Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Three Rivers , from Jordan Officer and I'm really looking forward to getting it home on the real system Office has a unique style of blending easy playful tunes with intense bursts of guitar and the opener, Your Body's My Home . An easy paced guitar rhythm and a mellow melody is the stage for crisp and intense burst of guitar energy, backed by Zev Katz on bass and Charley Drayton on drums. Very cool. Big swinger, One Handed Push-Ups is a great jump track featuring officer on lead vocal as well as guitar and violin. This is a snappy track with real fireworks. Super! Easy rocker, Dream of You and Me has nice paired vocals and with solid bass lines, and brushed drums, Officer riffs off some real nice melodic lead solo lines. Slow and quiet is how he approaches Just To Be With You with solid vocals, cool fiddle soloing and crisp guitar riffs...all by officer over bass and drums. Very effective. With a Bo Diddley ...

I just received the newest release, Blue Skies , from Jordan Officer and it's actually quite amazing. I recall being quite taken by Officer's earlier release, I'm Free and this album, totally different, shows what a complete artist Officer is. Opening with the title track, Blue Skies , penned by Tom Waits, Officer slips right into a gypsy jazz mode blowing out absolutely incredibly beautiful riffs on his guitar in a very subdued studio like setting, backed by Alain Berge' on drums and Sage Reynolds on bass. Big Three Trio's Got You On My Mind has an easy blues feel. Officers guitar riffs are tight and spectacular. Fats Domino's It's You Love has trace New Orleans rhythms but subdued with light vocals over sparkling guitar riffs. Arthur Alexander's Shot Of Rhythm and Blues has a pure 60's beat feel and Officer really revs up the playful nature of the rhythm. Clever double stops, vocal harmonies and slick runs give this track a unique feel....

I just received the newest release, I'm Free , from Jordan Officer and it's terrific! Opening with At Least I've Got The Blues , a cool walking, Thrill Is Gone like track, Officer talks his lyrics, not unlike one of my all time favorites, Roy Buchanan, and lets his guitar do the talking. His guitar knows exactly what to do with beautiful tone and unquestionable phrasing. Excellent! A Night Of Fun , is up next with a carnival kind of feel. Tony Mason on drums and Jeff Hill on bass balance out this track. With a cool light jazzy touch this is a bright player. Title track, I'm Free , is a nice slow T-Bone Walker style track with beautifully articulate guitar work. Charley Drayton on drums and Andy Hess just sit tight in the pocket as Officer shows how it is done. Brilliant! When We Were Just Two is a cool retro track with a Bo Diddley beat. Loose guitar work and rhythmic backing make this a cool track. I'm All Alone had a cool Roy Head like vamp with a minimalist...