Carefully Contrived Spontaneity, (08/06/03)

By T-Bone Erickson

BluesWax E-Zine

Chef Chris and his Nairobi Trio is a band that evolved out of jams in the bars in the Detroit area and became strong enough as a unit to earn a spot in the 2002 International Blues Challenge for the "Best Unsigned Band" and came away with the top honors. This despite a sound that definitely is not pure Blues. They flirt with other forms, but do possess a vibe that is deep, dark, and filled with attitude.

 

Their front man is the large-and-in-charge Chef Chris, who sings and plays harp with gusto that is disarming to say the least. His singing is strong and rough, his harp work thick and nasty. The real ace in the hole here, though is Sir Tim Duvalier, on guitar. He conjures up all kinds of swampy, eerie, reverb-laden, vibrato-drenched and quirky licks that are unique and fresh, yet retain the feel of yesteryears best. he can tweak your auditory nerves with a slight slip of the fingers on the strings that is pure genious.

 

They can take songs like Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" and the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil" and turn them into something entirely new and infinitely cool, hip and funky. If their version of Junior Wells' "Early In The Morning" doesn't give you the Blues, you've never loved and lost. "See me in the early morning about the break of day / Should have seen me hug my pillow where my baby used to lay." You've been there? I sure have - the Blues for real.

 

Then they can create their own tunes that are irreverent, salty and sassy - like "You're Going To Jail & Your Car Is Too." Or take their showstopper - the raunchily humorous "Crawfish Gumbo," which tells the story of the magical virtues of this hot, spicy pot of deep Southern cuisine that does a number on his baby. The song bubbles and simmers over a slow boiling riff borrowed from "Good Morning Little School Girl," and builds to a climax refrain of Chef Chris shouting "she eat the tail, suck the head! / Eat the tail, suck the head!" You get the idea. Chef's harp wails raw, raspy notes over the thudding beat to bring it all to a close.

 

The CD cover tells us that they “specialize in carefully contrived spontaneity”. I that gives you a good feel for what they’re all about. They don’t take themselves too seriously, but definitely play some serious heavy blues. This is some good shit. See ‘em do this stuff live in a sweaty bar for full effect if you ever get the chance.

 

Don “T-Bone” Erickson is the founding editor of BluesWax