Timo Gross - Landmarks (CD)

Blues guitarist and singer Timo Gross releases a new album. They have accompanied him, carried him through both difficult and fulfilling times: For his new album, Timo Gross looked back on his life and selected songs that have touched him, accompanied him, and shaped him – musical landmarks on his path to becoming a professional musician. Whether it's "Infected" by The The, "I Thank You" by ZZ Top, or James Taylor's "Sweet Baby James": In all of the songs, says the guitarist and singer, he senses the blues – and that is precisely what he gives them in his own, very personal and emotional interpretations. Timo Gross, himself a winner of the German Record Critics' Award, will be touring with his band this fall to bring this dedication to his colleagues and to life live to stages in Germany and neighboring Europe.
"Landmarks" was released on the Fuego label in October 2013. It contains eleven songs, making up what is perhaps the 49-year-old's most personal work to date. "These pieces have accompanied me my entire life; they are like good friends," he says. It was time to give them the blues. Although pieces like "Word Up" by Cameo or "Alphabet Street" by Prince at first glance have nothing to do with Timo Gross's main genre, his interpretations give them precisely those hues that are characteristic of the blues: sometimes languidly heavy, sometimes as light as a life can only be, even when it has already been fraught with anguish and suffering. Of course, it also contains homage to Timo Gross's great heroes, such as the recently deceased JJ Cale ("I Make Love To You Any Time") and "Driftin' Blues" by Charles Brown, which Eric Clapton featured in his live program for a long time.
The emotional, at times raw character of "Landmarks" is underscored by the album's recording technique: The eleven songs were recorded live, ten of them in Andy Schorpp's Schiller Studio in Karlsruhe. In addition to his rhythm section – Chris Gajny on bass and Franz Eichberger on drums – Timo Gross brought young guitarist Manuel Bastian with him in the studio this time, along with Markus Lauer on Hammond. The guitarist and singer was once again responsible for the production.
As in his previous releases, Timo Gross focuses on variety and creative arrangements without losing sight of his style and roots. Whether it's Marc Cohn's "Walk Trough The World With Me," which he's transformed into a moving guitar number, or "Incected" by The The, which, with its steely theme and emotional lyrics, makes an excellent blues number: Timo Gross knows how to give the pieces his very own signature. And even without a band, playing all alone with his acoustic guitar, he's convincing: "Sweet Baby James" (James Taylor) at the end of the record becomes the emotional climax of a journey into Timo Gross's musical past—back to his very personal landmarks.
Parallel to "Landmarks," Timo Gross has released another album, continuing the "Vineyard Sessions": Vol. 4 of the acoustic project will be released this winter, also on Fuego, this time with Irish singer and guitarist Tony McLoughlin and Marlon Klein, percussionist with world music legends Dissidenten, among others. Timo Gross recorded the previous two albums with Richie Arndt and Alex Conti; Gregor Hilden was the third man on guitar for the first installment.

01 Infected
02 Homesick
03 You Don't Love Me
04 Walk Through the World
05 Driftin' Blues
06 I'll Make Love to You Anytime
07 Word Up
08 I Thank You
09 Be Good
10 Alphabet Street
11 Sweet Baby James