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From the roaring slide guitar figure that opens \u201cGive Me Some Time,\u201d on Gabe Stillman\u2019s new Just Say the Word<\/i>, it\u2019s clear that this youthful musician from Pennsylvania is steeped in the blues.<\/p>\nFrom the roaring slide guitar figure that opens \u201cGive Me Some Time,\u201d on Gabe Stillman\u2019s new Just Say the Word<\/i>, it\u2019s clear that this youthful musician from Pennsylvania is steeped in the blues.<\/p>\n
Stillman\u2019s 2020 release, Flying High<\/i> was a collaborative effort that featured the guitarist backed by renowned heartland blues outfit The Nighthawks. It was an effective paring that reflected well upon all involved. As fine a collection of performances as Flying High<\/i> was, on Just Say the Word<\/i>, Stillman truly comes into his own. His artistry and command of the guitar is front and center.<\/p>\n
For Just Say the Word<\/i>, the guitarist demonstrates that he deserves sole billing, supported by well-chosen guests. One cut features two fellow guitarists guesting: Blues Music Award nominee (and the album\u2019s producer) Anson Funderburgh and Ottawa-born guitarist Sue Foley, Juno Award and 17-time Maple Blues Award winner. Another tune features harmonica wizard Greg Izor. The Texas Horns add their flavor to several of the album\u2019s tracks.<\/p>\n
The new album doesn\u2019t represent Stillman\u2019s first crack at recording \u201cGive Me Some Time.\u201d That original tune was the opening track on a five-song EP from 2018, The Grind<\/i>. That release was an effective calling card, a method of letting the world know that this Berklee-trained guitarist had plenty to offer. Two other tracks on Just Say the Word<\/i> are new versions of songs from The Grind<\/i> as well. But these new recordings are anything but retreads; the stinging lead guitar work, sparkling production values and spirited backing prove that their inclusion on the new record is a wise move.<\/p>\n
Horn sections aren\u2019t generally thought of as subtle; that\u2019s not their typical role. But the crack ensemble work of the Texas Horns on \u201cLet it Go\u201d adds to the excitement of the arrangement without overwhelming it. Even as the horns punctuate the phrases with soulful, Stax-flavored breaks, Stillman\u2019s guitar and expressive vocals remain the focal point. And the musical dialogue between his leads and the brass on \u201cLet it Go\u201d is reminiscent of Duane Allman\u2019s similar interplay on Boz Scaggs\u2019 bravura \u201cLoan Me a Dime.\u201d<\/p>\n
On \u201cNo Time for Me,\u201d Stillman\u2019s vocals are overdriven just a bit \u2013 not unlike the manner in which a classic Green Bullet mic distorts a blues harmonica \u2013 and that texture matches up nicely with the growl of his guitar. Here as throughout the album, Stillman\u2019s lead guitar breaks are long, but they never overstay their welcome; in fact they leave the listener hungry for more.<\/p>\n
Stillman takes a careful step toward topicality with \u201cNo Peace for a Soldier,\u201d but his original lyrics tell a relatable story without getting preachy or jingoistic. Still, many listeners will have come for the guitar work, and the tune \u2013 with more thrilling Texas Horns work \u2013 does not disappoint.<\/p>\n
The album\u2019s title track is boot-scootin\u2019 dance blues, with a swinging beat and an appealing retro feel. And the rural-meets-sleek vibe of \u201cAlabama Wildflowers,\u201d a road musician\u2019s paean to home, proves that Stillman can dial down the intensity and still deliver a song that\u2019s lyrically and musically resonant.
\nA centerpiece of Just Say the Word<\/i> is the simmering \u201cHeartbreak Makes a Sound.\u201d Featuring a wonderfully minimalist arrangement, the song is built around Stillman\u2019s voice, some tinkling electric piano and some deeply romantic tenor saxophone.<\/p>\n
The chugging \u201cNo Matter What You Wear\u201d is a rousing guitar extravaganza, featuring Funderburgh and Foley (the latter adding backing vocals as well) layering their artistry into the mix. But those veteran artists\u2019 contributions support Stillman\u2019s vision, never overshadowing it. Blues harpist Greg Izor joins in on the fun for \u201cSusquehanna 66,\u201d providing an incendiary performance for the spirited instrumental in a jump blues style. His sparring with Stillman is breathtaking.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no production artifice about Just Say the Word<\/i>; it\u2019s professional without being over-polished, gritty without a note out of place. It\u2019s a fully-realized effort that sharply points the way toward a bright future for Gabe Stillman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
From the roaring slide guitar figure that opens \u201cGive Me Some Time,\u201d on Gabe Stillman\u2019s new Just Say the Word, it\u2019s clear that this youthful musician from Pennsylvania is steeped […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":21930,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,49,65],"tags":[4684],"class_list":["post-21929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blues","category-new-release","category-review","tag-gabe-stillman","cat-9-id","cat-49-id","cat-65-id","has_thumb"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21929","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21929"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21929\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21931,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21929\/revisions\/21931"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21929"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21929"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21929"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}