Scott Ellison – There's Something About The Night

22-02-2022

Scott Ellison was born on June 13, 1954 in Tulsa, OK, and is an American songwriter, singer, and guitarist. Tulsa was home to a lot of blues-based rock bands in the 1970s and that naturally suited Scott's heavy guitar shredding blues style. In the mid-1980s, Ellison moved to Los Angeles. Outside of his own music, Scott continued to play with The Box Tops, The Shirelles, Marvalettes, JJ Jackson, The Drifters and The Coasters. It wasn't until the 1990s that Ellison formed his own blues band, opening for Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, Bobby Bland, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Buddy Guy. During those years, Scott also released his first albums, with "Chains Of Love" in 1993 and "Live At Joey's" in 1995. He then moved back to the familiar Tulsa, where he released "Steamin" in 1997 and "One Step From The Blues" in 2000. A year later he was signed to the Burnside Label and that same year "Cold Hard Cash" was released with producer and co-writer Dennis Walker, the producer behind Robert Cray. The album was very successful and in 2003 the equally successful "Bad Case Of The Blues" followed, which allowed Scott to play at the very big festivals, such as The Montreal Jazz And Blues Festival, with an audience of 40,000 people. With 'Cadillac Woman' from the 2008 album "Ice Storm" Scott even scored a number one hit in the blues chart. In 2009 he was allowed to open for his idol BB King at the Performing Arts Center in Tulsa. "Walkin' Through The Fire" was released in 2011 on his own label, JSE Records, and paved the way for his 2013 induction into the Oklahoma Blues Hall Of Fame. He signed to Red Parlor Records in 2015 for the release of "Elevator Man" (produced by Eric Clapton keyboardist Walt Richmond), "Good Morning Midnight" (2017) and the critically acclaimed "Skyline Drive" (2020). Scott Ellison's thirteenth album is released on January 14, 2022. It was titled "There's Something About The Night". There are fourteen songs on the album, most of which were written by the duo Scott Ellison and Michael Price. The album opens with the handsome and spicy shuffle 'Half A Bottle Down'. Scott and his guitar are expressive and excellent throughout the song. He eagerly scatters his spicy riffs around and with two beautiful solos he emphasizes his class as a guitarist even more. In addition, he has a good and pleasant voice. Dick Sims kicks off the nearly five-minute title track 'There's Something About The Night' with his Hammond organ. It's a soulful, melodic ballad with a strong chorus. Here again Scott Ellison shines with razor-sharp and soulful guitar work. The voices of Ginger Blake, Maxine Waters, Julia Waters and Oren Waters provide the ideal vocal complement to Scott's voice in the chorus. Lyricist Michael Price helped write ten songs on this album. In 1974 he co-wrote the hit song "Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City" with Dan Walsh for the Bobby Blue Bland. The very handsome version by Scott Ellison is the first single from the album and you can already listen to it right now. There are countless versions of this beautiful ballad, but Scott Ellison's version is definitely one of the better ones. Jon Greathouse carries the melody of 'Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City' with his warm organ sounds and Scott Ellison puts a lot of feeling into his great string work on the guitar. After two slow songs, Ellison's music returns to tempo with the swinging 'Burry Your Bone At Home'. It is a mix of soul, jazz and blues with instrumental delights from Scott Ellison on guitar and Jon Greathouse on piano and Hammond B3. The beautiful, flowing bass line comes from Lou Castro. 'Blowin Like A Hurricane' is a radio-friendly and flowing guitar-driven rocker, sung by Chris Campbell. We get a Zydeco atmosphere in the attractive 'Salina' and the beautiful accordion work of Scott McQuade plays a large part in that. The rhythm section, with drummer Ron McRorey and bassist Scott Ellison, provide the wonderful groove. Scott Ellison eagerly scatters the entire song with fat slide riffs and his solo with the bottleneck is also a feast. The bottleneck remains around Scott Ellison's finger during Texas rocker 'Meat And Potatoes'. David Bernston colors the sound of 'Meat And Potatoes' with delicious, gritty blowing and sucking on the harmonica. In the soulful 'Feast Or Famine' the wind players are explicitly present throughout the song. Robbie Armstrong provides the handsome drum beat and Dave Teegarden does a great job on his percussion instruments. The soulful backing vocals come from Ginger Blake, Maxine Waters, Julia Waters & Oren Waters. Ellison's melodic string solo is once again a pleasure for the ear. In the soulful slow blues 'Good Year For The Blues' Scott Ellison once again shows his great class as a guitarist with long and soulful guitar work. Hank Charles is explicitly present in 'I'm Ready Baby' with his excellent barrelhouse piano playing. Guitarist Scott Ellison is also not indifferent and once again shows that he has good and fast fingers. Robbie Armstrong provides the exciting drum beat. 'Mirror Image' is a languid blues shuffle with wonderful guitar and piano work. The razor-sharp guitar sounds of Ellison touch you down to the smallest fiber of your body during the tight and passionate rocker 'Chains Of Love'. Jon Greathouse carries the melody with his warm Hammond sounds. Marcy Levy proves with her beautiful backing vocals that she has a great voice. Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters are featured in the driving blues rocker 'Revolutionary Man'. Drummer Robbie Armstrong and bassist Jon Paris provide the pumping groove and slide guitarist Scott Ellison and harmonica player David Bernston provide the instrumental highlights. The album closes with 'Where Do You Go When You Leave', in which we again get some exciting guitar work from Scott Ellison and guest guitarist Albert Lee. 'There's Something About The Night', Scott Ellison's thirteenth album, has become a beautiful album. None of the fourteen songs brings the level down. This is a great disc from start to finish. Guitar lovers are sure to enjoy Scott Ellison's excellent playing. Both with the bottleneck and with his fingers he shows his great class as a guitarist.

1 Half A Bottle Down 4:07

2 There's Something About The Night 4:46

3 Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of The City) 4:35

4 Bury Your Bone At Home 5:36

5 Blowin Like a Hurricane 3:52

6 Salina 4:24

7 Meat and Potatoes 4:05

8 Feast Or Famine 3:16

9 Good Year For the Blues 4:50

10 I'm Ready Baby 4:00

11 Mirror Image 3:08

12 Chains Of Love 5:32