Sunjay — Black & Blues Revisited
Sunjay is an award-winning blues and folk musician who was initially taught to play guitar by his father which is where his love of blues music began. His latest record ‘Black & Blues Revisited’ is follow up to 2015’s ‘Black & Blues’ and was recorded at Get Real Studios, Bath, UK with Josh Clark co-producing with Sunjay.
Opener ‘Built For Comfort’ is the Willie Dixon penned track which was first recorded in 1959 and features Lee Southall on a blistering bluesy harmonica that complements Sunjay’s guitar. This is followed by the emotive ‘Statesboro Blues’ as he sings “Daddy died and left me reckless, mama died and left wild“.
Sunjay admits that he sung this song quite a lot when his own mother passed so the heartfelt vocal delivery pours out of the speakers.
‘Key To The Highway’ features fluid Hammond Organ from none other than Bob Fridzema (King King, Joanne Shaw Taylor) whilst ‘Monday Morning Blues’ is not overcomplicated but rather stripped-back to a degree as the first minute and a half is simply Sunjay soloing in a finger-picking style. Interestingly, he first learnt how to play the song aged seven.
‘Big Fat Woman’ hears Josh Clarke on both bass and drums finding the groove and it mixes well with the other songs.
Closer ‘Easy Blues’ was adapted from a Jelly Roll Morton piano piece called ‘Jelly Roll Blues’ with Sunjay and the band recording it in one take with three mics to create a raw lo-fi production. It is different from its predecessors but sits comfortably alongside them.
Overall, Sunjay has taken his love of the genre which has developed from a young age and worked with a band of first-class musicians to deliver them in a thoughtful way. Granted, the material on here are blues standards that are not over-exciting or in your face but that’s not what Sunjay is going for – it seems like it is his way of thanking his parents for exposing him to the blues and all of their support. Extremely powerful listening.
Sunjay’s latest album ‘Black & Blues Revisited’ is out now on Mighty Tight Records. For more information visit: https://www.sunjay.tv/
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