REVIEWS
"A
new form of Blues. A fusion of the Delta and their own haunted visions.
In a way, when performing live they're like a classic jam band that can
take a song and it's theme on for great lengths, never getting boring
in the process.But what ever they are, they're extremely innovative with
a sound completely their own....This quartet should be viewed as sculptors,
or painters. They're creating a new demension of the blues within our
dreams...exhilerating and mind-enchanting...a very new and very exciting
vision of the blues" Cascade Blues Association,
Portland Oregon 2008
Joe
McMurrian Quartet PROGRESSIVE BLUES
2007
"rich, muddy Delta bottom of blues sources, and onward past the limitations
of the form to a more progressive sound, one open to original material
as relevant as that of any contemporary, folk-based singer-songwriter...the
bluesman’s two recent releases—last year’s studio effort,
Rain of Days, and the brand-new Live at the White Eagle—are both
truly rewarding listens. Rain’s a quiet, contemplative hour of songs
treading through dense emotional territory. McMurrian’s shown impressive
growth as a songwriter; his words have become as musical as his guitar
playing is lyrical. And there’s an encouraging sense of reach, as
though he’s struggling to express something just beyond his language,
suggesting more growth to come... Some expansive moments here recall early
Fairport Convention at its most atmospheric.."
Willamette
Week music review, jeff Rosenberg Portland Oregon 2007
read
Full article here
Blues to brood by - by Don Campbell
2008
Joe McMurrian, the Delta and hill-style guitarist, has
been a fixture Tuesday nights at Portland's White Eagle for a number of
years. Over time he's added some of Portland's finest blues players to
the mix, including former Fabulous Thunderbirds drummer Jimi Bott, harmonica
ace David Lipkin and bassist Jason Honl....This
quartet, like some muddy river, rolls on with dark and hypnotic intent,
roiled by the occasional musical eddy. Their free-form explorations of
the blues evoke the sounds of the Rev. Gary Davis, R.L. Burnside and Son
House, but they play well outside the confines of rural blues.That sound,
propelled by McMurrian's fierce guitar and smoky vocals, has been captured
in the band's first CD, "Live at the White Eagle." The 13 songs
are an absolutely true reflection of the band's live sets. With deft and
keen interplay, the players spin around McMurrian's core guitar and vocal.
The sum is a dark, trancelike sound that easily steals listeners' attention
and draws them unforgivingly in..."
Read
full article here
"McMurrian
plays mystic, conjuring up the dark side of the heart armed only with
a guitar and voice. You have to wonder if he didn't strike the same deal
as Delta shaman Robert Johnson." Don Campbell, Oregonian, Portland
oregon 2007
Read full article here
~____________________________________________________~
" Folks, I just want to say that that was one of the finest versions of Big Road Blues I have ever heard.."
Earwig Music founder/owner Michael Frank 2007
"McMurrian plays mystic, conjuring up the dark side of the heart armed only with a guitar and voice. You have to wonder if he didn't strike the same deal as Delta shaman Robert Johnson."
Don Campbell, Oregonian, Portland oregon 2007
" His fingerpicking and slide skills amaze and challenge listeners while his moving vocals draw them into the world of a true story teller.."
Cascade Blues Association Portland, R 2006
"A new form of Blues...exhilerating and mind-enchanting...a very new and very exciting vision of the blues"
Cascade Blues Association, Portland Oregon 2008
" Joe McMurrian is a great, gritty singer and a fluid fingerstyle guitarist with more than a little Delta influence in his sound - and the artistic moxie to make it sound fresh yet timeless"
Oregonian, A&E music review.
"...rich, muddy Delta bottom of blues sources, and onward past the limitations of the form to a more progressive sound, one open to original material as relevant as that of any contemporary, folk-based singer-songwriter...…Some very expansive moments here "
Willamette Week - Jeff Rosenberg, Oregonian music review, Portland. 2007
" He plays with an eerie tension, as if conscious of some far horizon the listener hasn't spotted yet, building a compelling sense of forboding momentum.....He impresses with complex fingerwork and chord progressions as well as his frequent deployment of a delta slide, deftly using it to conjure specific emotions. The drama's deepened by his gruff, raspy vocals."
Pasadena Weekly Pasadena, CA 2004
"
Joe McMurrian is a great, gritty singer and a fluid fingerstyle guitarist
with more than a little Delta influence in his sound - and the artistic
moxie to make it sound fresh yet timeless"
Oregonian, A&E music review. 2005
Rural
fingerstyle fluidity across a rhythmic delta blues intensity. An amazing listen.."
Kpsu Radio, Portland, OR, 2003
" One of the most adventurous musical spirits to hit the folk blues scene in many years"
...Songnet.com
" That blew me away , that slide thing you did was cool man..Is that a Stella?"
Louisiana Red, Blues Legend
" Makes me afraid for my future.."
Paul Geramia, Blues Legend
" I like your playing, you sure can rip on that Delta style...."
Charlie Musslewhite, Blues Legend
"Thank you for doing that one son, like Tommy Johnson used to do, but different, really nice, really good you know. I like that.."
Honey Boy Edwards - Delta Blues Master and one time traveling partner to Robert Johnson
”Joe’s guitar playing and singing have that rare quality of unearthly wisdom and understanding. Joe is joined by three of Portland’s most innovative musicians and the connection is as immediate and natural as thunder and lightning…”
Radio host Brad Brenner of Portland’s KMHD 89.1 FM
"It's
refreshing to hear traditional acoustic blues get a modern makeover
and still maintain an allegiance to its roots. Sounds like a tall order,
but the 15 tracks here are solid proof that it can be pulled off with
moving, honest results. Using a precise and strong finger picking and
slide style, McMurrian wastes no time showing that he is tremendously
adept at both guitar and banjo, able to beautifully manipulate each instrument
and give every song a unique sound. Adding to that, 14 of the 15 songs
here are original compositions(the exception being the opening track,
a wonderfully revamped take on the traditional "Going to Memphis
to See Her There"), and 11 feature his equally jaw-dropping backing
band. As if this wasn't enough, McMurrian's gravelly vocals and gray-tinted
lyrics sync perfectly with the mood and feeling of each distinct offering,
allowing this album to be varied and cohesive all at once"
CDBABY.com
WOODBRAIN REVIEWS
“Contender in the ‘best thing I’ve heard all year’ stakes... Woodbrain make music within the blues tradition, but are not afraid to diversify and take chances . . . that’s what maybe makes this release so appealing.” —Blues in the Northwest UK (Ireland) 2009
“An irresistible blend... You see the term “Brave New Blues” bandied about quite a bit, but in this case, it certainly applies. These guys are absolutely fearless, taking the blues in directions where few have ventured.”
—Blues Bytes 2009
"A new form of Blues. A fusion of the Delta and their own haunted visions. In a way, when performing live they're like a classic jam band that can take a song and it's theme on for great lengths, never getting boring in the process.But what ever they are, they're extremely innovative with a sound completely their own....This quartet should be viewed as sculptors, or painters. They're creating a new demension of the blues within our dreams...exhilerating and mind-enchanting...a very new and very exciting vision of the blues"
Cascade Blues Association, Portland Oregon 2008Joe McMurrian Quartet PROGRESSIVE BLUES 2007
"rich, muddy Delta bottom of blues sources, and onward past the limitations of the form to a more progressive sound, one open to original material as relevant as that of any contemporary, folk-based singer-songwriter...the bluesman’s two recent releases—last year’s studio effort, Rain of Days, and the brand-new Live at the White Eagle—are both truly rewarding listens. Rain’s a quiet, contemplative hour of songs treading through dense emotional territory. McMurrian’s shown impressive growth as a songwriter; his words have become as musical as his guitar playing is lyrical. And there’s an encouraging sense of reach, as though he’s struggling to express something just beyond his language, suggesting more growth to come... Some expansive moments here recall early Fairport Convention at its most atmospheric.."
Willamette Week music review, jeff Rosenberg Portland Oregon 2007
"This quartet, like some muddy river, rolls on with dark and hypnotic intent, roiled by the occasional musical eddy. Their free-form explorations of the blues evoke the sounds of the Rev. Gary Davis, R.L. Burnside and Son House, but they play well outside the confines of rural blues... With deft and keen interplay, the players spin around McMurrian's core guitar and vocal. The sum is a dark, trancelike sound that easily steals listeners' attention and draws them unforgivingly in..."
Blues to brood by - by Don Campbell, Oregonian 2008
This review originally ran in BluesWax issue #391 on 04/03/2008
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Not To Be MissedJoe McMurrian recorded his weekly sets at the North Portland venue, White Eagle, for about two months and compiled this album. Portland, Oregon, has a music scene that is as busy as the one in New York City. McMurrian has worked hard to get his name out there and keeps steady gigs with plenty of competition around. He is welcomed to many of the venues in the area.He has studied the guitar masters of the pre-war Blues. He picks the strings to the sounds of Robert Johnson, Fred McDowell, and Blind Willie McTell, as well as others, on this album, Live at the White Eagle. The songs aren't readings of these artist's thoughts, they are McMurrian's interpretations of their music. This is a quartet so let's bring in the other three artists. Jimi Bott bounces the drums, David Lipkind blows the harp, and Jason Honl thumps the bass. Most acoustic guitarists don't take the stage with a three-piece band, but McMurrian has the gall to do it. And it sounds good to me. The creations that these guys put together are fresh and inviting. You want to keep listening. When you hear the title "Last Fair Deal" don't even think of Robert Johnson, 'cause McMurrian takes the song and gives it his own breath. The song has a serious groove on it and Lipkind adds to it with his harp riffs. The song goes for over eight minutes and closes out as it melts into "T for Texas." McMurrian shows what is possible with music, not just what has been done. McTell's "Brokedown Engine" surely lacks no steam here. McMurrian gets deep on this song, while Lipkind makes the steam whistle blow. Bott and Honl come in only when needed, providing plenty of room and atmosphere to this song. If you want to hear the guys just play their instruments then check out "Moby's Blues." The song jams at over six minutes and just boils in intensity. McMurrian plucks the banjo for the tune and this is a song not to be missed. My favorite two tracks are the first two, both McMurrian compositions. "Broken Window Blues" opens the album and gets you ready for the rest of the album. The band drives the song perfectly while McMurrian steers the wheel. Then you get "Bogg Dog," a haunting sound starts out the track and it has an eerie Louisiana sound to it. McMurrian could be compared to fellow Northwestern musician Kelly Joe Phelps. Although Kelly Joe has many different roots, McMurrian has more solid Blues in his fingers. Both are taking old music and giving them new voices. Don't pass McMurrian up. This is one of the best albums that's come across my desk in awhile.
Copyright Visionation, Ltd 2004. All Rights Reserved with limited rights offered to artist and their agents for publicity purposes only with proper citation to BluesWax, BluesWax.com, or www.blueswax.com. |
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From The Oregonian A&E music reviews:
sound check
Friday, April 07, 2006
By DON CAMPBELL COUNTRY BLUES FROM THE CROSSROADS --
In most cities, Tuesdays can be a dreadful, dead-quiet night for live music. Not so in Portland. Acoustic country blues guitarist, banjo player and singer Joe McMurrian takes the stage every Tuesday at the White Eagle, McMenamins' No-Po outpost and a place long haunted by lusty, rough-and-tumble lore born of Portland's unruly waterfront past.Among the ancient brick and timber, the Eagle is a venue perfect for McMurrian to spin his spellbinding yarns. In among the mischievous spirits and tortured souls, McMurrian plays mystic, conjuring up the dark side of the heart armed only with a guitar and voice. You have to wonder if he didn't strike the same deal as Delta shaman RobertJohnson.
McMurrian, a California native with family roots in Texas and Oklahoma,
gravitated to Portland after a lengthy tenure playing the West Coast and
beyond. He's absorbed an edgy, insistent and hypnotic swirl of Delta-
and hill-style blues that he picks with a one-step-closer-to-hell aggression.You'll
hear Son House, Rev. Gary Davis and R.L. Burnside in there, for certain,
plus some Coltrane and Dylan. But it's the depth of his songwriting and
smoldering voice that set him apart. He reveals places that are emotionally
unsettling and uneasy, plying a kind of restless poetry that he renders
in vocals of smoke and ember. From a song called "Mr. Pete Driving
By," he sings, "Beyond the lake land/Where dredgers are stacking
rhyme/We all turned into preachers/with our hands open for a dime."
McMurrian plays in a trio format at the White Eagle, though his recordings are all solo. From 1996's "Divining Rod" through "Under the Sun" in 2001 and "Dredge" in 2004 (plus a couple of cuts on two KBOO "Radio Dharma Wheel" CDs), McMurrian is a musician who seems to step from a shadowy place, consumed by the demons that haunt us all but fearless in taking whatever chances he needs to with form, modality and delivery to avail us with what he's discovered.
Whether he's a prophet or pariah is up to the listener; regardless, McMurrian is a formidable old soul whose music will haunt you to your bones.
Don Campbell is a Portland freelance writer.
"Joe's
voice has a natural quality that eludes to many lifetimes of living. It
surrounds his songs with an urgency of truth and wisdom that begs the
listener to take note....An instant River City Juke Joint favorite. Once
he got started, the audience just wouldn't let him stop."
Brad Brenner
River City Juke Joint
KMHD Radio 2004
"Joe McMurrian has an amazing way of drawing a listener in. He effectively wraps up Delta Blues, Folk, Hill old time and such modern influences as Nick Drake, Chris Smither and early John Martin into a truly engrossing listen. His complete adeptness at finger style and bottleneck slide guitar are truly matched by his Smokey resonated voice as it throw's out great originals like Gentle Man or Rope is Thin, and fresh covers of such great traditional songs as Cuckoo Bird or Skip James' Hard Times. His music reminds one of the tradition, but oftentimes he revels in juxtaposing a slight chaos with a smooth flow, as if to cross your expectations up and then cradle them unexpectedly... Acoustic blues and roots based music is in good hands...." Sierra Madre Vista Los Angeles, CA
" Them young men downstairs, that Joe McMurrian he's good, they're playing that real blues, the old stuff I used play when I was young...." Eddie Kirkland, Portland Waterfront Blues Festival Blues Cruise, 2003
Rural fingerstyle fluidity across a rhythmic delta blues intensity. An amazing listen.." Kpsu Radio, Portland, OR, 2003
" To say Joe McMurrian is an artist is an understatement, his visual story telling put him on par with Tom Waits with the musical delivery of a seasoned professional. He delivers a rare power and personal perspective to his own brand of blues and roots based material straight from the delta and hills of acoustic America and beyond.." Burlingame Acoustic Room 2003
" Wow, Breathtaking.." Joan from Blue Rhythm, Kboo Radio 2003
" You play some F'n good guitar..." Michael Beglan at the Alberta Street Public House, Portland Or. 2004
"Steeped in classic acoustic idioms (Delta blues, folk, bluegrass), McMurrian distills it all into a personal style on his collection of mostly original songs such as “The Gentleman & the Promiscuous Lady.” On this and other tunes, the artist’s passionate, lightning-quick guitar skills and Dylanesque vocal vibe allow him to conjure a dramatic urgency that draws the listener in. “Wishing Well,” meanwhile, is a light, free and easy blues a la Taj Mahal. All of it is grown-up material, and labels in search of a roots-oriented artist of substance should make the call.." Music Connection Magazine Los Angeles, CA April 2001
http://www.musicconnection.com
" He plays with an eerie tension, as if conscious of some far horizon the listener hasn't spotted yet, building a compelling sense of forboding momentum.....He impresses with complex fingerwork and chord progressions as well as his frequent deployment of a delta slide, deftly using it to conjure specific emotions. The drama's deepened by his gruff, raspy vocals." Pasadena Weekly Pasadena, CA 2001
*CLICK BELOW TO READ THE ENTIRE PASADENA WEEKY REVIEW
NOV 2001 " Portland fans of Acoustic Roots & Blues music, look out! There's a new guy in town that deserves a listen.......If this fine recordeing gets around, Joe McMurrian will soon become a favorite of Stumptown's (Portland) acoustic music aficionados." ... Cascade Blues Association Portland, OR 2002
Read it: http://www.cascadeblues.org/NWBlues/JoeMcMurrian/UnderTheSun.htm
#1 MP3.COM Acoustic Blues artist November, December, January 1999-2000 with over 97,000 internet downloads to date.
"Under the Sun, the new CD from acoustic blues musician Joe McMurrian is hauntingly beautiful, with its sliding, rythmic delta guitar sounds, and joe's 'Dylan like' interpretations of traditional standards and his own works"..... Sierra madre Vista Los Angeles, CA.
"The
rural influence shines through his intricate finger picking, open tunings,
and liberal use of the bottleneck slide.....(In the new CD Under The SUN)
you'll find poignant reflections of life backed by a sometimes delicate,
sometimes fierce attack on the steel and wood in his ragged hands."
-Cascade Blues Association Portland, OR 2002
" Joe McMurrian Is an awesome talent! As a solo acoustic Blues based songwriter, he takes the essence of Delta players such as Skip James, Son House, or the eccentric ways of Robert Pete Williams and infuses them with the intensity of North Mississippi rhythmic ideas. This is all executed in relation to his own original stylistic improvisations and song material in order to conjure a vast terrain of possibilities. His control over the instrument and ability to deliver a song in a very believable way puts him up with the greats of modern acoustic players such as Chris Smither, Leo Kotke, Kelly Joe Phelps and Martin Simpson to name a few. At times he drifts into the tertiary color shades of Nick Drake and English folk master Bert Jansch while retaining his hold on American styles past and future. A welcome addition to the rebirth of acoustic blues and a highly recommended performer to boot....." Santa Barbara Independent, CA
""Joe McMurrians new cd Divining Rod is a Tour De' Force in acoustic country blues. His simplicity and honesty are riveting. Although his music is based in classic Delta Blues and Folk, this music does not sound ancient-it sounds vital and alive.His first self produced cd Divining Rod is filled with subtle force and surprises unseen in modern country blues.."I cannot wait to see where he goes from here." World of Havoc Music reviews 1999. Los Angeles CA.