The Blues Messengers - Uncut (2018)

At some point-in-time, they all go back. Back to the roots. Back to the Blues. Also, Oliver Mally is no exception, although he has never really moved far from the Blues. The Blues mean stories, atmosphere, "the true facts of life", as Willie Dixon once put it. These true facts have always manifested themselves in the songs of the "Sir". The ideal-typical composition here is "(She Was) Brave Enough". Who would deny the Blues reference to this singer/songwriter gem? Exactly! Moreover, with the ten-twelve beat intro, it's without question, maybe, apart from where "Sir" Oliver Mally distills his compelling, to-the-point intensity. There is no doubt about his decades of experience here, but this explanation would probably be too brief. When "Sir" Oliver Mally intones the Blues, he does not interpret them, he lives them, he has them, he breathes them. Blues is not a matter of age, that's true, but through experience over the years, he has become more complex, more universal, offering "the true facts of life". Oliver Mally and the Blues have always been companions, both quarreling and conciliatory. Both know what they testify to. Full of groovy conviction. The fact that the "Sir" has invited two more soul-brothers, Alex Meik and Peter Müller, to accompany him along this section of the trail adds to the tension. "The Blues Messengers", one could hardly describe these musical messengers more aptly and the title of the album hits the bullseye. "Uncut", unpolished, down-to-earth, honest. True facts indeed!