Gibson Recommends Chris Bergson Band Fall Changes (Free MP3 Download!)

When Brooklyn-based Chris Bergson headed upstate to Woodstock, New York, to cut his latest album of rootsy rhythm & blues at the recording studio of Band drummer Levon Helm, the guitarist and vocalist made sure to bring the sounds of Muscle Shoals and Memphis along for the ride. Aside from showcasing some seriously street-smart songwriting and Allman-esque vocal prowess, Fall Changes also suggests an artist in creative transition: While those who have caught one of Bergson’s New York City club gigs know that he’s equally adept playing jazz or the blues, this album is decidedly neither. Sure, flashes of both genres—along with a host of other musical strands—infiltrate from time to time, but they never threaten the big picture. And at day’s end, this release (produced by Bergson and blues guitarist Dave Rubin) works hard to remain varied while simultaneously resisting categorization. The soaring tenor saxophone of bandmate Jay Collins serves as the perfect complement—and sometimes foil—to Bergson’s tasteful guitar lines, which he skillfully coaxes from his dotneck reissue ES-335. The opening “Gowanus Heights” and the tempo-shifting “Latitude” are firmly rooted in Americana, Collins’ horn lines emanating a Stax vibe; the groove-laden “Float Your Mind,” where Bergson’s guitar chops are firmly on display, is a straight-ahead rocker; the gentle “Sanctuary” offers a meditative, almost gospel-like quality; keyboardist Bruce Katz shines on “The Bungler,” a trip down to New Orleans; and “Rain Beatin’ Down,” with its stark instrumentation, irresistible tension and release (and pronounced bottom end), feels like something Delta blues master Charley Patton might have played—had he lived to see the dawn of the electric guitar. While the originals speak volumes about Bergson’s musical ambition, his choice of covers says every bit as much: He digs deep into Dylan’s “When I Paint My Masterpiece,” reimagines Hendrix’s “Are You Experienced?” as a horn excursion, and treats Ray Charles’ “Drown in My Own Tears” with tasteful, economical B.B.-like guitar lines. A fully-realized effort from a rising artist.