Sunbeam Rec.
Rick Hawyard (UK,1971-1972,pub.2007)***'
From the beginning Rick Hawyard adapted a guitar style almost literally from some of his heroes. It took up until his solo album before he was able to recollect and record some of these ideas. Most of the time before he was known as a dedicated session musician for the Blue Horizon label, on most of their recordings from 1968 onward. Before that he had a garage single with The Accent and had joined the Zombies shortly. Other projects from around the session period were with Christine Perfect (later Fleetwood Mac), with Top Topham from Yardbirds, with the boogierock band Jellybread, and with Keef Hartley, playing bluesy/rock most of the time.
The album shows an overclear Bert Jansch influence, from which he almost seems to feel identified with his style, but taken into other contexts, while it also is tempered with blues, and played as if he still is a session musician even on his own recordings, ie. with care. This sounds always really very nice, but despite its inevitable potency and talent, the visions behind it are slightly tempered and often have an open ending, without clarifying immediately a larger or deeper structural concept. Also noticeable is a bit of John Renbourne and with him some more Renaissance feelings in some guitar pieces also with more bluesy ideas, as well as other ideas. Just once I noticed Stephan Grossman (“Morning After”), while “Lament F’Yorke” could have been influenced by early Jimmy Page explorations,.. It seems to me that recording sessions were like the first occasion that there was given time and space of attention for these clever ideas to personal exploration sessions. Everywhere its own character doesn’t reveal itself fully yet, even when it is sounding always really fine, no doubt especially the guitar ideas developed up to a certain level ; Rick claims that he was too shy to make it for such an independent appearance. The second session focuses entirely on the guitar. For this unreleased recording, I can say that if only this time others would have had the chance to help him out with little extra arrangements to it, this could have become something even more perfect, adding that extra condition to become distinctive enough to make it really complete, and more clearly distinctive. The later session, for the first time published, as an addition to this album for me it make this session more complete. Luckily the first album did get a few necessary additional arrangements and nice production (by Mike Vernon). Noticeable is besides second guitars and a few additional arrangements, the appearance of an additional sitar on “Light in the sky” . For people who would like to hear an honest, modest Bert Jansch, but also Renbourne adaptation style with some bluesy and other touches, surely should check out this album.
Audio : ..links will be added when available
