City Life: Ballads 'n' Funk

Description

The ever-adventurous British Babel Label proudly presents the debut solo album from one of Britain's most underrated guitarists Richard Bolton. As the full title promises, City Life (ballads 'n' funk) is a contrasting collection of energetic, groove-fuelled jazz tunes and more laid-back poignant ballads written by Bolton.

Richard is perfectly at ease playing virtually any style of music, and draws on jazz, classical, and folk roots to weave his intuitive, sensitive improvisations. He is aided on City Life by Us3 and Incognito groove merchant organist Mike Gorman and scorching funky bop alto saxist James Knight, a hard-hitting intense musician who remains top of the UK session wanted list having played with the Pogues, Kirsty MacColl and others.

The album features nine tracks in all ranging from the driving jazz-funk of 'City Life' to the Celtic-tinged ballad 'A Time for Peace', through some cool moods and lilting Latin/Afro rhythms. The rhythmic section boasts Partisans bassist Thad Kelly and drummer Mike Pickering.

Of Richard's recent performance with Billy Jenkins and the Blues Collective's 'Summertime Blues' show, John L. Walters said in the Guardian: " Second guitarist Rick Bolton squeezes exquisite solos between equally skilful rhythm parts. One of the treats of a small space like this is enjoying the details of sound and performance at close quarters. Bolton's solos are a constant delight - to us and Jenkins - with the added bonus that in a yellow spotlight he's the spit of Homer Simpson."

More recent work by Richard includes his guitar contribution to the soundtrack of the highly acclaimed film Gosford Park.