When you get two masterful guitarists such as Ben Tyzack and Guy Tortora together you can only be in for a fantastic evening’s entertainment and that was definitely the case.
They eased in with a really slow, sleazy, blues number to set the scene, plenty of “twang”, bending notes and slide guitar. Ben and Guy have been playing together for only three or four years since they discovered that their styles “clicked”. They both still also play in their own respective bands.
Their guitars speak to each other in classic “call and response”, but more than that they speak to the audience, augmented by their different singing styles, Guy more rough and aggressive and Ben with a softer, southern drawl, sometimes with that “high and lonesome” sound.
There was some really impressive, delicate finger picking with great slide guitar – so expressive; this is what the blues is all about.
From the inevitable, vibrant train song, “Lincolns”, through country spirituals, to a languid mandolin and steel guitar in “E-Z Money”, this was blues at is best.