Robin Trower Feat. Sari Schorr: Joyful Sky Review
When Robin Trower looks to the heavens, he probably counts his lucky stars. Approaching 50 years since his watershed sophomore solo album Bridge of Sighs (1974), Trower continues to find fresh canvasses to perpetuate his artistic instinct and elevate his emotive guitar touch.
Working with great singers over the years has also been a recurring theme for the veteran guitar virtuoso, most notably the rich, scotch-soaked Glaswegian pipes of James Dewar. While many of Trower’s long-time fans still mourn the loss of his perfect vocal foil, his recent partnerships deserve to be appreciated in their own right.
In 2021, he teamed up with British reggae star Maxi Priest (and producer/bassist Livingstone Brown) for the United State of Mind supergroup to deliver an eclectic mix of sophisticated funk and upbeat soul-rock grooves. Trower turned to youth on his last studio effort, No More Worlds To Conquer (2022), with the naturally husky rasp of Richard Watts admirably standing up to some of the guitarist’s most deliciously inventive and tasteful playing.
With no sign of switching his famous wah-wah pedal for some heavy-duty brakes, the 78-year-old has elected to cross the pond for his latest act of quiet rebellion. Step into the limelight New York blues songstress Sari Schorr. It’s a match made in heaven, but one thankfully played out under a Joyful Sky for us all to appreciate and adore.
Working for the first time in his distinguished career with a female vocalist, Trower even rebuilt his song craft to suit the smoky power of Schorr. The result is ten infectious and stunningly smoldering Trower originals that mark him as one of the great string benders, although the blues still underpins everything he does.
His sublime intonation and feel float through the seductive fumes of “Burn” behind Schorr’s eerie vocals. “I’ll Be Moving On” sees Schorr demonstrate the full range of her impressive vocal talents, pouring an abundance of soul into this chunky, deep bass-propelled number. While there’s a clear R&B flavor, that trademark Trower blues sound is unmistakable throughout.
The pair take their music and its pace, “The Distance,” for track three, recalling the Englishman’s guitar-driven, blues-rock majesty synonymous with his mid-70s heyday. With its pounding drums and a hook to die for, you can feel the shadow of Dewar smiling down on this funked-up rocker.
Coming in just shy of 40 minutes, this LP sees the pair purr and sparkle in equal measure. Just hit play on the wah-wah stained “Change It” with its call and response backing vocals, or the exuberant percussive groove and Schorr’s command over the handclaps of protest song “Flatter To Deceive.” Not to be outdone, Trower finishes things off with a flurry, delivering a short, silky smooth solo, awash with that wonderfully thick and warm strat tone.
However, perhaps the most joyful cloud in this sky passes us by on the seven-minute-plus epic “The Circle Is Complete.” It delivers a song of two halves, transitioning from a forceful rocker that sees Schorr attack with gusto, to a lengthy yet beautiful instrumental piece. The latter part sees Trower in exploratory tonal mode to create an almost mournful extended outro solo that fades to its conclusion, thus concluding the circle.
Acting as a bridge (of sighs) between Trower’s peak era and his more recent work, it’s a joy to see the old Strat master collaborate with a new vocal muse. Joyful Sky is a real labor of love that sees two very different talents collide, but prove themselves to be a dazzling combination.
The Review: 9/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Burn
– The Distance
– The Circle Is Complete
The Big Hit
– The Circle Is Complete
Buy the album: Amazon
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