Blues Matters - April 2008

Real World + 5 Live ! – Note Records – NCD 1014-2 – www.note-music.co.uk

This sees Paul Cox's second solo release from 2001 getting a reissue, along with an additional five live tracks The original album was a fresh sounding take on UK R&B. imbued with a healthy dose of classic soul influences, including a sizzling take on Sam Cooke classic 'Change Is Gonna Come'. The highlights, of which there were many, included the AI Green tune 'Are You Lonely', the classic slide guitar feel of 'You're Born, You Live, You Die' and the stone cold Blues of 'Ain't Gonna Be The First To Cry'. The horn arrangements were inventive, and a rock solid performance from the core band came with a special shout out to keyboard player Gary Moberley. Back then. it came highly recommended to those who like a little bit of classic R&B, and the same applies today. Four of the new tracks were recorded live in Italy with Dr Wu, who may be the Texas Blues band of the same name, and you get two Van Morrison covers, with 'Caravan' faring best The live tracks are inessential, but if you didn't buy the album first time around, well, you really ought to.

BLUES MATTERS -Stuart A. Hamilton

Paul Cox

 Real World + 5 Live ! – Note Records – NCD 1014-2 – www.note-music.co.uk

 Mark : A must have!

 I told you last year: this guy is not recording for fun but to make his mark in the arena of great male voices. Re-produced with 5‘live’ tracks as a bonus, this album shows that Paul Cox can be relied upon to make this UK made Blues vibrate, it’s so full of intensity and power and there’s no doubt about it, this guy is powerful. From the first track, ‘Are You Lonely’, Paul hits you straightaway with his favourite vocal exercise and a cool steel rhythm handed out by the excellent Al MacLean on bass guitar and a sharp, hard-hitting Steve Dixon on drums, Nick Payn and his sax brings in an intense heat, which transforms the beginning of this CD into an erupting volcano.

My advice is to go straight to track 5 and listen to this huge, phenomenal ‘Paper Thin’ with Roger Cotton making his guitar roar with fury. ‘Paper Thin’? It rocks, I’m telling you, it truly rocks. You hardly have time to settle your feet back on the ground that Paul sucks you into this brilliant slow blues and sure, that girl of yours won’t be able to hold back the tears: ‘Ain’t Gonna Be The First To Cry’ is an intense and pure moment of emotion with Roger Cotton’s six-string just gliding through (he is the producer by the way). The following track, ‘Heart Of Stone’, written by Cotton (by the by) will make lovers of big voices à la Joe Cocker shiver with pleasure whilst Steve Dixon, drummer and composer, has written for his friend a track which Paul sings in such a way that the back of your hair stands up: ‘You’re Born, You Live, You Die’. Breathtaking! 

And to show us that Paul isn’t just a studio recording artist, the label, Note Music, adds five tracks recorded live as a bonus, proving that in less time it takes you to read this review, you’ll be convinced that Paul has a true voice and is a real stage animal. I have to mention ‘Native Son’, recorded with Dr Wu, one of Paul Cox’s group and a truly magical ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ including the exceptional John Slaughter. It’s simply breathtaking! So what are you waiting for go and buy this CD!

Under no circumstances, can lovers of this kind of music afford to miss as for the others, they will enjoy discovering a singer with a huge voice, only heard on rare occasions.

 Frankie Bluesy Pfeiffer

 Translated by: Nathalie Harrap

BLUES & RHYTHM - November 2007

PAUL COX: Real World + 5 Live - Note NCD 1014 2 (77:12)

British singer Paul seems steeped in the era when rock singers like Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers of Free were unafraid to try to be soulful and to tackle blues and soul material - 1974 Dreamer' album, a spacey pop-soul album, under-rated at the time but now seemingly influential on quite a few people, certainly has echoes here. The accompanying band is tight and spot-on, making this worth a listen if your tastes include the blues scene.

Norman Darwen

Zeitgeist. - November 2007

This sees Paul Coxs 2001, second solo release getting a reissue, along with an additional five live tracks, hence the cunning album title. The original album was, like the debut produced by Peter Greens Splinter Group member, Roger Cotton and, as I thought at the time, was that rarity, a fresh sounding take on UK rhythm and Blues.

Imbued with a healthy dose of classic soul influences, including a sizzling take on Sam Cooke classic 'Change is Gonna Come' what you got was a passionate and strong set of immaculate soul / Blues fusion. The highlights, of which there were many, include the Al Green tune, 'Are You Lonely', the classic slide guitar feel of 'You're Born, You Live, You Die' and the stone cold blues of 'Ain't Gonna be the First to Cry'.

The horn arrangements were inventive, and a rock solid performance from the core band comes with a special shout out to keyboard bloke, Gary Moberley. Back then it came highly recommended to those of you who like to partake of a little bit of classic rhythm and Blues, and the same applies today.

Now I'm not entirely sure why it's being reissued, as there is no explanation with the promo bumph but it is apparently remastered and has the five live tracks mentioned earlier. Four of them were recorded live in Italy with Dr Wu, who may be the Texas Blues band of the same name, and you get two Van Morrison covers with 'Caravan' faring best, a John Mayall cover and a live trip to Sam Cookes 'Change is Gonna Come'. Now I had to turn the volume up really, really loud to hear these, so be prepared.

The final track features John Slaughter on guitar, and is a live rendition of B.B. Kings 'Thrill Is Gone' recorded in Redhill. The live tracks are inessential, but if you didn't buy the album first time around, well you really ought to.

Zeitgeist.

BLUES IN BRITAIN - November 2007

PAUL COX - Real World + 5 Live - Note Records NCD 10142

Real World, released in 2001, was blue eyed soul singer Paul Cox's second album. Cox was joined by a cast of fourteen musicians and backing singers, all guided by producer Roger Cotton on six covers and six originals from Cox, Cotton, keyboard player Gary Moberley and drummer Steve Dixon. The twelve tracks on this well-received set are augmented on this reissue by five live cuts. Four of these - Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come”, Mayals’  "Walking On Sunset" plus songs from Van Morrison and John Hyatt were recorded with the band Or Wu in Italy. Cox is reunited with former employer guitarist John Slaughter on "The Thrill Is Gone" recorded at Redhill's Harlequin Theatre and erroneously credited to B. B. King. All of Cox's albums are worth having and the live tracks make this set even more attractive.

Ratings: 8 - Jon Taylor

PAUL COX - Real World + 5 Live - Note Records NCD 10142

Paul Cox  is  back again and this time with an excellent mix of live tracks (mostly recorded in Italy) and studio stuff. There is no doubt at all that this man can really sing. The opener is  a terrific funky version of Al Green’s ‘Are You Lonely’  with singing organ stuff by Roger Cotton and some excellent backup vocals by Joanne Ramsay and Louise Kenny.  John Hiatt’s ‘Paper Thin’ features the Barcodes / Incredible Blues Puppies very own harp man Alan Glen and very nice it is too. There are some terrific horn arrangements throughout the album courtesy of Tim Riggins who know his stuff about driving music along.  As the title of the CD suggests, there are five tracks at the end of the sequence which were recorded live, four in Italy with someone called Dr WU, about whom I am quite prepared to admit, I know zilch.  The live tracks, like the studio stuff, cruise along nicely and include Sam Cooke’s ‘Change Is Gona Come’ (which is also in the studio set) John Mayall’s ‘Walking On Sunset’ two tracks written by Van Morrison. The last track is a  super version of ‘The Thrill Is Gone’ bizarrely titled ‘The Thrillls(sic, yep with three L’s too) Gone’ with some delicious guitar from John Slaughter, better known to me for his work with the Chris Barber Big  Band.  Nice one John! - I strongly recommend this one to any one who has a penchant for good quality British soul music

Ian McKenzie - Blues In The South   

Paul Cox - Real World
(NOTE NCD1002 2)

This 2nd solo release, again produced by Peter Greens Splinter Group member, Roger Cotton, is that rarity, a fresh sounding take on UK rhythm and blues. Chuck in a healthy dose of soul influence, including a cover of the Sam Cooke classic "Change is Gonna Come", and what you have is a passionate and strong set of immaculate soul / blues fusion.

Highlights, of which there are many, include the Al Green tune, "Are You Lonely", the classic slide guitar feel of "You're Born, You Live, You Die" and the stone cold blues of "Ain't Gonna be the First to Cry". There are some inventive horn arrangements, and a rock solid performance from the core band with a special shout out to keyboard bloke, Gary Moberley.

Highly recommended for those of you who like to partake of a little bit of rhythm and blues. And don't forget about his solo debut CD, "Ain’t Nothin’ Doin’" which was a treat from a few years back, and which is still available.

June '01 - Frank Franklin - Blueprint

Paul Cox - Real World (NOTE NCD1002 2)

Roger Cotton has again produced and engineered this sophomore collection (he also produced Paul's debut release) and well produced it is. In addition Roger boasts three authorship credits. The fact that there's not an average track on this album, which has a fifty-fifty split of new songs and covers. The set also includes tow numbers jointly written by Paul and Band keyboard player Gary Moberley. Of the covers puts his own stamp on songs that are often passed over.

The Exception to this is Sam Cooke's "Change is Gonna Come", and even this oft-covered title sounds fresh when approached by Paul with his relaxed, inventive phrasing. Throughout the set Paul's voice is passionate and strong. Immaculate big band horn arrangements feature such luminaries as Derek Nash and Sid Gould. Further points of note include the electric intro with Alan Glen's wailing harmonica on Hiatt's soul-rocker 'Paper Thin". This and starkly titled "You're Borne, You Live, You Die" composed by the bands drummer and pianist Steve James., are atypical of the collection as a hole. The latter, notable for the lack of horns, is a comparatively low-key number with Mike Summerland playing clean slide guitar. The bulk of the collection consists of the signature soul-blues with which Paul is making a name for himself. Having surpassed his worthy debut release, This album is a long awaited treat. Rating 9 out of 10.

Frank Franklin

Bazza

Paul Jones