Downchild remains one of the best roadhouse bands around
author: The Montreal Gazette
After 38 years on the Canadian blues scene, and despite deaths and personnel changes that have left leader, guitarist and songwriter Donnie "Mr. Downchild" Walsh as the band's last original member, this exciting live set recorded in Toronto last November is proof positive that Downchild remains one of the best roadhouse bands around. And the all-original set list, with songs taken from throughout Downchild's history, reminds us that Walsh is one of the genre's best writers. Walsh, singer Chuck Jackson, pianist Michael Fonfara and their tight rhythm and horn sections tear up the joint with an energy level that never lets go; whether on swinging tunes like When I Say Jump or on intense, soulful ballads like I've Been a Fool. -Mike Regenstreif
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A punch that will leave you breathless
author: The Toronto Star
Downchild is one of those musical rarities for which there's virtually no difference between the studio recording experience and the live event. The Toronto blues band, now in its fourth decade, has always been a no-tricks outfit. So why all the razzle dazzle and hoopla over the release of a Downchild live album, especially since it's not the first? The answer is self-evident. Before a hometown crowd, fans who know every nuance in the shape and flow of these timeless, loping shuffles and crisp, pounding beats, front man Don Walsh and his buddies – singer Chuck Jackson, bassist Gary Kendall, pianist Michael Fonfara, saxophonist Pat Carey and drummer Michael Fitzpatrick – had no choice last fall but to crank things up.
They have made this collection of trademark Walsh compositions a bigger, better and more electrifying experience than anything their well-served admirers could have imagined. More power to them for having pulled it off with such finesse. There's not a wasted moment in this entire 11-song set. Solos are blissfully precise, colourful and explosive in turn. And Jackson has never been in better voice.
No overdubs, no after-the-fact studio electrickery, no second thoughts – Downchild nailed it in one. This is the classic take-to-you-grave testament of one of the greatest blues bands in the world. Period.
Top track: "It's Been So Long," a punch that will leave you breathless. GQ
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No signs of letting up
author: Blues in Britain Magazine
Downchild are rapidly approaching their 40th anniversary, but show no signs yet of letting up. Regarded by many as Canada's finest blues band, they are regular nominees for blues awards. I was fortunate enough to catch them live in Toronto in September 2003, and their latest album (recorded November 2006) more than does justice to the band as a live force.
The show kicks off in some style with "It's Been So Long" featuring great horns and keyboards, and with Chuck Jackson singing his heart out. The quality of the musicianship never lets up, and there is a real synergy between the band members. The trademark Downchild sound (a major influence on the Blues Brothers) is very much in evidence, and the band have honed it to near-perfection (hence the lack of overdubs or re-recordings) on songs like "(I Got Everything I Need) Almost" and "It's A Matter Of Time".
Everything about the album is pretty much spot on. The twin horns are a delight, the guitars are neat and tight, the keyboards are always just right, and the rhythm section provides the perfect foundation for the rest to build on. Add in Chuck Jackson's terrific vocals, and it becomes easy to see why Downchild are so revered in their homeland and beyond. Like all good things, though, the album has to come to an end, and they bow out with the awesome instrumental "Soaring" featuring twin harps (Donnie Walsh and Jackson), a fitting end to an hour's worth of first rate entertainment.
You will have to go a long way to hear a better live album than Downchild's "Live At The Palais Royale". It may only be April, but it is a very serious contender for album of the year. There is little or no chance of seeing Downchild live on this side of the pond, but "Live At The Palais Royale" is definitely the next best thing.
Rating: 10/10
- Gordon Baxter
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