Peter Green Splinter Group - Hot Foot Powder (2000)

The Peter Green Splinter Group was a band led by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, active from 1997 to 2004.

For their fifth album, the Peter Green Splinter Group returned to the canon of blues legend Robert Johnson, resulting in a sequel to 1998's The Robert Johnson Songbook - another cover album made up entirely of Johnson songs. With both albums, they had by then recorded all twenty nine of Johnson's songs, completing their tribute to one of the most (posthumously) influential blues singer-guitarists of the 20th century. Like the first album, Hot Foot Powder (its title taken from "Hellhound On My Trail") featured stripped-down, mostly acoustic arrangements.

A number of big name blues artists made guest appearances - guitarists Hubert Sumlin, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Honey Boy Edwards and Joe Louis Walker. Their presence is clear testimony to how highly Peter Green is regarded as a blues musician. Dr John also contributed piano.

Destiny Road (1999) <|> Time Traders (2001)
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Peter Green Splinter Group - Destiny Road (1999)

The Peter Green Splinter Group was a band led by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, active from 1997 to 2004.

Destiny Road was the Splinter Group's second studio album, coming after two live records and a Robert Johnson tribute. By this time original bassist Neil Murray had been replaced by Peter Stroud, joining guitarist Nigel Watson, keyboard player Roger Cotton, drummer Larry Tolfree and Green himself. It was notably their first album to consist almost entirely of original material - with the exception of an Elmore James cover and a Steve Winwood tune, all songs were written by the band members. Green's only songwriting contribution was "Tribal Dance", a new recording of an instrumental originally from his 1979 solo album In The Skies. Of the remaining nine songs, Watson wrote three, Cotton wrote four and Stroud wrote two, all proving themselves as very talented songwriters. Notable tunes include Cotton's instrumental "Hiding In Shadows" and Watson's "Indians", of which an early live version had appeared on Soho Session. Watson also sang on three songs, including Steve Winwood's "There's A River". The rest of the vocals were all handled by Green himself.

There is also a hidden track, coming after "There's A River" - a beautiful new instrumental reading of the old Fleetwood Mac classic "Man Of The World".

The album was the strongest record the Splinter Group had put out to date, proving themselves to be much more than just a blues cover act - they were an excellent original blues-rock group.

Soho Session (1999) <|> Hot Foot Powder (2000)
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Peter Green Splinter Group - Soho Session (1999)

The Peter Green Splinter Group was a band led by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, active from 1997 to 2004.

The Splinter Group's third album was a live recording. Now their debut had also been a live one (with the exception of the first two songs), so was another needed so soon afterwards, with just a studio album of Robert Johnson covers in between? Well Soho Session (recorded at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club) is actually just simply a far superior record, so that it almost renders the first live album obsolete. It's a double CD, with about an hour and a half of music, and both the performances and recordings seem to be much better quality than its predecessor (some songs are on both albums, and heard side by side the versions here are surely superior). The songs themselves include both blues classics (Slim Harpo's "Shake Your Hips", Sonny Boy Williamson's "Help Me", two Otis Rush numbers and a large number of Robert Johnson songs, ) and old Fleetwood Mac tunes ("Black Magic Woman", "Rattlesnake Shake", "Albatross", "The Green Manalishi"). Also includes the Peter Green instrumental "The Supernatural", which he originally recorded during his tenure with John Mayall's Bluebreakers.The band lineup which recorded Soho Session was Peter Green (guitar/vocals), Nigel Watson (guitar/vocals), Roger Cotton (keyboards), Neil Murray (bass) and Larry Tolfree (drums). On a couple of the Robert Johnson numbers they are joined by backing singers (The Street Angels) who add a gospel flavour. There is some really fantastic guitar interplay between Green and Watson throughout, with some brilliant jams. Nigel Watson also gets to perform one of his own songwriting efforts ("Indians"), which would later appear as a more refined studio recording. This was clearly a very talented group, and Soho Session sees them captured at their very best.

The Robert Johnson Songbook (1998) <|> Destiny Road (1999)
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Peter Green Splinter Group - The Robert Johnson Songbook (1998)

The Peter Green Splinter Group was a band led by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, active from 1997 to 2004.

Peter Green's second album with the Splinter Group was a complete return to his blues roots - a record entirely made up of Robert Johnson songs. By this time original members Cozy Powell (drums) and Spike Edney (keyboards) had left, to be replaced by Larry Tolfree and Roger Cotton respectively. Guitarist Nigel Watson and bassist Neil Murray remained from the original lineup to keep Green company.
The Robert Johnson Songbook was not just a return to the roots in its song selection, but also in its sound, which is mostly acoustic. It's pure blues, with no rock & roll. Many of the songs are solo performances by Green, or duets with Watson. Watson himself keeps up his role of second frontman, singing lead on several numbers. There is also a guest appearance from singer Paul Rodgers on "Sweet Home Chicago".
Even more so than the first album, with The Robert Johnson Songbook Peter Green was clearly not planning some great second coming of his 60s glory days - he was just back to play the blues music he loves with some good friends, and seen in that light the album has got to be a success.

Peter Green Splinter Group (1997) <|> Soho Session (1999)
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Peter Green Splinter Group - Peter Green Splinter Group (1997)

The Peter Green Splinter Group was a band led by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Peter Green, active from 1997 to 2004.

The Splinter Group was the second of Peter Green's comebacks - he had released several low-key albums in the late 70s / early 80s, before laying low again throughout most of the 80s and 90s. The rest of the band consisted of fellow guitarist Nigel Watson, keyboardist Spike Edney, bassist Neil Murray and drummer Cozy Powell (who had played with Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath, among others). Nigel Watson had been associated with Green for a long time - he had worked with him on his first two solo singles in the early 70s, as well as sometimes appearing with Fleetwood Mac during Green's last days with them. In the Splinter Group he shared vocals, guitar and harmonica with Green - indeed the band name is a bit misleading, as it effectively has two frontmen. Though Green is obviously known as one of Britain's best blues guitarists for a reason, and Watson can't be accused of stealing the show from him, he is nevertheless a clearly talented guitarist and musician himself.
Their first album consisted mostly of blues covers (including several standards such as "Going Down" and "Travelling Riverside Blues", as well as the soul classic "Dark End Of The Street") - the first two tracks are studio acoustic duets from Green and Watson, and the rest are live concert recordings with the band. Anyone expecting a return of Green's 60s brilliance might be dissapointed, but nevertheless it is some seriously good blues. Green's vocals have weathered over the years brilliantly, and his guitar playing still has flashes of brilliance throughout worth listening out for. His years as a pioneering rock musician have long gone, and instead we should be content with having him come out of retirement to play some genuinely first class blues. It's nothing new, but that's not a crime, and he still manages to sound unique in such familiar and well-trod territory.

|> The Robert Johnson Songbook (1998)
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