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Written in Folk Roots issue 199/200, 2000
 

KNUT REIERSRUD
Sub
Kirkelig Kulturverksted FXCD 215 (1999)

I’ve never been a great enthusiast for guitaristics, so when Knut Reiersrud’s Tramp arrived for review back in 1993 I ran a bath (a useful reviewing tool - one’s disinclined to get out and change the CD) and prepared to be unamazed.
      But lo, what delights it held of rich, airily well recorded eclecticism, centred on blues but extending to hardanger fiddle music, mighty slide duetting with Iver Kleive’s church organ, Hammond and Paolo Vinaccia’s slapping, thundering, clattering percussion, and is-it-blues-or-African numbers involving Alagi M’Bye’s voice and kora and the splendid Baby Please Don’t Go/Tobakobe duet with singer and riti player Juldeh Camara.
      Now comes Sub, a sixteen track selection by Reiersrud of tracks he recorded between 1982 and 1999, seven taken from his three solo albums, two from the two duo albums recorded in Odense Cathedral with Iver Kleive, one new-made and the remainder from various other releases. From Tramp we get the springily Cooder-esque You Ought To Treat A Stranger Right, strongly featuring the Five Blind Boys of Alabama with Kleive on church organ. The Blind Boys show up again in a couple of tracks from the following album Klapp, from which is also taken Willie And The Hand Jive with M’Bye and Camara.
      These titles might suggest that he sticks to reworking traditional pieces or the work of others. Indeed giving them twists and cross-references is a forte, but a substantial part of this album consists of his own compositions and collaborations, and they’re not lacking.
      Overall, the compilation emphasises his big-groove bluesy-gospel aspect, featuring more of the American-rooted material than the West African or Norwegian, but there are plenty of oases of spacious, silky slide and it’s shot through with unusual touches and creative instrumentation, including Vinaccia’s regular use of bass kalimba and Reiersrud’s range of acoustic and electric guitars plus, Weissenborn, lap steel, electric sitar, hardingfele, oud and saz.
      Live, he’s magnificently powerful and entertaining, as will be attested by the handful of people who had the luck to catch one of his recent unheralded British gigs (the first since he played here, years ago, in Doctor John’s band), with a storming band of Vinaccia, keyboardist Kåre Sandvik and long-time bassist Audun Erlien.


© 1999 Andrew Cronshaw
 

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