Search - Phil Keaggy :: Crimson & Blue

Steve S. (Reno-ness) from ARROYO GRANDE, CA
Reviewed on 7/16/2007...

Excellent Keaggy! "Shouts of Joy" starts it off > "World of Mine" > "Everywhere I Look". The Beatlesque "Love Divine" is probably IMHO his best song, a rocker like rocks! Cut 7 is his take on Van Morrison's "When Will I Ever Learn to Live in God", Track 11 is a blistering bluesy "John the Revelator" and the disc ends with an acoustic "Nothing But the Blood".

All the cuts are superb. Check it out. Now.

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

Mike E. from MILWAUKEE, WI
Reviewed on 4/29/2007...

Phil AT HIS BEST

1 of 1 member(s) found this review helpful.

Tour de force!

Ian Martin | Auckland New Zealand | 11/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was ambivalent about Keaggy's "Inseparable". Not so with this album. After twelve years after first drafting this review, I am convinced Crimson and Blue is Keaggy's tour de force. If you are a guitarist who has heard about this talented muso, this is a good place to start.



Yes, there are other great instrumental albums of his, both electric and acoustic, that are worth listening to, but all fall short of this album. It's here you hear him interact with a great band, hear him sing covers, play long engaging solos and most of all, show unbridled joy. Phil plays with bravado. Much credit must go to producer, Lynn Nichols, Phil's friend and fellow musician of years past. From what I have read, Phil said that Lynn pushed him to the limit of his singing and playing ability. The production is superb, the recording bright and detailed and for 70 minutes plus, one is caught up in the joy and vitality of a band in full flight.



Indeed, this captures a band playing with the fervour of a garage jam or live concert. (How I wish I could have seen the tour supporting this!) In many ways this album, like one of the song titles, is a "Reunion of friends". Drummer John Sferra met Phil in the 8th grade. They played together in Glass Harp. Now Sferra holds all together magnificently. His drumming is probably more responsible for the cohesiveness and consistency of the 60s and 70s rock style than anything else. Wade Janes locks solid on bass while Phil Madeira, another friend of long standing, fills the soundstage with his Hammond B-3 organ. Against this bluesy backdrop we come to the maestro. Whether he is deftly playing Beatlesque licks that would make Harrison smile, or whether he is rocking the house down, this is exciting stuff!



From the opening strident rock anthem, when Phil shouts, "All creation shows the glory of the Lord", this album slowly builds with intensity. One hears many musical influences, with three Beatle-like tracks ("Everywhere I look", "Love divine" and "Reunion of friends") which are almost too close to Beatle originals for comfort, to tones that remind one of Clapton in his Cream days. Yet Phil adds his own flavour as again and again his honest lyrics reflect his heart. You cannot separate his musicianship from his faith. The final four tracks continue to lift to the crescendo that breaks loose in the penultimate track, "Doin' Nothin'". This eight minute rock boogie will satisfy those longing to hear Phil unleashed. Together with the Clapton inflected "Don't pass me by", these are easily the heaviest Keaggy I have heard on a studio album of his. The final track is a masterful blues ballad as Jimi may have played. Phil focuses the album on the source of his joy and wholeness, his saviour. With this track there is an emotional depth that communicates lyrically and musically. A brilliant album from a mature, gifted musician."

Whoever said "Geezers Can't Rock"

Daniel Hayes | 08/25/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Apparently never listened to this album. This was one of the first actual Christian cd's I remember hearing. This was before I knew that they sold Galactic Cowboys, and King's X in Christian bookstores. This is one of the best albums from the 90's. I mean no wonder Jimi Hendrix is quoted as saying Phil Keaggy is the best guitar player in the world. I haven't heard such fine rock and roll since his days with Glass Harp, and this is in some way a reunion of sorts as he reunites with John Sfara the drummer. I actually bought the cassette of this album after hearing one song, and that was "World Of Mine". I remember I was at a Christian Singles gathering on Labor Day, 1994, and was playing softball when I heard this song, and I was blown away. I remember going up to a guy, and asking "Who's doing this song?" That was when I was introduced to the world of Phil Keaggy, and yet looking back I had one of his earlier releases when he was with a garage band in the 60's. He did a song called "Batmobile" I had it on a "Highs In The Mid 60's" compilation from Pebbles records. I forgot about "Batmobile", so I didn't know what kind of guitar player Keaggy was.





Anyway this album is high energy from the beginning of "Shouts Of Joy" to the Beatlesque sounds of "World Of Mine". Well we should all know by now that Keaggy was influenced by the Beatles, so there's a trace of their music in his I mean he continues paying tribute to the Beatles with "Everywhere I Look", and "Love Divine", but don't think he's just stuck in that Beatles vein....far from it. He also does some good acid rock sounds with "John The Revelator", "Doin Nothin", and "When Will I Learn To Live In God?" The album does have it's weak moments like with "Stone Eyes", but for the most part this was done up splendidly. Even to the final track with the old hymn "Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus"; it sounds like Pearl Jam's "Yellow Ledbetter", but is done so reverently and humbly it's one of the best last songs to be put on an album. Keaggy was 42 when this came out, and people ususlly call the over 40 crowd Geezers. Well this was written by a Geezer, and I say "Pooh To You". I will definitely get this on cd as it was one of the instrumental albums that led me to a faith in Jesus."