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Henri Herbert And The Fury - 'Live At Gypsy Hotel' Album Review


Tracklist:

1. Intro

2. It Ain't Right

3. That's What I Said

4. She Think She Do

5. Pocket Venus

6. Boogie

7. Bad Blood

8. Milkshake Mademoiselle

9. Raze Hell

10. Fire

11. Talkin' Bout The Boogie

Henri Herbert is a piano-playing 'whirlwind' – a master of Rock 'n' Roll and Boogie Woogie. After paying his dues on the British blues circuit, then joining the raucous Rock 'n' Roll onslaught of The ​Jim Jones Revue, before after a lengthy stint with the band, turning solo – which was aided by a video of him playing a public piano at St. Pancras Station in London, which garnered millions of internet hits.

He is now about to release his first full-length album, recorded live in front of a rowdy and enthusiastic audience at London’s Gypsy Hotel earlier in the year. It has been mixed by Jim Jones and Alex McGowan. The release is totally live, with no overdubs at all, and illustrates the power of Herbert and his rhythm section – The Fury – who consist of two fine players in Jez Southgate on bass and Aidan Sinclair on drums.

The album kicks off in fine style with blues harmonica legend Little Walter’s “It Ain't Right”, taken at a super fast boogie full of pounding piano – aided and abetted of course by the ace rhythm section of Southgate and Sinclair; this is followed by a brace of originals in “That’s What I Said”​ and “She Think She Do”, which both tear along in fine fashion.

Elsewhere, a stand out is the instrumental, self-explanatory “Boogie​”, and a change of tempo with “Bad Blood”​, a Blues tune with intense piano and anchored by Southgate’s bass. “​Milkshake Mademoiselle” ​is a nod to Henri’s hero, 'The Killer' - the great Jerry Lee Lewis. “Raze Hell”​, which was issued as a single, is another bluesy romp with lashings of driving piano.

The album never lets up from start to finish, with a final pairing of “Fire”- given the Henry Herbert treatment; and the great closer, “Talkin' Bout The Boogie”- in which he talks about taking his piano playing and sound all around the world!

Henri Herbert And The Fury have a full UK and Europe tour this autumn (see website for details) - and they will officially release the album with a show at The Old Blue Last in London on 8th November.

Photo - Matt Starling

Review - Grahame Rhodes

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