Rick Vito: Slidemaster

Rick Vito is truly a top slide guitarist / USA and he has consistently been a top gun for decades. Vito, as with other State side sliders, including Duane Allman and Ry Cooder plus Brits such as Peter Green and Jeff Beck, were awed by domestic blues guitar master's including Elmore James, Robert Johnson and many other blues veterans. Streaks of blues often run through much of Vito's live and recorded work (as well as healthy offerings of rockabilly, occasional hints of jazz and more.) For Slidemaster, Vito turns off the vocal mic and lets his guitar do the talking on all twelve tracks, a combination of select older works and a few shiny yet vintage-inspired new ones. It is a unique and welcome collection.

With seven Vito originals and five covers (two conjured up by Peter Green) there are emotional highs, lows and variations in between. Vito's "Vegas Jump" energetically snaps open the disc. And, as you would expect from a song with the word 'Vegas' in its title, the cut is a brisk wake-up call for our attention. But wait, let us dim the lights and take things nice and slow on the second track, "Steal Away," before Vito and the boys in the band bounce back with hints of Bo Diddley on "The Big Beat." Then there is "Red Hot Baby," which shows up a couple of songs later and instantly demands a trip to the dance floor. "Slide the Blues" is an easy-going slide 'n' shuffle while sadness oozes from Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come." Although the lyrics from the original will always be at the core of the song, Vito's instrumental version is powerful in its own way as the 'voice' of his guitar is articulate and laser-focused. Next, he wades deep into Delta blues on "River of Blues," then presents a Green number—"The Supernatural"—before saying amen with the album's final offering, "The Lord's Prayer" with an approach that reverently nods to Beck's stellar version of "Nessun Dorma" from his 2011 album.

Slidemaster showcases several standout tracks, but Peter Green's "Albatross," which appears at the bullseye center of the album, is the heart and soul of the collection. Green's dreamy instrumental was inspired by the late fifties' releases of Santo & Johnny as well as the warm, soothing breezes of Hawaiian guitar music, which is subtly supported, as in the original, with a gentle flow of undulating percussion. First released as a single in 1968, "Albatross" was a stunning departure from Fleetwood Mac's gritty blues. Not only did it go to Number One but it is one of the most evocative songs the group ever recorded. Although a few musicians have been brave enough to cover it, Vito is one of the rare artists who has earned the right to record it for many reasons, including the fact that he was part of Fleetwood Mac years ago. This version, from a 2005 Vito release, is step and step with the original in its own way.

With a dozen tracks and a set list that clocks in at about forty minutes, it is an unofficial 'greatest hits' of his instrumental tracks. Most of the selections are judiciously compact and understated (no flashy pyrotechnics this time around), although a couple of tracks do showcase a bit more firepower. If anything, a few extra minutes would be welcome on cuts such as "The Lord's Prayer." Maybe next time, when he plays it live. Ultimately, Vito plays it tight, reminding us that less is more as he trusts his amazing slide guitar to confidently guide the way and speak for him this time around.