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Atlanta’s Tinsley Ellis is on tour. Again. That’s the life of a bluesman. With 19 albums under his name, Ellis is well known in blues and blues rock circles, his career consistently demonstrating a knack for coming up with clever lyrics on life and love that fit the blues mold and the requisite guitar chops to be successful. Having recorded and toured with various support personnel for electric blues/rock shows, he’s mixing it up this year. As titled, “Acoustic Songs and Stories” delivers on its promise.
For those who follow him on Facebook, Ellis releases an acoustic “Sunday morning coffee song” about every other week, and he includes acoustic songs on his electric sets. So why not make a whole show of it? Ellis played two sets, each set split between his Martin D-35 and his 1937 National Style O (metal) resonator.
For those who follow him on Facebook, Ellis releases an acoustic “Sunday morning coffee song” about every other week, and he includes acoustic songs on his electric sets. So why not make a whole show of it? Ellis played two sets, each set split between his Martin D-35 and his 1937 National Style O (metal) resonator.
There’s a lot of name dropping in his stories. The Allmans, BB King, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Leo Kottke and others that he’s met or played with. These are shared for general interest, humor and a touch of humility as well. Those stories belong on the tour rather than in a review, and this was the perfect type of show for an artist to share his music, his musical heritage and connect and entertain the audience in a different way.
Ellis clearly knew what he wanted to play to begin each set, but after that it seemed he searched his music stand for something that suited him, perhaps to follow a story he wanted to tell (not that he actually read the music). Ellis didn’t introduce each song (many were his own touching on spots of his career), and many were left to guess at. For the covers, highlights included Son House’s “Death Letter Blues,” Muddy Waters’ “I’ve Got to Love Somebody,” The Rolling Stones’ “No Expectations,” and Howlin’ Wolf’s “Sitting on Top of the World,” a song recorded with prominent harmonica and piano and only background guitar. He also sang “Multi-colored Lady” by Gregg Allman, and I could swear he replaced the lyric with “Monte Carlo lady,” which seems to be one of those lyrics often misheard.
City Winery hosted his performance well, with crystal clear audio. What was lost in any sort of blues bar dive ambience was more than made up for by a very tuned, attentive and appreciative audience who listened to the music and refrained from tableware noises.
Catch his tour while you can. You won’t be disappointed.