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[09.11.2007]
RootsTime.be
Just one year ago the first CD of Thorbjorn Risager, a Danish blues singer was released and it was a complete hit. Risager has voice that is a combination of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Delbert McClinton and even the warm bluesy vocals of the late Luke Walter Jr, (the singer of the 80's Belgian band Blue Blot) so, you know he's a singer from the heart, and with a lot of soul. Backed by a great band, with some funky horns (Wagner/Kehl), with the guitar from Svein-Erik Martinsen and Thorbjorn himself, a great piano and organplayer (Emil Balsgaard) and the rhythm duo (Soren Bjogaard/Martin Seidelin).
The tight horn section along with some nice slide make a good start with the song "Here I Am" , a song that promises that this cd will be a great follow – up to "From The Heart". And it proves to be: "All I Want" and even more "Heart of the Night" ,a soul ballad with the spirit of Otis Redding, are pure gems, it brings the Joe Cocker elements in Risager's voice to the surface, but to be honest, I think Thorbjorn‘s voice is better, it is more subtle) and the song also has some great B.B King guitar in it, so further recommendation is no longer necessary. Funky New Orleans rhythms, with pianoplayer Emil at his very best, backed by those funky horns, that's how "From Now On" sounds. "You Better Pay Attention" is real Roomful Of Blues, you even might think it's Sugar Ray Norcia singing. More B.B King style guitar in "Down Home Blues", and once again those horns provide the soul injection. One of the best songs on this CD is "Johnny Called The Whole Thing Off", it's a wonderful song with Thorbjorn's fantastic voice and slide guitar. Great class!
I can't find one weak song on this whole recording, because also "Good Thing" with it's N'Awlins influences is superb. The strength of Risager is his voice which sounds like Ray Charles one moment, while a few moments later, in the same song, you think you are listening to Joe Cocker. Not that he is trying to imitate them, he just has the luck of sounding like all of these great singers naturally. The closing song of the album is somewhat special, Thorbjorn sings this melancholic sounding song in a very introvert way, which makes a nice way to end this vocal masterwork of an album. Although the band is superb, the real star of the show is Thorbjorn. What a soulful strong voice, what a feeling he puts in it. Danish quality, up until now it, stood for the famous Tuborg beer, but from now on, I think Risager when they mention it.
A must have!
Ronny Bervoets (Oct. 2007)
BluesCritic.com
I'm still digging on Thorbjørn Risager's last disc, "From The Heart" when in my mailbox materialized a brand new album this week. Needless to say I'm thrilled as I consider Risager to be the artist most deserving of crossover success of any Blues newcomer. "Here I Am" delivers 9 more hard Rhythm & Blues jams plus a re-arranged version of their power soul ballad "Heart Of The Night".
As anybody who's read more than a few of my reviews I'm partial to singers. In the first review I wrote on this vocal dynamo I compared his voice to luminaries like Ray Charles, Bob Seger and Joe Cocker (with no hyperbole), but now I'm adding the late Freddie King to that list after hearing the potent title cut here. He sounds like King in his early 70s prime, bellowing from deep in his throat over a "Pack It Up"-type pounder. Kasper Wagner and Peter Kehl provide a memorable horn lick and Svein Erik Martinsen squeezes his guitar quite rightly. The record only stumbles a bit on the rote "All I Want" with the banal lyrics "All I want is you/girl you know it's true. I'm ready to do what you want me to" but that's easy to forgive when he evokes vintage Cocker on "From Now On" and swings ala 60s Ray Charles for "You Better Pay Attention". Other bright spots include "Johnny Called The Whole Thing Off", which quotes Willie Dixon ("way past 21") and the somber, sparse "I Won't Back Down". It's the kind of piece Nick Cave has been trying to write for years.
It's only a matter of time before the secret's out on this guy. He's already garnering raves overseas but his music has mass appeal. Bottom line: He's dynamite. Don't sleep on this one. To learn more visit the website www.risager.info.
BluesCritic.com (30/10/2007)
Fyens Stiftstidende
Thorbjørn Risager bringer os tilbage til tressernes New Orleans på sit andet studiealbum, som efterfølger From Your Heart fra 2006.
På overfladen er numrene præget af typisk klassisk rythm and blues-lyd, men kigger man dybt i nodehæfterne, afslører de mere.
De mange instrumentale soloer på dette album er koblet sammen som godsvogne på et jernbanespor, der fører os fra klassisk New Orleansk blues frem til en mere moderne destination. Der er fart på dette tog af legesyge musikere, som ud over den klassiske bagage også medbringer eget gods.
Guitarist Svein Erik Martinsen er upåklagelig på "Johnny Called the Hole Thing off", hvor guitarlyden veksler fra forgrund til baggrund i samspil med Risagers vokal.
Emil Balsgaard (orgel, piano) og Kasper Wagner (sax) skyder en jævn salve af instrumentale solostykker af på numre som "All I Want" og "Take It Off". Det giver en spændende baggrundskulisse vævet sammen af livlige og energiske instrumenter som saxofon og orgel.
Føreren af bluestoget er uden tvivl Thorbjørn Risager selv, der med sin maskuline vibratovokal til tider minder om Joe Cocker eller den unge, men rutinerede bluesvagabond Seth Walker.
Risager lyder som en ærkeamerikaner på en bluesplade, der måske startede i bluesmusikkens hjemland, men har kurs mod Europa.
Kenneth Kjæp Larsen (28/10/2007)
B.T.
Først tænkte jeg: åh nej, mere dansk hyggeblues.. skån mig. Men allerede to takter inde i start- og titelsangen på Thorbjørn Risagers album "Here I Am", kom jeg på bedre tanker. Og nu sidder albummet så godt som fast i min bils stereoallæg.
Ikke alene skriver Thorbjørn nemlig nogle herlige, ligefremme og iørefaldende bluesrocksange. Han synger også som en mand med dyb forståelse for musikken fra det amerikanske syd (fra Mississipp til New Orleans). Og bedst af alt har Thorbjørn, der iøvrigt også spiller en ond lead-guitar, lært en vigtig lektion af forbilleder som Fats Domino og B.B. King: hvis det ikke også er sjovt, så er det lige meget.
"Here I Am" er således både festlig og kompetent.
Henning Høeg (17/10/2007)
RootsTime.be
Just one year ago the first CD of Thorbjorn Risager, a Danish blues singer was released and it was a complete hit. Risager has voice that is a combination of Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Delbert McClinton and even the warm bluesy vocals of the late Luke Walter Jr, (the singer of the 80's Belgian band Blue Blot) so, you know he's a singer from the heart, and with a lot of soul. Backed by a great band, with some funky horns (Wagner/Kehl), with the guitar from Svein-Erik Martinsen and Thorbjorn himself, a great piano and organplayer (Emil Balsgaard) and the rhythm duo (Soren Bjogaard/Martin Seidelin).
The tight horn section along with some nice slide make a good start with the song "Here I Am" , a song that promises that this cd will be a great follow – up to "From The Heart". And it proves to be: "All I Want" and even more "Heart of the Night" ,a soul ballad with the spirit of Otis Redding, are pure gems, it brings the Joe Cocker elements in Risager's voice to the surface, but to be honest, I think Thorbjorn‘s voice is better, it is more subtle) and the song also has some great B.B King guitar in it, so further recommendation is no longer necessary. Funky New Orleans rhythms, with pianoplayer Emil at his very best, backed by those funky horns, that's how "From Now On" sounds. "You Better Pay Attention" is real Roomful Of Blues, you even might think it's Sugar Ray Norcia singing. More B.B King style guitar in "Down Home Blues", and once again those horns provide the soul injection. One of the best songs on this CD is "Johnny Called The Whole Thing Off", it's a wonderful song with Thorbjorn's fantastic voice and slide guitar. Great class!
I can't find one weak song on this whole recording, because also "Good Thing" with it's N'Awlins influences is superb. The strength of Risager is his voice which sounds like Ray Charles one moment, while a few moments later, in the same song, you think you are listening to Joe Cocker. Not that he is trying to imitate them, he just has the luck of sounding like all of these great singers naturally. The closing song of the album is somewhat special, Thorbjorn sings this melancholic sounding song in a very introvert way, which makes a nice way to end this vocal masterwork of an album. Although the band is superb, the real star of the show is Thorbjorn. What a soulful strong voice, what a feeling he puts in it. Danish quality, up until now it, stood for the famous Tuborg beer, but from now on, I think Risager when they mention it.
A must have!
Ronny Bervoets (Oct. 2007)
BluesCritic.com
I'm still digging on Thorbjørn Risager's last disc, "From The Heart" when in my mailbox materialized a brand new album this week. Needless to say I'm thrilled as I consider Risager to be the artist most deserving of crossover success of any Blues newcomer. "Here I Am" delivers 9 more hard Rhythm & Blues jams plus a re-arranged version of their power soul ballad "Heart Of The Night".
As anybody who's read more than a few of my reviews I'm partial to singers. In the first review I wrote on this vocal dynamo I compared his voice to luminaries like Ray Charles, Bob Seger and Joe Cocker (with no hyperbole), but now I'm adding the late Freddie King to that list after hearing the potent title cut here. He sounds like King in his early 70s prime, bellowing from deep in his throat over a "Pack It Up"-type pounder. Kasper Wagner and Peter Kehl provide a memorable horn lick and Svein Erik Martinsen squeezes his guitar quite rightly. The record only stumbles a bit on the rote "All I Want" with the banal lyrics "All I want is you/girl you know it's true. I'm ready to do what you want me to" but that's easy to forgive when he evokes vintage Cocker on "From Now On" and swings ala 60s Ray Charles for "You Better Pay Attention". Other bright spots include "Johnny Called The Whole Thing Off", which quotes Willie Dixon ("way past 21") and the somber, sparse "I Won't Back Down". It's the kind of piece Nick Cave has been trying to write for years.
It's only a matter of time before the secret's out on this guy. He's already garnering raves overseas but his music has mass appeal. Bottom line: He's dynamite. Don't sleep on this one. To learn more visit the website www.risager.info.
BluesCritic.com (30/10/2007)
Fyens Stiftstidende
Thorbjørn Risager bringer os tilbage til tressernes New Orleans på sit andet studiealbum, som efterfølger From Your Heart fra 2006.
På overfladen er numrene præget af typisk klassisk rythm and blues-lyd, men kigger man dybt i nodehæfterne, afslører de mere.
De mange instrumentale soloer på dette album er koblet sammen som godsvogne på et jernbanespor, der fører os fra klassisk New Orleansk blues frem til en mere moderne destination. Der er fart på dette tog af legesyge musikere, som ud over den klassiske bagage også medbringer eget gods.
Guitarist Svein Erik Martinsen er upåklagelig på "Johnny Called the Hole Thing off", hvor guitarlyden veksler fra forgrund til baggrund i samspil med Risagers vokal.
Emil Balsgaard (orgel, piano) og Kasper Wagner (sax) skyder en jævn salve af instrumentale solostykker af på numre som "All I Want" og "Take It Off". Det giver en spændende baggrundskulisse vævet sammen af livlige og energiske instrumenter som saxofon og orgel.
Føreren af bluestoget er uden tvivl Thorbjørn Risager selv, der med sin maskuline vibratovokal til tider minder om Joe Cocker eller den unge, men rutinerede bluesvagabond Seth Walker.
Risager lyder som en ærkeamerikaner på en bluesplade, der måske startede i bluesmusikkens hjemland, men har kurs mod Europa.
Kenneth Kjæp Larsen (28/10/2007)
B.T.
Først tænkte jeg: åh nej, mere dansk hyggeblues.. skån mig. Men allerede to takter inde i start- og titelsangen på Thorbjørn Risagers album "Here I Am", kom jeg på bedre tanker. Og nu sidder albummet så godt som fast i min bils stereoallæg.
Ikke alene skriver Thorbjørn nemlig nogle herlige, ligefremme og iørefaldende bluesrocksange. Han synger også som en mand med dyb forståelse for musikken fra det amerikanske syd (fra Mississipp til New Orleans). Og bedst af alt har Thorbjørn, der iøvrigt også spiller en ond lead-guitar, lært en vigtig lektion af forbilleder som Fats Domino og B.B. King: hvis det ikke også er sjovt, så er det lige meget.
"Here I Am" er således både festlig og kompetent.
Henning Høeg (17/10/2007)