Rob Stonehewer

Climax Blues Band Hands of Time album reviewed by Pete Feenstra of Get Ready to Rock Pete Feenstra regular contributor to “Get Ready to Rock” believes Colin Cooper would surely have approved. **** The Climax Blues Band moniker has existed since 1972 when after 5 years as a blues-rock band they quietly dropped the Chicago part of their name to reflect a broadening of their musical palette. The band subsequently moved its musical focus to radio-friendly material for the American market and it wasn’t until Colin Cooper reformed the band in 1986 that they returned to the blues – albeit they cut the commercial, but impressive’ Drastic Steps’ 2 years later. This preamble is by way of contextualising their significant shift towards the soulful funk, jazzy edges and blues heart of ‘Hands Of Time.’ It’s an aptly titled album that that reflects both the passing of the band’s former leader Colin Cooper, while offering a key to a mellow song-driven set on which vocalist Graham Dee and sax player Chris Aldridge make the most of the grooves that the stellar rhythm section of bassist Neil Simpson and Roy Adams offers them. The band sets itself a high standard on material that evokes the white boy soul of Michael McDonald on track such as ‘Flood Of Emotion’, the funky title track and ‘Wrong Time’, which builds imperiously to an angst ridden hook. Then there’s Graham Dee’s Stevie Wonder style vocal evocation on the gentle funky wash of ‘My Music.’ Dee is an excellent choice as vocalist. He has the timbre, range, versatility and expressive phrasing to lean into a succession of grooves while elucidating lyrical expression. His faux baritone husk on ‘Ain’t That A Kick In The Head’ sets the standard for a laid back album which washes over you with a soulful funky hue. The signature sax and guitar double lines are that of the early 70’s band, while ‘Straight Down The Middle’ is the kind of smouldering funk that sounds not unlike the latter day Steely Dan, and is a good example of the album as a whole. Dee also comes as close as possible to Colin Cooper’s vocals, as evidenced by the closing bonus track. Significantly the bonus track could almost have come from the same session as the rest of this album, which kind of justifies the band’s current musical direction.