Lil’ Dave Thompson

Deep In The Night

Electro-Fi Records

www.electrofi.com/

www.lildavethompson.com

In my book, Mississippi’s Lil’ Dave Thompson is one of the premier blues guitarists on the scene today. You won’t get any pyrotechnics or show boating moves, just blazing blues guitar in the Chicago style of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Dave is also a first rate vocal talent as evidenced on the title track “Deep In The Night,” “No Good Woman,” and “I’m Here.” On this Electro-Fi CD, Dave fills out his assertive, fiery guitar sound with a horn section and keyboards on several tracks. Even when playing a nasty solo Dave always uses a deft touch, leaving plenty of space for the songs to breath. Already Handy nominated twice in ’96 at 27 for his Fat Possum release Little Dave & Big Love in the Best Contemporary Blues Album category and New Blues Artist, Dave’s incredible talent has astonishingly flown under the radar since. Dave is a true road warrior spending much of the year touring; in fact he spent his 40th birthday May 21st on the road from a gig in Salt Lake City, UT to one in North Dakota. “I Need Your Love” it just won’t let me be, exhibits shades of Albert King (Dave’s acknowledged hero) both vocally and on his stinging leads. Dave knows how to slow it down as he does on the blues shuffle “She Didn’t Say Goodbye” and he always does a couple of slow burners when he performs live. Dave finishes off Deep In The Night with the jazzy instrumental “Dave’s Groove” on which he displays some of his considerable chops in a very reserved way. I very highly recommend both Deep In The Night and Dave’s first Electro-Fireplace release 2006’s Got To Get Over You. If you are a fan of guitar blues you need Lil’ Dave Thompson in your collection! I’ve seen Lil’ Dave Thompson at Highway 99, and I strongly suggest that you add this true blue Mississippi blues artist to your “to see” list whenever he returns to the Pacific Northwest. Kudos to producer Andrew Galloway for bringing this Mississippi bluesman to a wider audience! – Malcolm Kennedy

Lil’ Dave Thompson - Dragon’s Dome for BLUES BLAST

Pekin, IL - March 4, 2009

I believe I have seen Albert King reborn. Lil’ Dave Thompson has to be the great King’s reincarnate. I saw it first hand.

With both guitar tone and vocal phrasing, Thompson helped me see a blues man that I never got to see while he was alive. I stood in awe, found myself stomping my feet and trying to dance in my chair, and closed my eyes and imagined the big man with the Flying V playing the exact same song. It was ultimately surreal.

Intermixing new tracks from his last two records and songs from Albert King, Robert Cray, Little Johnny Taylor via Albert Collins, Tyrone Davis, and Bill Withers ; Thompson brought back a sound that the blues from Stax Records used to produce – funky, R&B infused blues that helped blues cross over into the mainstream in the Sixties. It was uncanny how you could almost imagine how Thompson could channel the sounds of King’s renditions of “Kansas City,” Robert Cray’s “Phone Booth,” and the soulful singing of such a legend.

There’s no one out there today like Thompson. There are few that can fuse the funky beats into a twelve-bar blues and still make it sound like blues. With just a trio setting, Thompson knows how to work his space with a guitar and his band is one of those tight units that can make the spaces that Thompson leaves still sound on melody.

The sound was full, tight, and at times explosive. My lone criticism is that I would’ve loved to hear more originals from this man in the black cowboy hat. His unpretentious, straight-ahead blues style seems to be a rare breed in today’s contemporary blues scene. This guy is young, too. He will be turning 40. However, his sound belies his age.

If you are a traditional electric blues fan, this guy is a must see. No questions asked. You’ll be blown away by his abilities to help you remember the past but staying relevant to the present. His albums are great to enjoy, but his live energy is a true soul-blues treat.

If you want to see 2009’s version of any classic Albert King album reborn, revitalized, and with a fresh but funky spin – Lil’ Dave Thompson is the man!

Reviewed by Ben "the Harpman" Cox.

Visit his website Juke Joint Soul

For other reviews and interviews on our website CLICK HERE.

"This may have more guitar solos than all our previous releases," said label president Andrew Galloway. However, they aren't wearing because they are not incessant. Lil' Dave Thompson Ð best known for touring with R.L. Burnside and Jr. Kimbrough Ð only solos for a purpose. On this refreshing recording, Got To Get Over You (Electro-Fi), support is provided by an all-star cast of Canadian blues musicians. The music is pure blues, but soul/blues is also featured. Dave uses his guitar as an extension of his voice, while the sidemen play as if they were raised in Mississippi. Only one of the ten songs is a cover.

Thompson plays the most untainted blues guitar you'll hear in contemporary blues. He loves his guitar like a woman throughout the disc. His affectionate but gruff voice Ð which sounds a bit like Carl Weathersby Ð and remarkable guitar consistently connect to express emotion and pain.

This is one of the best releases of 2006. The recipe for its success includes Mississippi dirt, cigarette smoke, juke joint liquor, and a touch of urbanity. LilÕ Dave Thompson defines blues for today by infusing blues of yesterday.

--- Tim Holek - Blues Bytes November 2006

Lil' Dave Thompson Got To Get Over You Electro-Fi/Festival

About ten years ago, among the veterans in that first batch of Fat Possum CDs, was a young Lil' Dave Thompson, with hands like Robert Johnson's. That album spoke of great potential but little more was heard of Mr. Thompson on record, only a JSP CD that sank without a trace. Andrew Galloway caught sight of him however and invited him to here last winter to record and play for our Christmas Party. The new CD shows him to be a charter member in the Albert King/Carl Weathersby branch of the blues _ high praise, I think. It is a crowded field however and to stand out there has to be some good material. He has plenty. He excels at slow, minor key blues and there are several excellent examples: "Player's Card" being the best with "I Got the Blues" and "I Wonder" following close behind. "Need for Speed" is the showcase for those hands and it's a good `un. He recorded here at Liquid Sound with an all-Canadian band: John Lee & Jim Boudreau, on organ and drums respectively, from Mel Brown's Homewreckers; Russell Jackson, bass player extraordinaire from Vancouver & a veteran of the B.B. King Orchestra and Pat Carey from Downchild and numerous other bands on tenor sax. It's good to have him back.

John Valenteyn -TBS Maple Blues Newsletter

****

I never grow weary of that thick, fat Albert King blues sound perfected at Stax Records in the '70's and this terrifc new disc by Lil' Dave Thompson has it going on fo' sho. The opener (and title cut) burrows a recipe out of that 1967-1973 Stax cookbook with bass heavy rhythm, horns, and that headnoddin' laidback groove. As a guitar picker Thompson's slightly faster with the fingers than King; sharper, perhaps not as soulful, but the kind of player you just sit back and listen to. He dazzles on every track, never seeming to repeat the same lick. His skills haven't gone unnoticed despite only releasing two records the previous ten years (1995's "Little Dave & Big Love" & "C'mon Down To The Delta"). Neither disc matched his guitar playing but he's still managed to garner two W.C. Handy nominations as a soloist. He's paid his dues backing Booba Barnes, R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbough but this time he's made the record that may finally connect with record buyers.

This time the disc, "Got to Get Over You", is more than just a vehicle for hisimpressive chops. Produced by Andrew Galloway, this set features 9 strong Thompson originals plus 1 written by friend Cheryl Pinkney called "Player's Card". You gotta love a woman writing a song about a man giving up his "player's card" and settlin' down! The track owes a debt to Mack Rice's "Cadillac Assembly Line". The Albert King influence is obvious again on the slow Blues "Lil' Girl" that echoes King's "don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong". Thompson must've took "Lucy" out for a night on the town. Big, big sound. Thompson also has a great supporting cast: Russell Jackson on bass, John Lee on organ, Jim Boudreau on drums and Pat Carey on sax. Props to the label Electro-Fi for finally recording Thompson right.

Blues Critic - The online home of Blues and Southern Soul - September 2006