BUTCH & PAT
Butch teams with a longtime collaborator, Grammy-winning guitar wizard Pat Donohue, in "Blues For Two," a fast-moving duo show of classic blues, ragtime, vintage jazz, and original compositions.
LISTEN TO BUTCH AND PAT:
"Midnight Hour Blues" by LeRoy Carr
"Vicksburg Blues" by Little Brother Montgomery
With repertoire including classic piano/guitar duets a la Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, soulful south side Chicago blues by Jimmy Yancey, New Orleans jazz by King Oliver, and virtuosic improvised originals, this duo hits the stage ready to celebrate.
Highly evocative of the classic piano and acoustic guitar of artists like Leroy Carr and Scrapper Blackwell, this duo program features songs by Carr, Jelly Roll Morton, King Oliver, Blind Blake and Butch’s mentor—blues legend Little Brother Montgomery. The repertoire sounds both fresh and familiar, showcasing Butch and Pat’s first-rate musicianship and their deep love and respect for the tradition of the blues.
Pat Donohue digs deep on the vocals, singing uncommonly soulful versions of “Vicksburg Blues” and “219 Blues” and a very playful version of “Papa’s on the Housetop.” Backed up by Butch Thompson’s nuanced piano playing and haunting clarinet solos and Pat’s own hot guitar licks, the pair create a concert that harkens back to the great music of yesteryear, mixing Delta blues, ragtime and Dixieland jazz. From nostalgic instrumentals (“If I Had You,” “You Can’t Lose a Broken Heart”) to rollicking numbers (“Poker Woman,” “Mean Mistreater Blues,” “That D Strain”), Pat Donohue & Butch Thompson showcase what they are best at, creating a new American blues classic that speaks to all generations.
CD Review from Blues in Britain magazine»
CD Review from Vintage Guitar magazine March 2013»