Willie Phoenix: press

Article titled Capital City Gypsy Blues The well-traveled genius of Willie Phoenix

....The Phoenix process is as diverse as his musical path, one of the most fascinating and organic careers in the Columbus music scene. A central Ohio fixture for three decades, Phoenix has steadfastly followed his own beat: a primal blues foundation upholding psychedelic pop persuasions. His music is a colorful adaptation of idols like Buddy Guy and Eric Clapton. The latter half of this decade has seen the output of strong releases like Plastic Blues and Grooves and Revolution in the Basement, drawing on a century's worth of blues stylistics while maintaining the garage-y swagger and pop dynamics that have made Phoenix such a formidable presence....

Article titled Willie Phoenix: flashes of Jimi

CD Review Plastic Blues and Grooves

Why isn't this local bluesman famous? This time out, the Columbus-based bluesman does a Jimi Hendrix and gussies up the blues something fierce. Or, if you like, he takes a number of genres and runs them through the Delta. Either way, it's a disc called Plastic Blues and Grooves, and it's laced like the finest acid—that is, with bits of English pop, garage stomps and nifty little melodic hooks, as well as the occasional cheesy fuzz guitar reminiscent of Canned Heat. Phoenix does on Plastic what a lot of musicians can't ever do in the studio: transferring his considerable live charisma-into something often quite meaningful on tape.

CD Review Plastic Blues and Grooves

The Opus of the New Ambassador of Soul and Blues Rock is in Stores!

 

With Willie Phoenix you get blues, soul, rock and groove.  Each song of this roots rocker captivates and surprises.  His new album, "Plastic Blues and Grooves" transcends you into a psychedelic universe worthy of the Woodstock era or the shows of Otis Redding.  In addition to the soul genius, also discover an artist clearly engaged in a message of peace and anti-war activism.

CD Review Plastic Blues and Grooves

On this CD Willie has Hendrix, Santana,Cream,The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The 60's British Blues Scene, and mixed and matched in a present day setting. He's moulded classic '60's guitar riffs, which he plays with skill and passion,with lyrics that go from intensly profound on one track to the more commercially accessible the next. If anyone has grasped the true ethos and roots of '60s music, it is Willie Phoenix on this CD.

CD Review Plastic Blues and Grooves

WILLIE PHOENIX’ New Album: Already LOVE IT?.. You’ve GOT IT! Dare to imagine Jimi, Santana, Cream, Stones, Beatles, all in one voice and ten fingers, and you already love Willie Phoenix and his new album Plastic Blues And Grooves! It rocks, it funks, it grooves and, naturally, it blues! But the best news is that for 15 days, from December 3 to December 17, all 15 tunes of the album are on the Midnight Special Blues Radio playlist 24 hours a day! Tune in - and good BUY! ;))

CD Review Plastic Blues and Grooves

Ok! "This here is one good CD." Now, with all the formalities aside, we might take a journey together into the future, via the past. Did I lose you yet? The NEW CD from Willie Phoenix, titled Plastic Blues and Grooves goes on a journey where few people have gone before and many have TRIED. I’m talking about getting that particular sound and feel, (like those of us that are old enough to remember) of the songs that we grew up listening to back in the 60’s. I’m talking about Jimi Hendrix, Rascals, Stones, and, well you know!!! Well. Willie Phoenix has captured that sound in this CD. From the first song clear to the last, you travel on a journey that explores the events of our time. It definitely captures your attention all the way through. Make sure you get your copy (cdbaby.com), and make sure you don’t miss Willie’s live performances, they are impressive in themselves. Willie also represented Ohio at the IBC in Memphis this year. He is the winner of the 2007 Mahoning River Blues Festival. After listening to this CD, in it’s entirety several times, it certainly appears that Jimi Hendrix has handed his guitar to Willie Phoenix, and said, "Here, it’s your turn!"

Ripley Radio

Ripley Radio is currently playing Dead Soldiers from the new CD. Below is a portion of Ripley Radio’s two recent blogs. See my top friends to add Ripley Radio. "This has been a gang busters week. We received a CD from Willie Phoenix, Didn’t know what I was more excited about the CD or the autographed note he sent. Willie’s first song on Ripley Radio was "English Tea". Very cool song dealing with I think the change of Rock and Roll in the late 60’s. Willie were not done with your music by a long shot." "another artist who is quickly becoming a favorite here, Mr. Willie Phoenix with "Blues in a Bottle" it’s everything rock and blues needs in a nicely wrapped package, with some wicked guitar riffs."

Feature Article titled Hard blues: The life and times of Willie Phoenix

CD Review Blues Reaction

Here is one of those cases where I am really, really, really happy I started this little 'zine! Willie here is easily one of the greatest artists I have run across in years! Starting off with Willie's Blues Reaction we are treated to his style of the Blues, and the first song (which starts with some rain) is a beautiful bit of Delta Blues, with that ol' Gospel feel that you could only get in the Delta world) that ends with just a teaser of bottleneck.

From there we move onto more of a standard Blues feel, but Willie never stands too long on a standard Blues, and moves into areas as with "The Sun" which harken back to a 60's style with the Blues influence. It's almost as if this Bluesman was influenced by everything that has ever used the Blues, and he takes everything on. The chorus for "The Sun" is worth your price on the CD alone.

Bo Diddly, Hendrix, Mississippi Fred, Son House, Buddy Guy, you name it, Willie touches on them. The album ends with what it promised in the beginning, two tips to the old Delta masters ("Delta Bones" and "Robert Johnson"), and Willie shows himself to being a fine bottleneck user, and makes one hope for more of the style from him eventually.

Blues Reaction is just what its name implies, this is Willie's result of being raised on the Blues. It's a perfect introduction to him as it is a full rounded Blues release, but touches on numerous styles of the Blues, and easily moves you into his follow-up CD.

I love Willie Phoenix in so many ways. Music like this is a bit of a rarity now days, and even more so a rarity to have it this good. I can't recommend Willie enough, and I seriously hope that everybody who reads this review will take the time to spend a few minutes at his site checking out the material he has up there. His My Space site seems to be out-take type of stuff. But at www.cdbaby.com you will find enough sound clips to sell you on him. That was where I first fell in love.

CD Reviews from Fans -Plastic Blues and Grooves

Live Show Review at North by Northeast Showcase

......Second prize: The kinetic Ohio bluesman Willie Phoenix's set Saturday at the Black Bull, where cellphone cameras hastily captured hijinks. Phoenix displayed a fondness for Bo Diddley and Jimi Hendrix while seizing an audience with guitar-humping and table-hopping.

Live Show review at The Distillery Cols, OH

"Phoenix is dynamic, intelligent and interesting. He has a certain quiet attitude that contrasts the explosive performer he really is……on stage he is a patriot missile ready to strike."

Live Show

Described as a "... a raging guitarist with a ton of attitude and stage presence."