The release of the ‘Blue Planet Blues’ album confirms Victor Kinsman as a versatile composer, musician and performer who has compiled and recorded a vast array of material for the widest possible audience.
The album well shows Victor's versatility and gives an insight to his loves and hates regarding the threat to the planets environment, the relentless sales of arms to countries who can hardly feed their people, and the attitudes of those who profit from such. (Blue Planet Blues / The Word is on the Street / Toxic Candy Mountain / Some People)
These contrast with other tracks especially songs which remind us of the wonderful music of other composers such as Carlos Jobim and Gerry Rafferty who have both sadly died recently. Gerry in only recent months.
The 'Carlos Jobim' track pays tribute to the the Brazilian composer who back in 1960 brought the Bossa Nova to the worlds attention via gentle, pulsating and insightful compositions such as 'The Girl from Ipanema', 'One Note Samba' and 'Wave'. Victor has cleverly woven 17 of Jobim's song titles into the lyric to tell the story which re-lives the nostalgia of bygone Summers.
Correspondingly the song 'A Bar too Soon' touches on the sad demise of the composer of 'Baker Street' Gerry Rafferty who died tragically 'before his time' hence Victor's song title. Again Victor employes several of Gerry's song titles to tell the story sub-titled 'Gerry Rafferty's Blues'. The track touches not only Gerry's sad demise but also his influences and musical legacy.
Victor's years working as a comedy performer are highlighted several times on the album with humorous tracks such as 'Pobodies Nerfect' a tongue in cheek Bluegrass reminder of our human frailties and foibles along with 'All the World's a Stage' a remarkable funky re-working of Shakespeare's famous 'Seven Stages of Man'. Thought provoking and lots of fun!
The instrumental features 'Reflections' and 'Esther' are Victor's inclusions by way of peaceful interludes on his CD's colorful and momentous musical journey. 'Reflections' features Victor as a classical guitarist as well as orchestral composer and arranger as does his work on 'Esther' which is the title track from his near complete Ballet 'Esther, Queen of Persia'
'The Train' is Victor's upbeat celebration of life and music and tribute to Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis who influenced him musically with their famous 'Honkey Tonk Train Blues' and whom he imitates on his piano introduction. Victor was greatly influenced by the black American jazz musicians who brought about their musical revolution with a diversity of rhythms and dynamism completely changing the somewhat stayed and sterile music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Victor has lectured on the subject paying tribute to those 'founding fathers' who still color his work and performances to date.
Finally the inclusion of 'Cockney Rhyming Slang' and 'Hand on Heart' are a timely musical gift offering for the happy couple Prince William and Katherine Middleton whose Royal Wedding takes place on April 29th at Westminster Abbey. Victor composed and produced two vastly differing itms but with a common theme, namely their betrothal and marriage. Victor's father was a Stepney born Cockney who inculcated much of the famous slang into the young Victor throughout his early years.
Now in this wonderful example of skillful writing and composition a hillarious storyline immerges woven around the Royal Wedding including, (on the album version) Victor's impression of the much loved 'Del-Boy' and 'Rodney' from 'Only Fools and Horses" The song includes 27 pieces of rhyming slang!
'Hand on Heart' by contrast is Victor's beautiful guitar and orchestra assisted ballad recalling the wedding vows and the emotions which will 'reign' the day and be remembered by all who have also been smitten by the evergreen influence of love.
The final track 'What Goes Round' is a perfect final curtain to the CD with an optimistic philosophical lyric and chirpy score to emphasize a positive attitude toward life tempered with a patient attitude (Hence the airport scenario). Victor catches the subject for us in an amusing way by means of logical lyrics and great musicianship which is the hallmark of this CD album. If you desire Victor's 'music only' Radio and shortened versions of his are songs are available via the download site.
His opening words on the introduction of the 'Gerry Rafferty's Blues' song 'A Bar Too Soon' perhaps best sum up Victor Kinsman's philosophy and approach to life, permeating his music and recordings for the benefit of the listener namely;
" Life is like music, a beautiful gift, so play it as best, and as long as you can!"
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TRACK LISTING
1: Blue Planet Blues
2: The Word is on The Street
3: Bluesville
4: A Bar Too Soon
5: Cockney Rhyming Slang
6: Hand on Heart
7: Reflections (Instrumental)
8: Carlos Jobim
9: Pobody's Nerfect
10: The Train
11: Some People
12; Esther (Instrumental)
13; All the World's a Stage
14: Toxic Candy Mountain
15: What Goes Round
Be sure to visit the download section to see what is available and forthcoming regards Victor's recordings.
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