Blues Series#11: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

[joe]

On this album finds Savoy Brown's swagger stretching into jazz territory yet retaining a blues foundation. Excellent heavy piano and bass and Chicago brass that doesn't overpower the sound as was the case with a lot of bands of the day. Baritone vocalist Chris Youlden has probably one of the most distinctive vocals in blues-rock and left after this album for an ill fated solo career. Leader/ guitarist Kim Simmonds could never replace him and the band never reached this peak again. Raw Sienna is one greatest albums of the British blues rock scene IMO, right up there with Fleetwood Mac's s/t debut and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

Great stuff Joe .. I really like the third album "Blue Matter" as well, top notch.

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

My second fav album Sox. I think all the albums with original vocalist Chris Youlden are excellent as are Looking In and Street Corner Talking. From there the quality starts to dropoff IMO.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

Chris Youlden is the difference I fully agree Joe, In his book "Blues: The British Connection" Bob Brunning cites Chris as having one of the best voices for the blues that the UK has produced.

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

I agree 100% Sox. Another great blues rock vocalist from the British blues boom was Ray Owen from Juicy Lucy who sadly left after the first album and went on to release one solo album and was not to be heard from again. Again, his vocals are very unique and somewhat similar to that of Chris Youlden.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

That's right Joe another great voice and I also like the guy that I think took over from Ray Owen, Paul Williams ex Zoot Money vocalist. Wicked blues throats all three.

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

Sox, you know your stuff. I didn't think anybody knew of Zoot Money.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

Zoot played at Buxton at one of the Alexis Korner Memorial Concerts I used to go to. Loads of 60's musicians would turn out to pay their dues to the father of British Blues the proceeds going to cancer charities.

Here's another cracker from Savoy Brown.

 

[joe]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

Alexis Korner was the father of the British blues revival of the 60's.

Man oh man Sox, you guys get so many great shows over there. I'm in the wrong part of the world for concerts and gigs.

 

[Sox]

Re: Blues Series#12: Savoy Brown-Raw Sienna

I was there last night Joe to see Tygers of Pan Tang and The Monsters Of British Rock (Micky Moody and Laurie Wisefield cutting it up on stage together). Buxton Opera House is my favourite venue in the UK and only 40 mins away from where I live and Sheffield is just 10 miles away, so yeah I am very lucky when it comes to gigs.