SHAWN PITTMAN - REVIEWSHAWN PITTMAN - REVIEW

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Real Blues

Shawn Pittman

Something's Gotta Give -- CD Review

by Andy Grigg
September 1999

While I've done my share of bashing young White 'blues' guitar stars. I don't do it because they're young. I do it mainly because so few of them show any knowledge or respect as to the cultural history/heritage of the blues. It's not just a type of music dammit! It's much, much more than that, and rather than me getting on a soap box and stating my definition, let's just say that I've also repeatedly voiced my opinion that environment is a much more important factor than anything else as to deveopment of authentic blues talent (playing with feeling/soul) and Texas seems to breed bonafide blues stars faster than fruit flies in an orchard.

When I first heard Shawn Pittman's debut CD on Cannonball two years ago I was blown away. Here was a young blues artist who displayed more true blues feeling than all of the other under 25 'blues' artists combined. Not since I'd heard Johnny Winter's "Progressive Blues Experiment" in 1969 had a young White blues guitarist/singer had that much positive impact on me. I loved it because it was totally natural, full of fire and talent and it moved me - big time! I predicted big things for Shawn (or I at least hoped for big things!) and I also wanted to hear much more from him. Now that I have his second CD on the stereo I'm hearing more of the same fire and honesty, but also I'm hearing what he's been doing and listening to in the last couple of years and it's evident it's been all "the right people." There's hope for the future of the blues when the past is honored by the present practitioners, and Shawn takes heed of this and name drops Slim Harpo, Frankie Lee Simms plus delivers a fine version of Guitar Slim's "SOMETHING TO REMEMBER YOU BY. "

Produced by Jim Gaines, the best of the 'big name' blues producers on the scene today, the overall sound is clean and mean and the backup crew is tough and tight. Shawn's developed as a songwriter with 10 out of 11 tunes being originals and every one of them more than memorable. Mike Morgan guests with lead guitar on "PAYIN' THE PRICE" while Shawn handles rhythm and that's something that impresses the heck out of me. Shawn has been learning all about becoming a good rhythm guitarist, definitely more difficult than just plain lead guitar work and that's something a lot of young guitarists wouldn't care to deal with or acknowledge. They'd rather sound like Buddy Guy than Steve Cropper. Having the old pro Riley Osborne on organ really does wonders to filling out the sound. Cannonball has a bona-fide star on their roster in terms of talent and commercial potential. Let's hope that the public at large gets hip to Shawn Pittman. 4 bottles for a CD that should be an antidote to the 'blooze.'