This CD/Blu-ray combination is a lovely portrait of an artist – largely because, if you only hear the gale force power of Layla Zoe’s singing voice, you may not be getting the full impression. As the Beatles’ said, something in the way she moves….her physical movements, gently swaying like a motherly metronome, wielding her full, fire-red mane like some runaway exclamation point – contributes much to this generous,  74-minute package.

Recorded live in Bonn adds interest, as Germany has long been a hotbed for Canadian blues musicians – many of whom are more successful in Europe than they are at home. This marks the 16^th release for the Nanaimo-born powerhouse, her first release in’05. It might be her best.

Armed with jaw-dropping range, her mega-voice is under full control here. She has occasionally been ‘too much’ on record in the past. Equipped with pipes which are larger than most rooms, she uses it here to entrance the crowd. Starting off with a traditional spiritual in advance of her 3-piece band, she effortlessly unleashes the all-encompassing strength of her instrument. As guitarist Krissy Matthews, drummer Felix Dehmel and bassist/backing vocalist Josh Rigal mount the stage for the slow blues of ”Turn This Into Gold”, Zoe is fully-warmed up and her band is well-matched to her creative demands.

Originally billed (way back when) as a Joplin clone, Zoe has moved well past that tired cliché and her band, here, is clearly an extension of her intense soulfulness. With a firm grasp of her original lyrics and clearly connected to their meaning, she delivers a seductive dance around her impassioned delivery as an added element of her expression – which does add to the full experience.

“Automatic Gun” picks up the pace, rocker-style. Matthews becomes a large part of the show, delivering inventive solo after inventive solo while her taut rhythm section constructs a warm, reliable nest to work from. Rigal’s harmonic contributions add a sweet touch, his backup vocals lending an added dimension to each performance. 

As she introduces herself and the band, she steps into another slow burn with ”Are You Still Alive Inside”, these slower-paced songs allowing her to fully demonstrate her surprising range as she power-loads each lyric with emotion. A soft, feminine side can also give way to menace, her voice turning dark and almost guttural, if not slightly nasty. The song eventually morphs into a guitar-frenzied overdrive as Zoe breaks into head-shaking, Cocker-esque theatrics before the song eventually exhausts itself.

“Jasmine” proves a medium rocker which leans heavily on guitar while “Might Need To Fly” benefits from its gentle, acoustic-guitar intro, allowing allows Zoe another opportunity to tap into her wide range of voices.

With a show divided between ‘originals’ and ‘otherwise’, the second half revisits favourite covers she’s championed throughout her career, each artist having made their significant mark. Little surprise that her co-written originals are her better foot forward as old chestnuts like Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” reveal the dated wrinkles of time, despite the obvious appreciation of her audience. Lowell George’s sacrosanct “Willin’” enjoys Matthews accompaniment on acoustic guitar yet the sheer huskiness of Zoe’s vocal comes off harshly – using a lower register than she’s entirely comfortable with. Easy to see her original music direction as Zoe’s note-perfect cover of Janis Joplin’s “Move Over” is putty in her capable hands – and clearly a lot of fun for her band. Her cover of Dylan’s “Forever Young” has its moments (again, Rigal’s backup vocals are key) but it’s her take on Elizabeth Cotten’s “Freight Train” which – relieved of her role as robust rocker for a moment – portrays Zoe, as both performer and singer, in the most favourable light of all. This might well prove that, while she can do it all, some of her greatest strengths are to be found in the softer moments. (Eric Thom)