robin trower roots and branches

We do hope Robin Trower is OK. All his US dates were cancelled in 2013, the UK and Europe dates were due to be rescheduled this autumn but his web site still has no news for 2014.
There is word that he was in the studio in November with Jack Bruce.. wow! the outcome of that will move mountains, but nothing is confirmed yet.
He was in terrific form for his last album 'Roots and Branches' released earlier this year. (Available from his site TrowerPower)
In today's world Trower's guitar sound is a dark storm blown in from another time. Check this track with some mean vocals by Richard Watts. "See My Life" has to be one of the guitar solos of the year. Stunning.
Autobiographical lyrics too.

See my life as one long day,
Evenings passed and midnights on its way.
Many treasures still lay buried
That may be how it should remain.
And though the light begins to fade
I may have time to turn one last page.

See my footprints in the dust,
Faded now the hands to touch.
Across the face show scenes of loss
Backward stare, fingers burned.
Maybe one bridge too far,
But I just wanna play my guitar.

See that train that I rolled on,
Well, it went down a dark place.
Ran back home before too long
The heart would not survive the chase.
Eyes that see the future clear
End up now a million miles away from here.

the trower power

After yesterdays post on Robin Trower's last album 'Playful Heart' it was super good to find a video of the man himself explaining his foot pedal set up for the album and that incredible big voice sound he achieves and has had for decades.
To add to this pedal array his modern amp setup is two Marshall Vintage Modern 2466 heads. One audience member who had heard him a few months ago described.. "He had 2 sets of stacks (Marshall), 1 on each side of the stage. When he played it was a really earie.. It was like the sound totally enveloped you. You have to be there to appreciate it"
Trower's a great guy to explain this stuff, his south London accent and straight talk explains simply with a light touch, and unlike some other guitarists he doesn't hide any of the techniques he uses from the viewer.
At last someone has had the good sense to capture this for future players.
It's a short video at about 2 minutes but it does explain a lot.

robin trower

The mighty Trower was booked to play the 02 Academy in Islington, London this week (on the 27th) but the dates have been put back until next March 2013. Which is a bit of a shame as there's a still many a fan who's keen to see the man performing live and never have done. But next March is good enough.
His last album was released in 2010 and the unmistakable wah guitar has lost none of the psychedelic electric blues rock excellence that's been rolling since the beginning of the 1970's. Although the new album did have one change to his previous work, he sang the tracks himself, And a fine job too.
Since the sad death of James Dewar in 2002 through somewhat tragic circumstances Trower has often been casting around for the right vocalist to replace Dewar but these are austere times and a voice like his you just don't get off the shelf. So all credit to the maestro he just got on with it and produced the recording he wanted. After so many years he's still making that amazing sound that has it's roots going all the way back to Hendrix.
Here's 'Song For Those Who Fell' from the 'The Playful Heart' CD with it's awesome solo and as tight and punchy rhythm section as you'll hear in Glenn Letsch (bass) and Pete Thompson (drums).
Have no doubts guitar freaks, Robin Trower is still the real thing.

jack bruce

Another great blues man tours the UK in March 2012.
Jack Bruce has too many credentials to list here but his 2008 album with Robin Trower (guitars) and Gary Husbands (drums) saw Bruce returning to the trio form for the first time in some years. In the days post Cream his early solo albums in the seventies included some remarkable songs that were a dark, brooding mix of power rock and blues, and with the meeting of Robin Trower some 30 years later he had just the guitarist who played with power and atmosphere to suit the depth of the new songs on Seven Moons. Here one called Distant Places of the Heart.
Bruce still at his best. Trower still with soaring lead playing. A match made in.. another world.

robin trower

Robin Trower is on tour in the UK during September. One of the last of the guitar heroes from the sixties this man can knock down a wall with his sound.
Guitar modules try to get the sound but it just aint the same.
Check out the official site for dates -  trowerpower.com

Here's a 2009 live version of his classic "Bridge Of Sighs".