Rob Price
Gutbrain Records
rob + gutbrain.com = email

2023 March 29 • Wednesday

Our Howard Roberts studies take us to some unexpected places. The most recent is this Bear Family Fabian CD, I'm a Man.

They only have personnel information for a handful of tracks but there are some great people here besides Roberts: Barney Kessel, Milt Holland, Earl Palmer, Red Callender, Bud Shank, Plas Johnson, Larry Bunker et al.

Whoever the guitarist is on the title song, he or she gets a lot out of two notes.

The second track, "Tongue-Tied", has particularly interesting guitar soloing from two guitarists.

Blistering on "Little Meanie Jeanie" has blistering guitar work that could be from Roberts or Kessel or René Hall.

Even though Roberts and Bill Pitman are credited with playing guitar on "Hong Kong", the song is embarrassing both lyrically and musically and doesn't feature guitar.

There is some nice guitar work on "Grapevine" but it's hard to hear over the strings.

"Be My Steady Date" has bright and piercing guitar work with lots of attack while "Tiger" has dual solos with pretty different parts, possible a multi-track of one guitarist.

"I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" is straight jazz, just faster and louder, and features Roberts and Kessel.

Then it's back to more of a menacing rock and roll sound for "Take Me", with knife-blade guitar tone and some subtle effect of baritone or bass guitar as well.

There are frighteningly nimble arpeggios and runs in "Mighty Cold" and nice muted staccato picking on "Hey Little Girl", with more of a boogie woogie guitar approach on "Gonna Make You Mine".

All in all, a worthy edition to our Howard Roberts collection.