Rudi Biber – Still Going Strong
9 tracks/41 minutes
Recorded at the Nordbahn Theater in Austria, Rudi Bieber at 77 years of age apparently still is going strong. Rudi lists home jointly as Coral Gables, Florida, and Vienna, Austria. He has a few band projects for his electric blues rock and here he releases an album of his favorites, recorded live in his 77th year. He’s a big deal in the Germanic countries and has a busy gig schedule in that area.
Rudi plays guitar and sings. Mike Amon is on drums, Wolfgang Glueck is on bass and Franz Haselsteiner is on keys. Special guests also appearing are Wolfgang Medlitsch on sax, Jimi Ivan on trumpet, Gerd Shubert on harp, and Paul Reshenofer on guitar.
“Call My Number” gets things started. A blues rocker, this song showcases Biber’s guitar and vocals. He sings a little breathily as he and the band navigate this bouncing cut. “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More” is an Allman Brother’s tune that Biber takes down a notch or two in intensity and tempo and makes his own. He gives us a good guitar solo here. “Up the Line” is a Little Waler tune that Biber turns into his blues rock midtempo style. This one features guitar and organ solos.
Coco Montoya’s “Back in Cadillac” is next. Biber’s guitar rings brightly here; nicely done. We also get another big organ solo.
Rick Derringer’s “Rock and Roll Hooche Koo” follows. The horns get featured here as Biber sings and plays. The tempo is down from Derringer’s and Winter’s version as Biber and company give it their all.
Next is “Henry,” which, if I am not mistaken, was done by Keb Mo on his Slow Down album. Biber makes it quite somber and slow in his take on the song. Junior Wells’ “Little By Little” follows, as Biber takes this classic and gives us his take on it. Biber offers up a nice guitar solo and we get our first harp solo here, too.
More Junior follows with “Messin’ with the Kid.” The horns play a larger part in this one and the organ also gets some time upfront. The second big harp solo is on this one, along with a hot guitar solo. And a second one with pedal effects. Things conclude with “Cannonball Shuffle,” a Robbin Ford cut. It’s all instrumental here, as guitar, organ and horns intertwine. A guitar solo then trumpet solo and then an organ solo are featured before the guitar leads us through the second half of he cut with big organ support.
Biber interprets his favorite songs in front of a live audience. His vocals are not exactly my cup of tea and the tempos sometime drag, but he and the band are giving it everything they’ve got and deliver s show that the audience appreciates as Rudi celebrates his 77 rotations of the planet. It’s a good blues rock album that you might enjoy, so take a listen if blues rock is your thing!
