333maxwell - Les is More

Hear The Track Here

Second time up this month for Chas Holman (aka 333maxwell). Now some might think that a bit of a cheat but hey, at least he is appearing here in his own right AND - having just reviewed his lovely collaboration with Charlie Armour (that's Charlie A to you) on Sunny Blues and being blown away by its jazzy style - this is a musician I would always have time for. Especially when he's in his jazz hat. Having said that, Les is More is (and I quote) 'A cartoonish tribute I wrote and recorded for Les' Les in this case being the legendary guitarist Les Paul whose name has graced the ubiquitous Gibson guitar he inspired and consequently wielded by a trillion rock gods. More on the enormous impact of Les Paul can be found here - and I do suggest you get acquainted.

333maxwell inserts a few caveats into his comments - cartoonish being the most obvious. There's a couple in his request comment too; let me see now... 'I present a track that probably really only has appeal to a very few who either lived it, or like it.. In other words I doubt your average youngster will 'get it'' and 'The song is a novelty, yet it's a serious song at the same time'. Now, I am not a youngster and I remember clearly hearing about Les Paul from my father (who played in a big band), and who played much the same material himself. That could explain my reaction to this track which - I have to admit - is period perfect in every detail. This is exactly what used to bore the crap out of us young kids before rock and roll came along.

Ah but we were all so much younger then...

I have, of course, gathered an appreciation for jazz over the years although I must admit I have never been a big fan of Les Paul or the others that followed in his wake. Nonetheless, I can certainly take my hat off (yet again) to Chas for getting that all important period feel into the track. Yes, but would someone younger be able to get anything out of? Certainly, so long as they started at it's base; jazz. If you have a taste for classic piano and/or guitar jazz instrumentals then this will definitely bring a smile to your face. If you are as ancient, dessicated and decrepit as your reviewer, then not only will it bring a smile, it may well trigger an outpouring of memories; it's that kind of track. More importantly it shows that - no matter what - 333maxwell never lets out anything below a certain very high standard.

Highly Recommended tribute to a music legend.