Chris
Beard
Live Wire
NorthernBlues NBM0028
The word
prince means a non-reigning male member of a sovereign family. If you think of a prince,
you'll think of lavishness. Prince Of The Blues is a fitting moniker for Rochester, New
York's Chris Beard. He is the son of blues guitarist Joe Beard, and was raised on Motown,
Stax and plenty of rock music. The prince picked up the guitar at age five, and by 15 was
working steadily in Cameo. He freely admits, "My blues has the modern feel of soul,
funk and rock. I never stray away from the blues too much; it is always at the
foundation." His 3rd CD contains 73 minutes that is equal in live and studio cuts.
Beard handles lead guitar, rhythm guitar and vocals. Additionally, he contributes five
originals.
There appears
to be intense energy present on the live recordings, but audio alone can't capture it.
Beard takes the stage on "Born To Play The Blues" with his screaming guitar.
"Tribute to Luther Allison - Part 1" begins with a sizzling four-minute guitar
solo where Beard is backed by his band. The solo pays homage to Allison and BB King. A
high point exists on "Caught Up". You won't find finer contemporary blues than
this. On this song, and a couple others, Alan Murphy's keyboards are out of the ordinary.
The studio
recordings carry substance. The aggression and uncontrollable force from the live cuts is
left behind. The result is the band performs like a unit. The songs, arrangements, vocals
and production are all top-quality in the studio. "Street Of Broken Dreams" is a
deep soul/funk song with commendable horns. The dramatic "Never Felt No Blues"
contains a sentiment we have all experienced whether it has been brought on by partners,
jobs or kids. The best song, the Joe Louis Walker-style "Can't Walk Away,"
contains rhythm that oozes like oil.
Essentially Live Wire is a tale of two tales. The live material lacks essence and contains
inadequate sound quality. The pulsating studio tracks leave you feeling Beard is stronger
in the studio than on the stage.
- Tim Holek -
Southwest Blues CD Review - September 2005
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