which he whips out his chro 64, and he's a mean chro player too! A few slow blues (I Tried So Hard, very Muddy Waters, or the excellent acoustic Bricks in My Pillow). The end of the record brings us in a slightly unusual territory: Monkey on a Limb the one but last piece, is very jazzy which makes for a nice change and wakes the ear up.
If I had one criticism to make it would be that Steve Guyger's voice isn't always solid enough to pull the songs through. At times he lacks the power and precision to deliver the lyrics convincingly. It's a shame, because I really believe that Steve is one of the top blues harp players on the scene today and really would deserve to be better known. That being said, I still warmly recommend the purchase of this album (and of the previous one). It'll make you rediscover blues harmonica if other 'predictable' players had made you forget it.
This review is republished and slightly amended from the Planet Harmonica webzine. It was originally published in issue #2 in 2001.
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