Virgil Brawley/SYLLAMO TRIO
Mountain View, Arkansas, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2015
Music
Press
Review: "Bottle Tree"from:
Rootstime.be in Belgium.
By: Freddy Celis <wantedblues@hotmail.com>
Date: November 21, 2009
Blues comes to you in all shapes and sizes. You need electric blues and hard pruning cozy acoustic blues. Virgil Brawley, frontman of his band, The Juvenators, about forty years has been making music, especially music that belongs to the first category, but with his latest album was indeed the last category where it belongs. This does not mean that music is less hard. Brawley knows precisely with his relaxed vocals and relaxed but very subtle guitar playing to hit a chord with the listener. "Bottle Tree" sounds at first hearing a cozy intimate blues, but a number of spins later you notice that the album has more depth than you thought at first hearing.
Besides three covers Brawley wrote every song himself, but without a great blues tradition from earlier years. Sometimes you hear gospel influences, and the country is never far away. The basis is laid by Brawley and his subtle yet sharp guitar playing, but the guest players often add something extra that makes the music exciting. Listen to "Sweet Josephine" in a beautiful way he uses the slide. On other tracks he plays along side the acoustic guitar with dobro well as in most country tinged song "Eudora's Jitney". But always in the service of the songs.
Brawley plays really beautifully nuanced and resonator slide guitar and is taking subtle and very effective support, but he also sings very well in a discreet manner, which brings us to the third peak of this album, the title track. Great class, and that certainly applies to the other songs.
From the beginning, the Taj Mahal-like "White House Blue, through the intense" Solid Ground ", the Delta blues of "Delta Woman Blues" to the beautiful final song, "Needed Time", a cover of Sam Hopkins, is a top album absolutely. It would be very regrettable if this intimate masterpiece only by guitar lovers would be picked up.
Artist info
Myspace: http://www.myspace/thejuvenators/virgilbrawley
Video
Label: Circle J Records
CD Baby
1.
- Freddy Celis, www.rootstime, (Belgium)
"On "Bottle Tree" Brawley freely mixes blues, gospel and country to paint an instresing portrait of the contemporary Southern land scape"
Scott Baretta of
The Clarion Ledger - Scott Baretta
Virgil Brawley's "Bottle Tree" was selected as Album of the Week Nov. 6,2009 by Cross Roads Radio in the Netherlands.
info provided by:
Jos van der Boom www.crossroadsradio.nl - WW.crossroadsradio.nl
Discography
"Bottle Tree" solo
"Golden Hearts"
"Live from the Mercury Room"
"Mojo Burning"(all 3 by the Juvenators)
Photos
Bio
Syllamo Trio
The Syllamo Trio is made up of thee veteran musicians, each one, time tested and proven. The group specializes in Mississippi and Country style blues and performs original music with passion and attention to authenticity. The group’s debut recording entitled Marcella features 11 original songs all written by the band in the past year. It’s no frills blues/soul/rock n’ roll. CD’s and download cards are available on cdbaby.com
Guitarist/Vocalist/Virgil Brawley
Virgil has been playing over 50 years. He appeared in the TV movie "The Last of the Mississippi Jukes" filmed at the famous Subway Lounge and also wrote 3 songs for the movie "Oh, Mr. Faulkner Do You Write?" A plaster bust of his face is on permanent display at Delta State University along with many other noted blues men in a series entitled "Cast in Blues" by Sharon McConnell. After releasing 3 recordings with his band, The Juvenators*, he recorded a solo album, "Bottle Tree" which exemplifies his distinct style. *The Juvenators name appears on the “Mississippi Blues Trail” marker “Subway Lounge” in Jackson, Mississippi.
Bassist/Albee Tellone
Without a doubt the well-traveled one of the group Albee grew up in New Jersey and spent some of his early years as a musician working with a young Bruce Springsteen. His tales are chronicled in the book Upstage, Springsteen and Me. Albee later moved to Key West, FL working and performing as a musician for many years before moving to Mountain View, Akansas. Albee is well versed on guitar, mandolin and of course, bass.
Drummer/Daren Dortin
A veteran of the Memphis, TN blues scene for nearly 20 years, Daren recorded and toured with Alvin “Youngblood” Hart, Jimbo Mathis and Knockdown South, T Model Ford and Sun Records artist Billy Lee Riley among others. In addition to his work as a touring and recording musician, Daren produced and co-hosted the syndicated blues radio program Beale Street Caravan from 1997 thru 2004.
Band Members
Links
