• Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 320

Topic: Bryan Lee

Caught Bryan Lee at Darwins in Marietta, GA last night.
He is the blind guitarist featured in Kenny Wayne Sheppard's documentary Ten Days Out.
This was the best blues show to end 2007.

What is enjoyable about Bryan Lee is he is from the old school.  He can be considered an elder statesman of the blues because of his upholding traditions of less is more.  He played originals and covers and he never lost his ability to entertain the audience.

What was very impressive about Bryan was his staying away from the Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray songbooks.

As a person who has seen many blues artists and hundreds of blues jams, it's safe to say that if I hear Red House, Voodoo Chile and Pride and Joy one more time, I might just scream.

Bryan paid homage to his mentor Freddie King quite a bit and he did Freddie's songs justice. And he gave plenty of solo space to co-guitarist Brent Johnson.  When Brent pulled out his slide and changed guitars to a Gibson SG, you immediately boarded a train to Sweet Home Chicago and took another train to the Mississippi Delta.

I spoke to Bryan a little bit after the show.  We spoke of Kenny's documentary that put him in the public light.  He is thankful for what Kenny did for him.

Spoke to Brent Johnson after show as well.  Brent is a very intelligent young man with expressive thoughts on the Katrina aftermath, the blues scene with it's next generation of Stevie Ray wannabes that are just torturing us all.

Got home at around 2:30 this morning.  Feeling not only was Bryan Lee a great choice closer for 2007, but that traditional blues still can do its job.

  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: Bryan Lee

OMG, thank you, thank you, thank you.  One of the reasons I like Joe B. so much is he puts a new twist on traditional blues.  Old school blues doesn't mean slow, dragging hat-in-hand all the time.  I can still barrelhouse baby, on the ri-iverside,

I play a lotta blues jams (east coast) and more than once insulted some poor young guitarist's choice of Pride & Joy by noting their bestial sexual preferences, lack of DNA diversity in their family tree, poor eating habits and affected way of dress.  Not because the song is not great...because they are stoned out, glue sniffing, clones with a gui-fiddle that sounds like a chain saw, but only where they can hear me.  I smile and play so the crowd doesn't know.  Mean Old Fart!

I like Bryan Lee.  Didja know he's from Wisconsin?  He ruled the Old Absynthe for awhile in Nawlens.  I think that place was a MacDonalds last time I looked.

Hush Jeffery, starting to go back again.  Brian's a man of faith & passion.  Nice way to end the year.  Some of the forum family will be with Tommy Castro.  Dance girls!

Good for you!

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

bigjeffjones's Website

  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 320

Re: Bryan Lee

Big Jeff:

Thanks for your reply.

I figure I just had to let it all out a bit.

I also like to provide a little story.

Brent, Bryan's second guitarist told me a youngster showed up with his entourage, complete with manager and publicist in tow one night.  This happened at one of Brian's gigs.  Where and when I have no idea.

Anyway, Brent steps down from the bandstand to let this kid go up and jam with Bryan's band.  Not only was he showing off, but disrespecting Bryan by being over the top as much as possible.

So one of the kids associates goes up to Brent and tells him this kid is gonna take your job.  Well rest assured, Brent had no worries as this kind of showboatting doesnt go well with the blues.

However:

Brent tells a story of a 12 year old that sat in one night and stepped in and stepped out when needed and put those blues notes in the right place.  When Brent talked to him, the kid noted influences like Hubert Sumlin and a lot of older players.  Not Stevie and Jimi.

Brent mentioned that Bob Margolin had a joke:  How many guitar players does it take to play Stevie licks?  All of them.

I wonder if I am gonna get hung for being opionated?

  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: Bryan Lee

Ha Ha! not by me.  The arrogance of youth, a double edged sword.

Here's a frinstance.  I'm an old bassman.  If I was to play for somebody and they never saw me and the listener was told I was 17, they would want to sign me up.  Hory Clap what a monster!

But if they see me, unimpressed.  Same bass attack, what changed? 

I think Stevie and Jimi were monsters and very special.  "You're not them and they're dead."  was what one of my old partners used to say, not to discourage, but to push a kid to work harder and grow his own set.

CR and I talked about Jaco one night and the company selling his bass or his amp.  Carmine looked at me and asked, "Do you have Jaco's fingers?"  and it spiraled downward from there.  I couldn't stop laughing.

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

bigjeffjones's Website

  • From: DC
  • Registered: 2006-07-07
  • Posts: 313

Re: Bryan Lee

I love Bryan Lee.  He is a very good guitarist, vocalist, and showman.  My parents, who are not big blues fans when they were in New Orleans...and called me, when he was playing saying I would love this guy.  I immediatelt recognized his music when they held the phone up and said, "That's Bryan Lee.  I love him!" 

I informed my mom that he was blind, and they didn't even know, as they came in in the middle of his set.  They couldn't believe it.

I have seen him in New Orleans as well as with Kenny Wayne Shepherd on his Blues from the Backroads tour.  He's great and I enjoy his albums a lot, especially his live ones.

No matter how well you know someone, you can only ever guess.  How can you ever really know somebody else? It takes more than a lifetime just to get to know yourself.  Nobody knows the meaning of loneliness.  - Van Morrison

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  • Registered: 2007-04-09
  • Posts: 697

Re: Bryan Lee

Glad you guys like Bryan - he's from my hometown of Two Rivers, Wisconsin.  In fact I
heard he was here over Xmas - didn't do any shows tho, but he often does play here.
Apparently he just got married as there are pictures of the wedding in one of our local
stores. 
Jaci

Lose your dreams and you will lose your mind.  Mick Jagger
  • From: Southern New Jersey, USA
  • Registered: 2006-04-23
  • Posts: 2,966

Re: Bryan Lee

I mentioned it before...I have to thank Kenny for turning me onto Bryan, who is fabulous, and I have to thank Bonamassa fans for turning me on to Kenny!!!  That expression about first impressions...first Bryan song I got totally tuned in to was Tina Marie, which happens to be the name of my most favorite girlfriend in the whole wide world!!  We finish each others sentences sometimes, we are on the same wavelength, especially when it comes down to discussing our men. tongue  So, Bryan's foot stomping, heart pumping GREAT song is kicked up a notch for me.......I've taken Tina Marie to see Joe twice. smile

StringsforaCURE~Helping cancer patients one STRING at a time.
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  • susan
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  • From: Lake Mary, FL/USA
  • Registered: 2006-11-08
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Re: Bryan Lee

That's funny Angela, I too learned of Bryan through KWS and KWS thru Joe.  I haven't seen Bryan live yet.  He was supposed to play with KWS when they played The Legends tour in Orlando earlier this year, but for some reason, Bryan wasn't there.  Buddy Flett sang Tina Maria in his place.  He did it justice, but I have to admit Ken and I were both a little disappointed that he wasn't there.  If he comes around, we plan to see him for sure.

Susan smile

"Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding"
  • From: Frederick County, MD
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 857

Re: Bryan Lee

A music friend introduced me to Bryan's "Live at the Old Absinthe House (Friday Night)" featuring special guests Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Frank Marino.  I love this CD.  Bryan's not a Joe-type player, but he has definite soul and purpose in his playing and clearly is an entertainer.  I had the opportunity to see him play a few songs along with the KWS "Ten Days Out" tour, but I definitely want to see a full-on show.  Susan, you may get your wish....http://www.braillebluesdaddy.com/schedule_dates.html

On the aforementioned CD, he does great versions of Crosscut Saw, The Sky Is Crying, Five Long Years and some other classics as well as some smoking originals.  Check him out!

CarljMD

Takers get the honey, givers sing the blues
  • susan
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  • From: Lake Mary, FL/USA
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Re: Bryan Lee

CarljMD wrote:

A music friend introduced me to Bryan's "Live at the Old Absinthe House (Friday Night)" featuring special guests Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Frank Marino.  I love this CD.  Bryan's not a Joe-type player, but he has definite soul and purpose in his playing and clearly is an entertainer.  I had the opportunity to see him play a few songs along with the KWS "Ten Days Out" tour, but I definitely want to see a full-on show.  Susan, you may get your wish....http://www.braillebluesdaddy.com/schedule_dates.html

On the aforementioned CD, he does great versions of Crosscut Saw, The Sky Is Crying, Five Long Years and some other classics as well as some smoking originals.  Check him out!

CarljMD

Thanks for the heads up Carl.  If I'm in town that weekend, I'll be there.

Susan

"Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding"
  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: Bryan Lee

Bryan Lee taught me how to cook Blackened Catfish about five years ago....I wish I could remember the recipe. He noted there's a HUGE difference between the way the do it in N.O. and everywhere else...

Talking to him was a joy.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
Ask me about my handwound Great Lakes Guitar Pickups
Since 2010, Bonamassa fans have taken advantage of my JB friend discount = my cost + shipping. cool
  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: Bryan Lee

March 8th, 2008...Universal in Orlando!

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
Blues From the Bottoms

bigjeffjones's Website

  • susan
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  • From: Lake Mary, FL/USA
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Re: Bryan Lee

bigjeffjones wrote:

March 8th, 2008...Universal in Orlando!

Yeah, I wonder where exactly that is.  Surely it's not inside the theme park.  Perhaps outside City Walk?  If it were one of the clubs at City Walk, I think they would tell you which club.  Wouldn't they?  The "City Jazz" club will be a cool place to see him play.  It holds about 450 people. I saw Leon Russell play there years ago. It's a nice club, or it was. Anyway, I guess we'll find out when tickets go on sale.  hmm

Susan

"Listen to the melody cause my love is in there hiding"
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  • Registered: 2006-05-28
  • Posts: 373

Re: Bryan Lee

Bryan is from Wisconsin, so we all love him very much.

  • From: Chicago
  • Registered: 2006-04-22
  • Posts: 92

Re: Bryan Lee

Bryan Lee is one of the great bluesmen out there. Anybody who has not heard him is truly missing out on a treasure.
Highly recommended for people who have a genuine love for blues music.