Chris Bevington Organisation

Sand And Stone

I remember a night in January of this year, I had made my annual trip to the fantastic “Skegness Blues And Rock Festival” over in the north east of England. Unmissable date in my musical calendar as far as I’m concerned. But that’s another story as they say over here in Ireland.

Always a huge selection of bands / artists playing over the weekend. There will always be that moment when you hear a band that you’ve never heard before and know instantly that the trip was so worth it,if only to see this band you are now watching.

That was the case for me when I saw Chris Bevington Organisation perform live for the first time. A nine piece complete with the best brass section I had heard in many a long day. The sound was full on good time rock n’ toll.The sound filled the venue everybody was smiling dancing having so much fun. It’s what music should be all about food for the soul that’s made to uplift our spirits.

That brings me to the latest release from Chris Bevington Organisation called “Sand And Stone”

The album opens with “Its True” this song gives a feeling of The Rolling Stones with a tight brass section making the sound even fuller.This is followed by “Bad Bad Bad”a funky blues rock tune,with that killer brass section pulling out all the stops.”Already Got The Blues” is a blues ballad of the finest kind. “Deep River”is Gospel Blues with a rock n’ roll kick, definitely good for the soul.”Heaven’s Above” a definite early Led Zeppelin influence but with that awesome brass section breaking out the turbo, oh man what a sound just like rolling down that rock n roll highway with flames coming out of the exhaust.

Then they just take it down just a little bit and we have some bar room blues with “What did I drink Last Night” skipping to the finale the album finishes with the title track “Sand And Stone” A very atmospheric song telling the story of the hardship of the blues how it was all those years ago working in the chain gangs. As the song opens up the harmony and the rhythm takes you right back in time as if you were right there in the middle of things.

“Sand And Stone” makes it’s mark as an album of powerful blues rock songs with passion, soul, and heart . So if you want an album with the feel good factor right from the start, Look no further than “Sand And Stone”, because it’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

Gerry Casey