Looking Forward Looking Back – More Reviews

“An excellent fourteen track festival of luxury blues [from] this UK-blues-treasure. I found myself checking the writer’s credits; surely this is from the pen of Percy Mayfield, and this from Big Joe’s catalogue? But no, each and every track is penned by the estimable Mr Martin. Not content to write the songs, Eddie pitches in with blistering guitar and fine, authentic vocals.”
Blues in Britain / ISSUE 1053

Rating 9/10
If you didn’t know it, this cool cat is British. He has an authentic yesteryear US sound and can play a mean guitar, sing with the best of ‘em and writes a very good tune. A fixture of the blues circuit, but far more to the man that that. Eddie has a career spanning 12 albums, is a multi instrumentalist and prolific songwriter.
The whole album is drenched in classic horn sounds and very fine playing/arrangements…blistering slide guitar ..remarkably authentic and fluid blues licks. No one in the UK sounds like him
this album is pretty special. Think Roomful of Blues with a world class guitarist. Must get to see the man live, as I have a feeling he knows how to throw a real good party.Blues and Soul,SIMON REDLEY
Cracking Album..Big band blues heaven. T-Bone, Watson and Elmore would’ve been proud. With bands like this around, the blues is in safe hands.BLUES MATTERS

“Martin is the consummate bandleader, writing all the tunes andtossing off stinging lead licks and soulful vocals as well as playing piano and harmonica on some tracks here. His
fretwork echoes his above-mentioned heroes, but is spiced as well with a healthy taste of rock and roll. The ensemble kicks off with “Frog In The Long Grass,” a textbook T-Bone jump blues with that powerful horn section echoing Martin’s riffing. The band is pure high-tempo energy onmost all tracks except the title ballad..The duels between Ellis’ sax and Martin’s guitar are the highlights throughout, as Martin moves effortlessly between styles, from vintage jump licks to a hot vibrato emulating the three Kings”. VINTAGE GUITAR USA
“a consistently excellent performer..a good enjoyable album that showcases his exemplary guitar playing”.Blues and Rhythm

 4 STARS exciting, original and contemporary-themed numbers in the vein of T-Bone, and Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson”R2

Martin has a real affinity for the music he is paying homage to…electrifying slide work.. The end result is an unrelenting party with multi-talented Martin as the master of ceremonies. I now have a sneaking suspicion that there are similar gems waiting to be discovered amongst Martin’s eleven previous recordings.BLUES BLAST (USA)

Martin is fantastic and on a roll on (slide) guitar, and his voice sounds better than ever – certainly rawer and more intense than usual. The horn section is always present, but never overpowering.. .The Fifties live again on this successful CD.”BLOCK MAGAZINE

” What an amazing disc! This classic 1940s-1950s style of rhythm’n’blues is something we hear very rarely today and hearing it so vital and fresh, played by a very talented singer-songwriter-guitarist backed by a tight orchestra makes me smile! With all those screaming guitars around this is so refreshing and fun to listen to. Plus, I was surprised how well modern, original songs sound in that old-school setting. A winner record!
“14 entertaining tracks make this CD a real delight. Blues in Poland
A beautiful album, without even a hint of blues-rock. And that’s a good thing!”
www.bluesinthenorthwest “One of the Best British releases This Year!”
Vasser Pravda Magazine (GERMANY)

Since the mid 1990s, Eddie Martin is the most important blues musician to come out of the UK. Whether as a one-man band or with his popular Big Band, he commands respect both among guitarists and blues harp players and also for his knowledge of his blues history and his gift for songwriting. His new album “Looking Forward Looking Back” is, in a sense a homage to early blues guitarists, as diverse as T-Bone Walker, Elmore James and Johnny “Guitar” Watson. The album shifts easily from boogie tunes to rock and roll through to Funkblues with “Funky One Too,” where Pee Wee Ellis wrote the arrangement. What makes up a major part of the energy of the album – and the fun that it evokes as a listener and as an inspiration to dance! – is the fact that this big band were recorded completely live in the studio. Here are real experts at work, and they have presented a wonderful blues album. This is recommended for fans of classic and contemporary Blues”.

The classic periods of 2oth Century Blues are affectionately echoed in lightning solos, strong melodies and arrangements, filtered through a recognizably British aesthetic.. Imagination, humour, attention to detail: Eddie Martin has all the credentials to maintain a high artistic and commercial profile in the entire “English-speaking” blues world, where he remains one of its strongest voices.”Il Blues, Italy,no 20
Imaginative, Amusing songs, the guitar weeps, screams or rocks with each track..Martin is the Ambassador of British BluesRootstime Belgium
Radio Reviews
“I can only say Wow! Thank you for shipping us Eddie Martin’s new cd. I have hosted Bad Dog Blues for over 20 years…this is an amazing display of pure guitar blues with awesome horn charts and although all originals, love the tributes and guitar riffs of Johnny Guitar Watson and Elmore James. Tasty sounds that emulate T-Bone Walker make this a disc that should be on everyone’s End Of Year Chart for best cd releases of the year.

His playing brings to mind Otis Grand, Dave Gross, Anson Funderburgh, Tab Benoit, JP Soars with high energy blues guitar playing. Thanks again for making this past week special. (Debuted this past Sunday on the show). Will forward our monthly Top 30’s to you (submitted always to Living Blues Magazine).
Gary Reinhardt
Radio Bad Dog Blues
“Just to let you know that I received the excellent Looking Forward Looking Back cd by EDDIE MARTIN & His Big Blues Band and I wish to congrat mr Eddie Martin and all the good musicians involved on a mighty fine, original and coherent effort. It didn’t harm that the great Pee wee Ellis was also on board, but it’s obviously Eddie who shines as a major craftsman in the classic blues idiom, in the multiple role of arranger, guitar slinger, songwriter and vocalist. I took the liberty to choose some of its highlights to share with listeners to my Catfish Blues shows on Radio Flash 97.6 FM www.radioflash.to, namely the mighty TOUGH TIMES, SUPERMODEL and WANNABE ME. These cuts, and possibly more, will be aired in the upcoming weeks”.
Edoardo Fassio, alias Catfish, Your Favourite Blue-Jay www.radioflash.to

“Sounds Great” Freddy Celis www.rootstime.be

“Great CD!”Les Young Wall to Wall Blues Penistone FM!

“Some people send music here. You sent an album of GREAT music. thanks Eddie” David Ellkins WSND Radio

“Fantastic release”. www.theblueshound.com

“I downloaded your cd “Looking Forward Looking Back”, thank you very much.

It is a fantastic album of great quality! Congratulations!.

Josep

Thank you! I love the CD
“Bluesletter Kim” 91.9 KRVM Sounds Great. Cheers Irene Barnet Bigpond FM

“I just listened to the whole CD!!! I loved it. Sherry Wine The Blues Cafe’ WBZC 88.9 FM
www.Z889.org

Goldradio Network BluesDeb Magin Hi Eddie. I already downloaded you and play you. Love your sound In fact I’ve already put the title song in my folder I keep for my end of the year “Downtown Deb’s Favs of the Year” show! Next time I play you I’ll make sure I state your name in my little “teaser” blurb I post each Sunday.

Vicente Zumel La Hora el Blues ( = FANTASTICO / GREAT)