Self release[Release date 02.07.24]

Robin Bibi Big Band’s ‘Blowing Up A Storm!’ is a celebratory, high energy horn infused album. It extends Robin Bibi’s big band vision, last glimpsed on his 2016 ‘No More A Secret’ album.

The album effortlessly lives up to its title, though it’s a shame the distant and frequently curtailed audience responses sometimes diminish the energy in the room with an ‘off the desk’ feel.

No matter, it’s the music that counts and this live album is a refreshing take on the dynamic possibilities of Bibi’s back catalogue and 3 covers, of which B.B. King’s ‘Waiting On You’ is a highlight.

This a meticulously planned album on which the big band arrangements flesh out his ebullient grooves to great effect, bringing together a combination of light and shade and bags of energy to a selection of Bibi favourites.

The familiar set list gives him the possibility of pulling in new fans to his music, though it equally might be regarded as an opportunity missed in terms of premiering new material in a big band format.

He opens with ‘Not Fade Away’, a booming self-penned trademark shuffle with an impassioned vocal and belligerent horn stabs.

The guitar and horns immediately lock into an opening motif to give the album an uplifting and celebratory feel.

He then name checks 3 of the album’s horn players (John O’Neil, Tom Kleyn and Dave Priseman) to lever us into ‘Royal Sonesta Stomp’, a tightly wrapped instrumental on which the horns shadow the guitar riff, recalling the days of James Brown.

Bibi then fleetingly references both Cream and The Beatles as his fluid solo soars above a muscular section and back to the riff.

The funky groove of ‘Into Deep’ is another good song built on a riff that recalls Yes’s ‘Owner of A Lonely Heart’, before he explores some nifty echo reverb laden notes.

The song is steadfastly underpinned by Craig Bacon’s crisp snare, while the horns provide full harmonic support to Robin’s vocal.

The song builds subtly and flows into the exclamatory hook and a brief jangly sinewy solo, before a resolving big toned climactic solo.

The old B.B. King classic ‘Waiting On You’ is a good choice on which to feature all 3 horns and it’s interesting to compare it with his previous ‘Switch On The Live’ version.

Given a big funky workout, it leaves plenty of space for solos, including 2 variable Bibi harp breaks and plenty of vocal grit, as the horns move from dynamic accents to their respective solos spots.

The track also highlights the ebb and flow of the set list, which is the sum of two separate gigs with slightly changed personnel.

(‘Up All Night) Vampire Blues’ provides a contrasting atmospheric feel.

It’s a song full of cool precision, nuanced horns and subtle dynamics. Bibi explores a Peter Green tone while also referencing him lyrically: “The world keeps turning, I got these vampire blues.”

If Bibi is best known for his rock-blues with funky elements, there’s an undeniable soulful undertow to some of his material, most notably on ‘No More A Secret’.

He engages the audience in a hard earned ‘call and response’ section, before he tops the song in a blizzard of echo reverb.

And as if to highlight the energy of the moment, it segues into the Hendrixy intro of ‘Fast Lanes Busy’, full of slick guitar and horn double lines and a growled vocal with quasi spoken word phrasing and booming horn stabs.

It also gives Bibi a window to showcase his considerable guitar skills either side of a humorous break down and ascending horns .

Such is climatic finish to the song that the following slide-led shuffle called ‘Play’ feels like a cathartic release.

He rounds things off with a familiar brace of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Peter Green favourites.

‘The House Is Rockin’ surprisingly opens with some harp riffing before the 3 distinctive horn voices cut loose, while ‘The Green Manalishi’ is all about amplifying the song’s portentous feel via the booming horns, ripping guitar and aggressive drumming

‘Blowing Up A Storm!’ is a snapshot of what Robin Bibi does so well. It bubbles with unfettered energy, enthusiasm and great playing.

In sum; this is a classy live rock-blues album crafted by old school experience, refreshed by the versatilty and power of the horns and it’s superbly recorded. The result is captured like lightning in a bottle.

Press play and enjoy. ****

Review by Pete Feenstra

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.

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Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024

In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections

Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)