Dave Fields

Force of Will

FMI Records

Dave Fields first came to national attention when he produced Roxy Perry’s “Back in Bluesville”. That cd won the Best Self-Produced CD award at the 2006 International Blues Challenge. Fields released his own debut recording “Times A Wastin’” in 2007. At the 2009 Blues Music Awards Fields played guitar alongside Billy Gibson, winner of the year’s Best Instrumentalist – Harmonica award. Later that year John Mayall recorded Field’s song “Train To My Heart” and it appears on his album “Tough”. Fields’ last recording was 2017’s “Unleashed”.

Fields is an inductee into the New York Blues Hall of Fame and a highly skilled guitarist and vocalist. “Force Of Will” is the blues rocker’s sixth studio recording. Fields, guitar, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals; is joined by three bassists, and four drummers. All of the songs are written by Fields except for one co-write.

The driving rocker “I Love My Baby” features the formidable rhythm section of bassist Buddy Allen from The Rick Derringer Band, and Van Romaine the drummer from The Steve Morse Band. Bill Ferns is featured on harmonica as guitarist Fields sings “cause she’s the one who’s always on my mind, I love my baby forever true, no one else will ever, ever do” before taking his solo. The rhythm section of Allen and Romaine are featured again on the relentless boogie “Big Block” with Fields on both guitar and keyboards. Fields’ screeching guitar highlights the churning “Hunger” with drummer Lee Jeffryes joining bassist Allen. On the title track Jeffryes is replaced by Kenny Soule on drums as Fields’ sings “the force of will keeps you going on”.

Each year Fields takes a pilgrimage to Norway. The rhythm section of Bjorn Hagset, bass; and Kare Amundsen, drums, join Fields’ on “Why Can’t You Treat Me Right”. The Norwegian connection is featured again on “It’s Not OK” with an evocative guitar solo from Fields and Vlad Barsky added on organ. These are my favorite of Fields’ vocal performances.

“Chloe and Otis” is both a dog story and a love story, co-written with keyboardist Barsky and again featuring Allen and Soule, it is both fun and well written. “Love’s rainbow makes the world go ‘round”.

“Delmar” is a solo guitar performance and Field’s tribute to New York’s world pop sensation Delmar Brown who passed in 2017. “Jack Ham Her” is a funky second instrumental featuring Fields’ fabulous guitar shredding, Romaine’s drums and bassist Eric Boyd. The closer “Best I Can” features the lyrics “I’m gonna love you, love you the best I can” with Fields on both guitar and bass, and Soule on drums.

This is a great album from Fields which starts slowly before coming to a boil. Although an individualist Fields incendiary guitar will fire you up.

Richard Ludmerer