Sometimes I feel like the cheerleader for all of the shows nobody goes to.
While it has been an extremely busy couple weeks, it is still a little disillusioning to see a great blues show and be one of maybe 10 people there including the bar owners and bartender.
This was the case of Keith Hallett, the New Brunswick bluesman who brought his exceptional band to play the Slice, Monday, Oct. 6.
I didn’t recognize a lot of the songs, but the playing was excellent.
Hallett played subtle Delta blues phrasings on a a battered old electric guitar and was backed by an impressive organist/ pianist Pete Rioux and rock solid rhythm section of Rheo Rochon and Billy Brennan playing in the pocket. Together they sounded like fellow Frederictonion Chris Colepaugh fronting Marshall Tucker band.
The organ was impressive and the groove was unstoppable.
They touched on a little jazz, a whole lot of blues and quite a bit of jamming.
While Hallett had played some pleasant guitar phrases, he mostly stood back and let the groove take it and Pete Rioux take the spotlight on a Hammond XX3 organ and electric piano.
Saturday.
