Schenker/Pattison Summit - The Endless Jam - [Mascot Records]

2004-06-16

What do you get when you mix a famed German guitarist, one's of the world's all-time greats, and a Scottish vocalist who worked with some of hard rock's most talented guitarists? You get one hell of a covers album.
Michal Schenker is one amazing axe-man, and here he really cuts loose, joined by a prefect rhythm sections in the shape of drummer Aynsley Dunbar, and bassist Gunter Nezhoda, the guys belt one great cover after the other, all of them excellently produced by the legendary Mike Varney himself.
Covering tracks by such classic hard rock guitarist such as Jimmy Hendrix (Hey Joe), Ronnie Montrose (I Got The Fire) and Robin Thrower (Long Misty Days), as well as blues greats such as Howlin' Wolf (Built For Comfort), it seems that Schenker can pull off every song he sets his mind to, his leads here are the best I've heard in years, both highly technical and fast, and heart-felt and bluesy when the track demands, his guitar riff in Procol Harem's A Whiter Shade Of Pale reminded me of Brian May's trademark sound, and he pulls it off without a hitch, just listen to his long, improvisational lead in Hey Joe, the guy is amazing.
Pattison's vocals fit Schenker's choice of tracks perfectly, being an Ex-vocalist of both Gamma, Montrose's band, and with Robin Thrower, the guy already his versions of some of the tracks pinned down, and he does a sterling job on the rest as well,
His delivery on Built For Comfort is no less than amazing, a soulful Scotsman indeed.

I certainly hope to see further such Endless Jams by the two, maybe doing some Blue Cheer tracks, maybe some Iron Butterfly, and certainly a Little Feat one as well.

Alon Miasnikov