It is indeed rare that I review an artist that has as much personal significance to me as does Kim Simmonds. I remember well in the early 70s having a number of discussions about great bands and music in general with a particular person who was a frequent visitor to the company at which I was then employed. He and I were both very partial to blues/rock music and he one day came into my office and began to describe in terms of great excitement a British blues/rock band that he had recently discovered, a band named Savoy Brown.

Living in a somewhat rural area at the time, I found it difficult and often impossible to find recordings from artists who were not top 40 friendly, so obtaining my first Savoy Brown LP proved to be quite a task. However, it was my good fortune that my diligent search coincided with the US release of "Street Corner Talking" which I obtained after a visit to a larger city nearby. Upon returning home with the LP, I soon discovered that the excitement of this band's recommendation was well warranted. Thank you, Duke Hatfield, wherever you may be, for that wonderful tip some 3 decades past.

While I have lost contact with Mr. Hatfield's whereabouts for the past 30 years, I have never lost track of Savoy Brown. Though the band has during the years undergone more changes than an infant with an overactive bladder, always at the very center of their sound has remained the tremendous and consistent guitar work of Kim Simmonds. For the past many years, when discussing 60s and 70s guitar heroes with a variety of fellow music junkies, I have invariably been the person who has dared to mention Simmonds name (as well as Alvin Lee, about whom I will write more later) among the names of the more celebrated legends.

Simmonds, who hails from South Wales, has been fronting Savoy Brown since about 1965 and despite the revolving door of supporting players, he has managed to turn out an impressive and consistent body of works throughout the years. "The Blues Keep Me Holding On" is the band's 1999 release and is among Simmonds and company's finest recordings. It is without question Simmonds' most authentic blues work to date, due in part to the presence of Nathaniel Peterson in this incarnation of the band. Peterson provides both soulful and bluesy vocals as well as some quite impressive bass guitar work. While this is a more stripped down version of Savoy Brown, it is by no means an inferior lineup. The primarily 3 piece format allows Simmonds plenty of space for reasonably extended guitar breaks, which are both technically impressive and emotionally charged. Some of his slow blues breaks are downright evil and offered up with great passion. 6 of the 11 tracks are excellent Simmonds originals and he supplies the lead vocals on 3 of the tracks. Both his song writing and vocal abilities have gone grossly under appreciated over the years. Though known, of course, predominately as a guitarist, I think you will find that this recording demonstrates that he is a very capable singer as well.

The entire set is outstanding, with my personal favorites being the boogie rich "She's Leaving" (a Simmonds original), the title track, which is probably the closest in sound to vintage Savoy Brown, the powerful slow blues ballad and Simmonds original "Bad Shape, and the swinging "Everybody Says The Want It". Also, be sure to check out Simmonds excellent vocals on Willie Dixon's "That's All I Want Baby". I think you will be very pleased and perhaps pleasantly surprised with this one.

Though the aforementioned Mr. Hatfield now resides in "Parts Unknown" and he may not receive my message of thanks within the text of this review, I profoundly hope that my similar message to Kim Simmonds reaches its intended target. I have traveled extensively on business for the past many years, and Savoy Brown tapes and later CDs have accompanied me down many a winding road on many a late night journey. I am sure that most of Simmonds or any artist's fans are nameless and faceless persons who seldom think or never have the occasion to offer them a simple message of thanks. Since I have the opportunity now to do so, not only on their behalf, but my own as well, I say "Thank you" Kim Simmonds for the many years of enjoyment which have come into my life as a result of your efforts in Savoy Brown. May God grant you many more years of good health, personal well being, and artistic creativity.

"The Blues Keep Me Holding On" is available through most record stores and on-line at most major sites, including my best and most reliable supplier www.djangos.com . And, be sure to visit the official Savoy Brown web site at www.savoybrown.com.