The Blue Devils - Eleanor's Party

Norman Darwen, Blues in Britain magazine - Rating: 8

From glam-rock to the New York blues scene and then via JSP's ground-breaking blues recordings of the late eighties to being a big draw in Kent (where this was recorded in September 2007), Richard Studholme has done it all. He's still doing it too, as this six track live - though with some studio overdubs - CD proves. Presumably it is to be sold at the band's gigs. It finds Richard on guitar, mandolin, accordion and vocals leading some long-time friends through an attractive programme of songs, from Chuck Berry ('Come On' and 'Carole'), Peppermint Harris, The Rolling Stones (a rocking 'Dead Flowers'), a 'So Easy' with more than a hint of 'Americana' to it, and of course, Richard Studholme with the excellent 'Waiting All Alone'. The arrangements are generally rather more imaginative than you might expect too. Overall, this is a rootsy and very enjoyable CD and I hope Eleanor enjoyed it as much as I do.