John’s Blues Picks February 2018 – Angel Forrest
Our re-elected Female Vocalist Of The Year brought along a new album to the Awards evening. Back in 2014 we got Live Love, a two-disc set that presented her live show in an acoustic setting. Since that one she released Angel’s 11, an ambitious set of songs each written for and featuring a different guitarist. Electric Love is a two-disc set that gives us her current live set with most of that album with her smoking regular band, which includes the amazing Ricky Paquette on lead guitar – you won’t miss those other guitarists. With husband Denis Coulombe on acoustic guitar, Alec McElcheran on bass and Sly Coulombe on drums, Angel has has all the support she needs. Two songs from Angel’s 11 open, “All The Way” and “Spoil Me Up” and they set a high standard that is maintained through the set. “Piece Of My Heart” goes back to her Janis Joplin Tribute days but stays remarkably fresh here. “Walking Blues” and “House Of The Rising Sun” bring traditional material into the set but serve as vehicles for Angel’s vocal improvisations & Paquette’s solos, clearly to the audience’s delight. “How You Do”, “Move On” and “Mother Tongue Blues” are from Mother Tongue Blues but as with all the material here these songs are shown in a much different light. “Goodbye”, “Roll On Down” and “Hold On Tight, Mr. Right” are from Angel’s 11. Lengthy pieces, the slow blues “Turtle Blues” and “Mama/Whole Lotta Love” are on the acoustic album as well and benefit mightily from electrification. Angel Forrest is one of the relatively few performers to venture beyond her home province, with a well-received show in Toronto last fall; with this indication of how excellent her live show is, perhaps more doors will open. This package will certainly be a treat for her legions of fans. This show was recorded at the Centre des Arts Juliette-Lassonde in St. Hyacinthe last October 26. Her web site is www.angelforrest.ca.