Jay Gordon and Blues Venom

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The Concert Monkey,  Belgium   Review By: Walter Vanheuckelom
JAY GORDON AND BLUES VENOM - LIVE AT WOODYSTOCK BLUES FESTIVAL 2022
Jay Gordon grew up in Chicago, the center of the blues world. He is known for his sharp guitar work and his passionate singing. Although his influences are Buddy Guy, Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan, he has his own style. Gordon has recorded seventeen CDs, the most recent of which is 'Slide Rules' from 2019. Gordon has opened for Eric Clapton, Johnny Winter, ZZ Top, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins and many others. In 2004, he was invited by Clapton to perform at the Crossroads Guitar Festival. Gordon, who apprenticed and recorded with Texas guitar legend Phillip Walker, has won multiple South Bay Music Awards (California) and LAMA Awards (Ireland). His bassist Sharon Butcher has also received the Bass of the Year award from both organizations. He has now added a live album to his discography. 'Live At Woodystock Blues Festival 2022' was recorded in April 2022 at a sun-drenched Woodystock Festival in Lauglin, Nevada. The power trio consists of Jay Gordon on vocals and guitar, Sharon Butcher on bass and Tom Parham on drums. There are nine songs on the album and it is a mix of well-known blues/rock classics and their own work.
Jay Gordon And Blues Venom open their set with a solid version of the Muddy Waters classic 'Hoochie Coochie Man'. Bassist Sharon Butcher and drummer Tom Parham deliver a solid stomping groove and Jay Gordon immediately delivers cutting and grinding guitar riffs. With his raw and powerful voice, Jay sings the song with great conviction. Judging by the enthusiastic applause, I am certainly not the only one who enjoyed this version. For the Robert Johnson classic 'Crossroads', Jay Gordon goes back even further in time. Robert Johnson recorded 'Crossroads' in 1936 and the countlessly covered song is still alive and kicking. The powerful, raw version of Jay Gordon And Blues Venom is also a pleasure to listen to. Bassist Sharon Butcher provides a deep pounding bassline. Jay Gordon once again provides this great song with cutting and razor-sharp guitar work and he puts all his heart and soul into his voice. This is appreciated by the audience, who thanks him again with thunderous applause. The scorching guitar riffs and solo steal the show again in the George Thorogood cover 'I Drink Alone'. Jay wrote new arrangements for this song. The power trio gives the best of themselves in this almost eight-minute version. Tom Parham with tight and solid percussion and Sharon Butcher with a deep bassline once again prove that they form a solid and reliable rhythm section. Jay Gordon once again shows his great class as a guitarist during this 'I Drink Alone'.
Then it is time for some personal work with 'Slow Burn Biker Mama', a song that Jay Gordon recorded for his 2011 album 'No Cure'. The razor-sharp guitar riffs of the long instrumental intro go through the skin. 'Slow Burn Biker Mama' is a fantastic slow blues in which Jay Gordon treats his enthusiastic audience with several beautiful string solos. Another original song is the exciting Texas boogie rocker 'Fire And Brimstone Boogie'. The song is already twenty years old and can be found on the album '6 Strings Outlaw' from 2003. Jay Gordon again performs beautifully on his Gretz guitar several times. The various rhythm changes give 'Fire And Brimstone Boogie' even more cachet. Jay Gordon is a real frontman and knows how to play the audience in the right way several times and to cheer them up. In 'Fire And Brimstone Boogie' Jay Gordon honors blues legend John Lee Hooker. Another great song is the blues classic "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl," recorded in 1937 by Sony Boy Williamson. The song has been covered countless times by blues and rock greats such as Muddy Water, Lightning Hopkins, Grateful Dead, Johnny Winter, The Allman Brothers Band, Rod Stewart and Ten Years After. Not much remains of the original blues version by Sony Boy Williamson in the version of Jay Gordon And Blues Venom, their version is closer to the Ten Years After version. It is a solid blues rocker with a pounding bass line from bassist Sharon Butcher and tight and sturdy percussion from Tom Parham. Here too, Jay Gordon shows with passionate guitar work that he is an excellent guitarist.
Next comes the Creedence Clearwater Revival medley 'Green River' and 'Suzie Q'. John Fogerty, Doug Clifford and Stu Cook also played this medley during their European tour in 1971 and you can also find it on the album 'Live In Europe'. 'Green River' and 'Suzie Q' have great and very recognizable guitar riffs. The power and energy in Jay Gordon's version gives this medley an extra touch. We get more dazzling and cutting guitar work in the scorching Southern blues rocker 'Train, Train', a cover of the band Blackfoot. Jay Gordon And Blues Venom close their concert with the Elmore James cover 'Stranger Blues'. Bassist Sharon Butcher shines with her powerful deep bassline and Jay once again delivers razor-sharp and cutting sounds on his Gretz guitar. Jay Gordon's voice is powerful, raw and infused with emotion. The recording of this performance, held at the iconic Woodystock Blues Festival, exudes the energy and passion that characterizes Jay Gordon And Blues Venom. The live album 'Live At Woodystock Blues Festival 2022' contains a fiery and authentic blues rock song, delivered with the passion and soul that embodies this genre. (8.5/10)
Walter Vanheuckelom