T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm
Vissa saker kommer och går. Som MC Hammer, bakmaskinen och plastcykeln. Andra saker består. Som Hamlet, Himalaya, hackkorv. Och bluesmusik.
Bluesen föddes i deltat, förädlades i Chicago och Texas.
I Arvika, Värmland, frodas bluesen och har hittat ett alldeles eget uttryck.
Där har ljuden, dofterna och den kreativa kraften från Beale Street och South Side blandats och slipats. Blues är inte nostalgi. Blues är här och nu. Lika angelägen och utmanande som en gång på Chicagos bakgator.
T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm är Arvikas bluesambassadörer som med nonchalant självklarhet komponerar och spelar blues och r&b av högsta internationella klass.
Torbjörn Solberg, The T-Bear himself, har tillsammans med bassisten och vapendragaren Jan Lillsäter drivit T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm sedan 2004.
Framgångarna lät inte vänta på sig. Med två plattor i bagaget och speltid i radio från Haparanda till Havanna har T-Bear och hans helveteshundar vunnit respekt i blueskretsar runt hela vår planet. Soundet kryddas och varieras med blåssektion, munspel och Hammond.
T-Bear grupperar om och spelar efter dina önskemål. På festivaler, klubbar och kryssningar.
Det må vara kallt i Sverige, men T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythms’ blues glöder.
Den glöder av passion, spelglädje och en fast övertygelse om att bluesen är här för att stanna.
Precis som Hamlet, Himalaya och hackkorv.
T-Bear & The Dukes of Rhythm – Let The Sweet Talk Flow
(El Toro; El Toro R&B 205) Reviewed by Michael Macomber
Dukes of Rhythm guitarist and vocalist “T-Bear” would be one of the finest young blues players in Chicago, if not for this simple fact: he’s not from Chicago. He’s from Sweden. His real name is Torbjörn Solberg, and he plays like a cross between B.B. King and Chuck Berry. His blues wail has a bit of an Elvis growl in it and his original songs are as badass as any of the classics.
Let The Sweet Talk Flow kicks off with a real shoulder shaker, Solberg’s own “Boogie And Soul.” “Lipstick Woman,” another Solberg composition, sidles up smoothly, supported by a seductive organ sound courtesy of Berth Arnesson. The band’s rendition of “Barefootin’” is a showcase for sax masters Jan-Olof Appel, Göran Ramberg, and Jan Nilsson. Drummer Tore van Baalen throws down an easy swing on “She Moves Me,” and rips it up on “That’s What The Blues Is All About.”
Van Baalen and bassist Jan Lillsäter form the backbone of this incredible outfit, giving the Dukes their rhythm. These two players hold every tune together just right — not too tightly, not too loosely.
The Dukes other guitarist, Fredrik Myhrberg, is the ideal compliment to Solberg. Both men have the boogie woogie way down inside, and both can make a guitar cry like it’s the end of the world. Trading licks on one tune after another, they call up favorable comparisons with the best artists of the Great American Blues Book — while writing their own brand new chapter.
Broadway Twist
Self-released
Hippie Creek Lady – Broadway Twist – Girl You’re Electric – She’s My Woman – Stumble Back To Go – It Takes Time – Buzz You All Night Long – Hard To Believe – Come Back Baby – Don’t Leave Your Heart Behing – Meanest Girl – Boogie Contest
The best post-war blues album I’ve heard in ages. T-Bear & The Duke Of Rhythm’s newest album is the perfect follow-up to “Let the Sweet Talk Flow” with the sole exception that it’s even better. With the same line-up (plus the addition of Arne Fjeld Rasmussen on harmonica – and what harmonica!) they deliver twelve self penned songs with a strong 60’s blues filled with soul feel. No filler, all killers. I particularly enjoy the presence of the Hammond B-3 on almost all of the songs of this album. It’s very hard to resist to dance and party to the sound of “Hippie Creek Lady”, “Boogie Contest”, “Girl You’re Electric” that’ll please the fans of Rick Estrin and Little Charlie Baty and the best of all “Broadway Twist” – an instant classic – that leaves you exhausted. You’ll then relax with the slower “Stumble Back To Go”, “Hard To Believe” and the fantastic soulfull ballad “Don’t Leave Your Heart Behind”. T Bear is equally at ease with fast paced numbers than with slower tunes on which his deep voice makes wonders. If you dig the King (Albert, Freddie, BB) and modern artists like Nick Curran and Jimme Vaughan you won’t wait any longer to get a copy of this cd.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
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