Jeff Pitchell

Jeff Pitchell - Heavy Hitter - 2002 - Pyramid

Whoa! Were did this guy come from? Jeff Pitchell is a young bluesman that really can smoke the six-string. "Heavy Hitters" is the best possible name for this CD. Pitchell is totally a major league caliber artist, a real home run hitter. He gets a little help from his friends, namely Rick Derringer, Clarence Clemons, legendary harmonica player James Cotton, and Dave Mason, which gives the production countless years of experience in the studio. Derringer is an excellent producer, not to mention a great rock guitarist and vocalist. What impressed me is all the original material found in the 15 tracks on this album. Blues is an idiom that has its share of covers available, and many artists take advantage of that in lieu of writing their own material. Jeff does not fall into that mindset, and he sets out to hold the line with his own material. His voice sounds like a heavy-duty combination of Stevie Ray Vaughan meets Michael Bolton. It is an attractive blend of vocal styles to put the accent on his lighting fast guitar picking. It seems the spirit of Stevie Ray inspires every young artist wielding a guitar. I hear his soul and influence in a lot of new blues music. I really enjoy blues-rock that proudly displays his trademark sound. "Eye for an Eye" permeates itself with that recognizable echo of the past. There is a truckload of music on this CD, and even so, there is not a washout in the entire lot. Every track rocks with blues soaked emotion and fervor. Pitchell plays all the guitars on the fiery instrumental title track "Heavy Hitter." Even without words, the music is scorching hot, and it speaks to you as if it had a voice. With strong performances like this as an example, the blues will continue to evolve. The future of music itself holds a lot of promise as the burning flame of commitment from men like Jeff Pitchell continually ignites the spirit of music. Review by & © Keith "MuzikMan"Hannaleck - 4 stars out of 4 © 1998-2002 All-Reviews.com http://www.all-reviews.com/music/heavy-hitter.htm

For a few years now, Jeff "the Pitch" Pitchell from Rocky Hill, Connecticut has been thrilling audiences with his hard driving brand of thunder and lightning blues. "Heavy Hitter" is in the style of great artists like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robert Cray, and Johnny Lang. "One of the best releases by a newcomer that I have ever heard. Rockin / Smokin BLUES at it's finest. Great originals, great vocals and awesome guitar playing with many memorable solos. No weak moments. A must have blues CD for any BLUES fan". By & © HANS D HARMS (runaway bay, QLD Australia) © 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Hitter-Jeff-Pitchell/dp/B00006GA1B ""Heavy Hitter" logged 12 weeks as Billboard's #7 album on the blues charts The CD features special guest appearances by Clarence Clemons, James Cotton, Rick Derringer and Dave Mason. From the beginning hard driving guitar licks and honky-tonk piano of the first track "One Day Away" to the smooth Stevie Ray infused rock/blues sound of the last track "Magic Eyes" Jeff Pitchell loads the bases with song hits. He deftly blends the lonesome train whistle sounds of James Cotton's blues harp with his slamming guitar leads in his version of Willie Nelson's hit "Whiskey River," then lets his pure vocals lead-off in advance of Clarence Clemons heavy-hitting saxophone in "My Babe". But throughout the album from "Fat Cigars' to "Heavy Hitter" it is his signature guitar that bats clean-up and drives the whole team home". © 2006 The Hungry Tiger. All rights reserved [ All tracks @ 160 Kbps: File size = 69.3 Mb ]. "Heavy Hitter" is HR by A.O.O.F.C. Buy Jeff's tremendous "Fat Cigars" album, and support great modern blues rock

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1. One Day Away (Pitchell) - 3:41
2. When It All Comes Down (Jennings/Sampling) - 4:27
3. Unsung Hero of the Blues (Derringer/Pitchell) - 4:18
4. Fat Cigars (Kennedy/Pitchell) - 4:05
5. Turn the Tables on You (Greenlee/Pitchell) - 2:50
6. Whiskey River (Shinn/Shroud) - 5:17
7. Ain't Nobody's Business (Grainger/Robbins) - 4:40
8. Out in the Cold (Pitchell) - 4:39
9. Pitch Pitch Boogie - 3:03
10. Eye for an Eye (Pitchell) - 3:33
11. Prisoner of Love (Pitchell) - 4:17
12. Heavy Hitter (Pitchell) - 4:15
13. Hard Honey (Durso) - 3:27
14. My Babe (Dixon) - 2:56
15. Magic Eyes (Pitchell) - 5:09

MUSICIANS

Jeff Pitchell - Guitar, Rhythm Guitar, Vocals, Background Vocals, Handclapping
Dave Mason - Guitar
Rick Derringer - Guitar, Vocals
Bob "Rattlesnake" Greenlee, Wolf Ginandes, Joe Pali, T.M. Stevens, David Smith - Bass
Billy "Bass" Bileca - Bass, Background Vocals
Doug Bare, Teo Leyasmeyer, Jeff Levine, Bob Leinbach - Hammond B-3, Piano
Jonathan Chatfield - Hammond B-3, Piano, Background Vocals
Nick Longo, Floyd Murphy - Drums
Ron "Byrd" Foster, Tyson Ellert - Drums, Background Vocals
Vic Steffens - Shaker, Tambourine
Ken Carter, Clarence Clemons - Saxophone
James Cotton - Harmonica
Patty Darcy Jones, Ace Moreland - Background Vocals

BIO

Jeff Pitchell first made a name for himself at the youthful age of 15 after winning a 1981 Ovation Guitars contest for "Best Guitarist in Connecticut." Having been greatly influenced by "The Thrill Is Gone" by B.B. King, Pitchell became more adept at his instrument with each passing year. Performing in front of any crowd he could find, Pitchell honed his craft and was heavily influenced by guitarists such as Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. By age 28, he was voted "Best Blues Guitarist" in Metro Magazine, a regional publication. In 1996, Pitchell formed his own band. Named after a Stevie Ray Vaughan tune, Jeff Pitchell & the Texas Flood appeared at the 1997 Bluestock in Memphis. That same year the band released its debut effort, Fat Cigars, on Premier Records. In 1999, the band released One Day Away which was soon followed by Face to Face. Pitchell and his band played with or opened for B.B. King, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Joe Cocker, and Johnny Winter. In 2002, Pitchell signed to EMI and dropped the "Texas Flood" from his moniker. In August 2002, a collection of previous songs and three new tunes were released as Heavy Hitter. Pitchell has also conducted blues and rock seminars both in the New England states as well as in Texas. © Jason MacNeil © 2011 Rovi Corporation. All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/jeff-pitchell-p468591/biography