Album Notes

On November 17th, 2010, former Bullfrog Brown guitarist Andres Roots was celebrating the release of his first solo album "Roundabout" at Rockstar's in Tallinn, Estonia and asked a former guitar student of his and the best-known blues harpist in the country to join him for a jam. Live footage of that performance ended up both recorded and televised and Roots soon found himself gigging with Martin Eessalu and Indrek Tiisel as Andres Roots Roundabout. However, the band remained a loose association of musicians rather than a tight-knit group, with line-ups ranging from the core trio to multinational quintets.

The band's CD "Leigh's Spider Jam" was launched in August 2011 with 16 shows in 16 days, performed by five different line-ups in six different towns. The album includes two live cuts from that first televised jam and seven studio tracks recorded at White Room in Tartu, Estonia in 2011. The personnel is: Andres Roots (EST) - acoustic, resophonic & electric guitars; Martin Eessalu (EST) - electric guitars & 6-string banjo; Indrek Tiisel (EST) - harmonica; Raul Terep (EST) - drums; Leighton "L.R." Phoenix (UK/FIN) - vocals; Ahti Bachblum (EST) - piano & organ; Bert Deivert (USA/SWE) - mandolin; Hanno Maadra (EST) & Asko-Romé Altsoo (EST) - orchestration. Produced by Asko-Romé Altsoo & Andres Roots, cover design by Siret Roots.

"If you are looking for a respite from over-driven blues rock and wish to delve into something more earthier, with a little piece of the Delta in your mouth, then you’ve hit the winning lottery ticket...While other players are content to trudge out the same Stevie Ray licks, "Leigh’s Spider Jam" is all about the roots and channeling the unplugged power from where the blues emerged and where its ghosts never rest." – Gary Weeks, Blues Blast Magazine, USA

"Roots Blues of the highest order." – Nathan Nörgel, Wasser-Prawda, Germany

"Could make one believe that some lost recordings from Johnny Shines' and Big Walter Horton's JOB sessions have just been rediscovered." – Christophe Mourot, Soul Bag Magazine, France

"This is music that may wake your sleeping senses and shake your inner self... If you like Earl Hooker, Muddy Waters or the Rolling Stones, you won't want to miss this excellent album." – Mladen Lončar, Soundguardian.com, Croatia

"The release of "Leigh's Spider Jam" shows not only his mastery of authentic Blues but also his mastery of assembling many extraordinary artists to take along on his Blues journey." – John Vermilyea, Blues Underground Network, Canada

“Beautifully recorded and played by all concerned...more top class ‘Blues from the Baltic’!” – Grahame Rhodes, Bluesinthenorthwest.com, UK

“Original and inventive.” – Luc Meert, Rootstime.be, Belgium

“What technique and what words. Without realising, I play the album again and again.” – Wim Velderman, BluesMagazine.nl, The Netherlands

“An enjoyable listening experience.” – Bosse Majling, Jefferson Blues Magazine, Sweden

“Estonian blues maestro Andres Roots continues his series of strong releases.” – Jani Ekblom, Desibeli.net, Finland

“These aren't your home-made woolly blues, but real deal cotton.” – Margus Haav, Muusika, Estonia