The Barcodes - Live! In Session For The BBC

Album: Live! In Session For The BBC
Size: 181,4 MB
Time: 78:30
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2007
Styles: Jazzy blues
Art: Front, booklet

1. Statesboro' Blues (4:35)
2. Parchman Farm (4:43)
3. Sweet Lovin' Mama (7:40)
4. Crazy Life (5:41)
5. Halfway To Nowhere (4:27)
6. That's Alright (6:44)
7. Comin' Home Baby (5:00)
8. 7th Son (4:45)
9. Outskirts Of Town (7:04)
10. Back At The Chicken Shack (5:48)
11. Checkin' On My Baby (6:13)
12. Be Cool (3:31)
13. Undercover Lover (4:44)
14. The Snitch (5:14)
15. I Don't Worry About A Thing (2:16)

This is the fourth CD produced by this superb bluesy/jazzy principally three but occasionally four piece band. This one, as the title implies, was recorded live at the Ipswich Jazz Club in the Manor Ballroom on the 17th of September 2006. The producer of the CD, Stephen Foster, is the host of a programme on BBC Radio Suffolk, and what a great job he and the boys in the band have done. Now if you like your blues traditional, or you're a fan of the stuff at the rock-blues end of the spectrum, this is not for you. On the other hand, if you're a fan of keyboard and jazzy guitar-led blues music with a tinge of after-hours sound and a laid-back smoky feel, then this is certainly up your street.

Alan Glen is an accomplished guitar player with a nice, light, jazzy touch extended here with some exemplary slide playing. Bob Haddrell is a keyboard man par excellence who not only supports Glen’s guitar, vocal and occasional harp playing with drive and verve but also manages, using bass pedals on his keyboard setup to lay down a rhythmic bass accompaniment which is nothing short of terrific. Dino Coccia, drums and percussion lays down a steady beat with some lovely little rolls and turnarounds, and even gets a solo - well it was a live gig. A word too about Nick Newall, who adds some tasty tenor and flute to some of the tracks - super!

The music here includes a nice version of "Statesborough Blues" through Willie Dixon's "7th Son" and Jimmy Smith's "Back At The Chicken Shack", to two pieces by Mose Allison whose work has clearly had an enormous influence on the band. Live albums are sometimes a dire substitute for the studio recorded stuff. Not so here, and this one is strongly recommended. Fifteen tracks all recorded live and not a duff one amongst them - don't come much better than that.

Live! In Session For The BBC mc
Live! In Session For The BBC zippy

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The Barcodes - Independently Blue

Album: Independently Blue
Size: 123,9 MB
Time: 53:51
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2004
Styles: Jazzy blues
Art: Front

1. Grits & Greens (5:04)
2. Be Cool (3:21)
3. Cast A Wider Net (5:56)
4. Turn My Back On The Blues (4:14)
5. Checking On My Baby (5:13)
6. T-Time (3:47)
7. Don't Go To Strangers (4:02)
8. Parchman Farm (4:01)
9. Any Which-Way (3:45)
10. Motya (2:17)
11. One More Chance With You (3:22)
12. No More Doggin' (4:06)
13. Sweet Lovin' Mama (4:37)

"Independently Blue" is the Barcodes first CD on the Note label and it's a stonker, a marriage of the best in blues, soul & jazz. It is a landmark in British blues, full of great tunes and sparkling arrangements. You will want this album in your collection.

Bob Haddrell writes with top Nashville artists, has recorded in the States with Billy Swan, and has toured and recorded with Chicago Jimmy Dawkins. Truly "in the groove", Bob has created the unique sound of The Barcodes.

Alan Glen is acknowledged as one of the UK’s finest harmonica players. He is also a fine guitar player as you can hear on this album. He has toured the world as a member of The Yardbirds, and he has also recorded with Nine Below Zero, Little Axe, Dr Feelgood & Junior Delgado.

Dino Coccia has played and recorded worldwide. His credits include jingles, work with pop, blues and jazz recordings. He has worked with Andy Shepard, Alan Barnes and Grace Jones. On the blues scene he has played with James Carr, Byther Smith and Homesick James.

Special guest: Nick Newall (tenor sax, flute).

Independently Blue mc
Independently Blue zippy

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The Barcodes - Be Cool: The Very Best Of

Album: Be Cool: The Very Best Of
Size: 175,2 MB
Time: 75:50
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2011
Styles: Jazzy blues
Art: Front, inside

1. Keep Your Distance (3:52)
2. Crazy Life (3:51)
3. Splanky (4:05)
4. Checkin' On My Baby (5:16)
5. Grits & Greens (5:07)
6. Be Cool (3:24)
7. Paint My Mailbox Blue (5:26)
8. I Don't Worry About A Thing (4:04)
9. Back At The 4 Aces (5:17)
10. Halfway To Nowhere (3:14)
11. Blues For Judy (4:38)
12. Can't Hold Out Much Longer (5:22)
13. Petunia (2:51)
14. No Light In My Life (4:40)
15. The Snitch (5:16)
16. 7th Son (4:47)
17. Statesboro' Blues (4:32)

The Barcodes have always trodden a path in that region between jazz and blues, with Bob Haddrell's keyboards and Dino Coccia's drumming maintaining a deceptively easy feel while Alan Glen's guitar and harmonica add some harder blues edges. "Be Cool" is a "Best Of" compilation from their previous four albums, chosen by the band, and the title could not be more apt.

Guests are in abundance - Paul Cox, Zoot Money, and horns too if you can't get enough of that cool Mose Allison-like sound. Then here's Barcoders Bob Haddrell & Dino Coccia doing their own thing on a set of originals. Bob plays piano (no organ), so bass players are needed (Jim Mercer & Phil Antonio) as Bob would normally use the organ bass pedals. Alan Glen adds some harmonica to one track, but the whole affair stays well in jazz territory. /Juke Blues Magazine

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

Be Cool: The Very Best Of mc
Be Cool: The Very Best Of zippy

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The Barcodes - Keep Your Distance

Year: 2005
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 44:59
Size: 103,8 MB
Styles: Jazzy blues
Scans: Full

1. I Got News (3:06)
2. Thick Cut (5:45)
3. Crazy Life (3:50)
4. Barcodes Theme (4:45)
5. A Little Bit More (6:09)
6. Keep Your Distance (3:51)
7. Tell Me The Truth (4:27)
8. Splanky (4:05)
9. That's Alright (4:58)
10. Eyesight To The Blind (3:58)

The Barcodes are not a simple and straight forward blues outfit. They mix blues and jazz to produce their very own instantly recognizable sound. A good listen after midnight. We need more bands like this! They are exceptional and the level of musicianship is excellent.

That over half of "Keep Your Distance" consists of originals, indicates this R&B trio's willingness to mine less common areas of the blues and deliver danceable executions of Ray Charles and Sonny Boy Williamson influenced tunes, affirming the great staying power of their music. Alan Glen (played with the Yardbirds) is a fine harp man, the guitar is smooth and the drums drive the proceedings along with sensitive force.

Personnel: Bob Haddrell (vocals, Hammond C3 organ, piano, Wurlitzer, bass pedals); Alan Glen (vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion); Dino Coccia (drums, percussion). Special guest: Nick Newall (tenor sax, flute).

Keep Your Distance mc
Keep Your Distance zippy

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The Barcodes - With Friends Like These

Year: 2006
Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 57:09
Size: 131,9 MB
Styles: Jazzy blues
Scans: Full

1. Paint My Mailbox Blue (5:25)
2. I Don't Worry About A Thing (4:02)
3. Back At The 4 Aces (5:15)
4. Petunia (2:51)
5. Everything Or Nothing (4:01)
6. Halfway To Nowhere (3:17)
7. Blues For Judy (4:37)
8. Can't Hold Out Much Longer (5:21)
9. Time, Talk 'N' Trouble (5:35)
10. The Snitch (4:27)
11. Undercover Lover (3:50)
12. Watch Out (3:43)
13. No Light In My Life (4:37)

With friends like those invited onto this CD by the Barcodes trio of Bob Haddrell, Alan Glen and Dino Coccia, they couldn’t fail to produce one of the best European blues albums for this year. The 13 tracks alternate between original compositions and cover versions arranged in the Barcode style. The CD starts with the superb ‘Paint My Mailbox Blue’ from Taj Mahal, sung by Paul Cox and the blonde Val Cowell, then a very subtle adaptation of ‘Can’t Hold out Much Longer’ by Little Walter Jacobs.

As for the original numbers, the trio hasn’t held back, juxtaposing orchestrated pieces with magnificent arrangements, like the ‘Back at the 4 Aces’, co-written with with the great Alan Barnes who throws in there some great sax solos and a formidable Jim Mullen on guitar. Some other numbers, like ‘Halfway to Nowhere’ or 'Everything or Nothing’ will delight the 12 bar purists and harmony fans, and there’s a sure result when you lend an ear to the keyboard work of Bob Haddrell.

Once you’ve heard all these numbers you’ll only want one thing: to go into one of those pubs where the Barcodes play and sup your beer whilst hearing ‘Blues for Judy’ or the excellent ‘No light in my Life’ which subtly wraps up the album with that slow rhythm which goes so well with last orders. Then you’ll say to yourself that you’ll come back and see the Barcodes again as soon as possible. /Franky Bluesy Pfeiffer, Blues Magazine

With Friends Like These mc
With Friends Like These zippy

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