The brilliant translation of a talented bluesman
WHEN it comes to the blues the world is full of talented songwriters, many of whom are virtuoso musicians who are household names.
There are also other artists who might not yet have the worldwide acclaim of illustrious blues artists like Joe Bonamassa or the late great Rory Gallagher but that doesn’t mean their talent isn’t just as formidable.
One such artist is Argentine guitarist and songwriter, Daniel De Vita, who has just released a new album called ‘Lost in Translation’.
Born in Buenos Aires, he has been playing the blues scene in Argentina for many years and is also a regular on the Latin American blues festival scene.
Gig-goers in County Wexford will be familiar with him from his appearances at the Blackstairs Blues Festival in Enniscorthy. Earlier this year he was also resident in the town for many weeks as a result of the Covid-10 lockdown.
However, now back home in Argentina the release of his fourth album sees him touch on a range of subject matter including heartbreak, mental illness and human bonding.
‘Everytime I’m Close to You’ gets things started in upbeat fashion. A bluesy, jazz infused rocker it has the same type of swagger that made ‘Before You Accuse Me’ such a monster song for Eric Clapton.
There are also hints of Gary Moore’s blues style in the track.
The song has swing in abundance and it benefits from some fantastic, funky bass lines.
‘My Sweetest Regret’ continues the jazzy swagger of the opening track, albeit set to a slightly more downbeat tempo.
There is a very interesting breakdown before the main guitar solo that is very captivating from a songwriting perspective.
The song also ends with a lovely jazz-styled, descending chord progression which is wonderful to hear.
‘Sand Between Your Fingers’ is a blues, love ballad where a soulful blues harp adds greatly to the overall vibe.
De Vita’s vocal style has a distinctively old feel to it and in many ways that gives his material a very authentic sound.
This particular track could have been written in the 40s and displays the desolate cry of a man who has lost his one true love: ‘ Too much of a good thing could surely kill you, believe me, I know it at first hand.’
Towards the end of the track the tempo gradually increases before everything culminates with an abrupt crescendo.
‘Black Chicken 37’ begins with a fantastic bass riff before percussion, electric guitar and some brass are gradually introduced.
An instrumental track it allows De Vita the space to showcase his formidable talent as a blues guitarist.
He displays wonderful feel and while the lead breaks are not overly intricate they possess authenticity that many other guitar players can only aspire to have.
‘She Claps on the 1 & 3’, is one of my favourite tracks on the album.
It’s a 12-bar blues stomper that grinds along to a foot-tapping beat and displays an infectious groove.
Fans of the sublimely talented Albert Lee will probably have a particular affinity for this track.
The production on the album is excellent. While there is crisp clarity to the music it’s engineered in a manner that ensures the blues itself isn’t diluted through over production.
‘Breaking the Praise’ is another instrumental through which De Vita, again, showcases his versatility in exemplary fashion.
The song is divided into a number of distinct sections, each with its own distinctive vibe.
At times frantic, at other times melancholic, it’s a brilliant piece of music.
‘6 Years Blues’ is another one of the standout tracks on the album.
A slow, brooding, blues workout it’s a track that perhaps showcases De Vita’s vocal ability more than the others.
He sings with passion and sincerity while the overall vibe of the song is one of melancholic introspective naval gazing and it’s fantastic to hear.
The guitar break is excellent because De Vita doesn’t go for the easy option of dirty, overdriven guitar and instead keeps the tone relatively clean.
‘California Rocket Fuel’, is one of the more interesting tracks on offer.
It’s a mid-tempo track that could best be described as walking blues.
A washboard component to the musical accompaniment gives the song the vibe of a backwoods party, get-together and it’s the type of track that will put most listeners in good form.
The final track on the album is ‘DFW’ which was written by Jimmy Vaughan.
It’s a fantastic, loose feel version and De Vita really flexes his muscles in terms of his guitar playing which is brilliant
Daniel De Vita might be more well known in Latin America than in Europe but when it comes to the blues nothing gets lost in translation.