Home » Jazz Articles » The Jeff Healey Band Live in Belgium

The Jeff Healey Band Live in Belgium

By C. Michael Bailey
June 2, 2012
Sign in to view read count

The Jeff Healey Band

The Jeff Healey Band Live in Belgium

Eagle Rock Entertainment

2012

The early 1990s were the height of Canadian guitarist Jeff Healey's popularity, particularly spurred by his conspicuous appearance in the 1989 Patrick Swazye film Roadhouse (United Artists). Healey, who passed away in 2006 at age 41, was noted for his novel guitar playing technique, developed possibly in response to his childhood blindness caused by familial retinoblastoma. Healey played the guitar flat on his lap, right handed, picking with this right hand and fretting this his left, playing in a guitar standard tuning (EAGDBE). His phenomenal technique was a pleasure to watch and was readily appreciated by guitarists of all stripes.

The Jeff Healey Band Live in Belgium (DVD and CD) was recorded during his European tour supporting his album Feel This (Arista, 1992). Healey and band rolled into the Peer Blues Festival in Peer, Belgium with a smoking 90 minute set of originals and expected covers that now comprise The Jeff Healey Band Live in Belgium. Healey had always been a popular draw at these festivals, this one in particular, as evidenced by the responsive crowd.

Healey's set list was heavy with Feel This material, music steeped in boogie-blues. The guitarist could always be counted on for delivering novel takes of the same old 12-bars. Healey's usual trio is augmented with a keyboards player and two background vocalists who add a gospel-soul dimension to his live sound. "Baby's Looking Hot," "Evil And Here To Stay" and "It Could All Get Blown Away" simmer with a blues fever fanned my background vocalists Mischke Butler and Toucu. Healey's guitar playing is sharp and sure and the band is as tight piano wire. The show highlights remain the older songs, covers of The Door's "Roadhouse Blues," John Haitt's "Angel Eyes" and George Harrison's greatest gift to music, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps," which closes this electric show.

Healey was much more than a mere novelty in music. He was a force to be reckoned with and respected and his loss was a great one to the community of music.

Tracks: Baby's Lookin' Hot; The House That Love Built; Evil And Here To Stay; Confidence Man; It Could All Get Blown Away; Lost In Your Eyes; Heart Of An Angel; Full Circle; That's What They Say; Angel Eyes; Roadhouse Blues; See The Light; While My Guitar Gently Weeps.

Personnel: Jeff Healey: guitar and vocals; Joe Rockman: bass; Tom Stephen: drums; Washington Savage: keyboards; Mischke Butler, Toucu: background vocals.

Post a comment

FOR THE LOVE OF JAZZ

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.