Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
They Say I’m Different, perhaps not so much different, as distinctive, a symbol of female drive and Blues passion that is captivating, and which has thankfully been part of a growing with speed since the turn of the century; a far cry from the times in which to be part of the Blues arguably meant for a woman somehow being seen as the voice, and not as the face and the heart of the song.
It has been a long time coming, spurred on by the likes of Joanne Shaw Taylor, the Blues Caravan live recordings have become an welcome reminder each year of what the genre has to offer, and supported by Ruf Records it has reached into the minds of its supporters with enterprise and determination to bring the very best of the Blues available to the devotee and the inquisitive alike. That is no less true with the combination of Ina Forsman, Katrina Pejak and Ally Venable.
Whether on their own or as part as a musical threesome, the Blues Caravan highlights each performers own integrity to the music at hand and the songs that they tackle, and from the initial burst of the opening track They Say I’m Different, the live performance is nothing short of electric.
Across solo songs such as Katrina Pejak’s She’s Coming After You and Roads That Cross, Ally Venable’s Nowhere To Hide and Broken and Ina Forsman’s exceptional Miss Mistreated and Genius, as well the combined recitals of Love Me Like A Man, Sixteen Tons and I’m A Good Woman, the trio open up to the audience with relish. The force of experiencing such unique perspectives from the recording at the Café Hahn in Koblenz, whilst at the time understanding the power of smoky vocals and insanely driven Blues, is to ask for more, to continue being part of a dream made good.
The Caravan never stops, it is always on going, but sometimes the steam and the raw power overwhelm, and for the three musicians who inhabit this recording, that power is enough to drive an armada to conquer any doubters and bring joy to the enthusiast.
Ina Forsman, Katrina Pejak, Ally Venable’s Blues Caravan 2019 is released via Ruf Records on September 20th.
Ian D. Hall