Sonny Black
Acoustic Guitar Fingerstyle and Bottleneck Originals, Blues, Rags and More!"

" In concert Sonny performs a variety of intimate, soulful acoustic and slide guitar tunes with influences from Blues, World Music, Jazz and Country."
" .....you could not have hoped for a better night of guitar roots and blues tunes." - Venue Magazine

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Discography
                                                                       Here's a Mail-Order form you can print

The Best of Days CD
FSCD005

1 Garys Flow Rag
2 Delia
3 Blues City
4 Bills Guitar Boogie
5 Maria Elena
6 Stepping Stones
7 Gee Whiz
8 Paris After Dark
9 Kellys Blues
10 Johnson City Rag
11 Boogie Woogie Dance
12 Remembering Gabby
13 Police Dog Blues
14 Pickin' Mississippi
15 The Best Of Days

Credits:  Sonny Black: Guitars, Chris Belshaw: Bass, Damon Sawyer: Drums, Colm Murphy: Fiddle, Arnie Cottrell: Mandolin

   I wanted to record a collection of tunes as if we were playing a gig somewhere, so on Thursday 19 July 2007 we met up at the recording studio of drummer Damon Sawyer (Park Studio),   tuned up, plugged-in and pressed  'record'.

The album 'The Best of Days was released a couple of weeks later and is available at gigs or by sending a cheque made payable to Free Spirit Records for £10.00
(incl. UK p&p)  to:
                                  Free Spirit Records
                                  PO Box 1200
                                  YATELEY
                                  GU47 7DJ

You can listen to some of the tracks on my 'MySpace' site -  let me know what you think.  
All the best,     sonny black  ?
Down The Tracks DVD
EREDV690
©Eagle Rock Enterprises Ltd.

 

   Sonny Black was the session musician who played the incidental music on this excellent DVD featuring the artists that influenced Bob Dylan.
The Corner Seat CD
FSCD004

1.Independence
2.Stepping Stones
3.Secret Love
4.Arthur's New Boogie
5.At The End Of The Day
6.Heard It Through The Grapevine
7.Gary's Flow Rag
8.This And That
9.Cry Me A River
10.Passaro Canoro
11.Minor Thing
12.The Corner Seat

Credits:  Sonny Black: Guitar, Tim Payne: Guitar, George Pearson: Bass, Bob Hadrell: Organ/Piano, Damon Sawyer: Drums, Colm Murphy: Fiddle, Dion Connely: Percussion

   ...from Independence, my tribute to the wonderful Ali
Farka Tourre, through soul and popular standards, an
Irish ballad, some nylon string tunes to my tribute to
my piano hero Bill Evans with The Corner Seat, this
album reflects my love of a "good tune" wherever it
may come from.

Available at gigs or by sending a cheque made payable to Free Spirit Records for £10.00
(incl. UK p&p)  to:
                                  Free Spirit Records
                                  PO Box 1200
                                  YATELEY
                                  GU47 7DJ
The Blue Way CD

1.Free Spirit
2.Boogie Woogie Dance
3.Through Heavens Eyes
4.Checkin' In
5.Raggin' The Strings
6.Rockin' With Bill
7.Kelly's Blues
8.Night Drive
9.Cafe Cuba
10.Some Of These Days
11.Freedom Spirit
12.Keep It Rollin'
13.Kelly's Blues (Band Version)

Credits:  Sonny Black: Guitars, Bob Haddrell: Organ/Piano, George Pearson: Bass, Dino Coccia and Damon Sawyer: Drums, Mark Ramsden: Alto/Soprano Sax, Paul Lamb: Harmonica

   A compilation album from three cd's recorded with my band.

*New Stock just arrived - Now available at gigs or by sending a cheque made payable to Free Spirit Records for £10.00
(incl. UK p&p)  to:
                                  Free Spirit Records
                                  PO Box 1200
                                  YATELEY
                                  GU47 7DJ

 
Jazzin' the Blues DVD

 

 

 

 

Credits:  Sonny Black: Guitars

  

In 2003 Sonny Black released an instruction DVD as part of the “Hit the Right Lick” series.

“…a useful learning tool for anyone interested in exploring the jazzier side of blues. The audio quality and level of musicianship on display is outstanding.” - Tony Skinner – London College of Music Principal Guitar Examiner.

*Currently Out Of Stock*

 

Nb. We are pleased to report that our friends Red Lick Records are up and trading again. 
You can get Sonny Black CDs from them, or order as above direct with Free Spirit Records.

Here's a recent independent review of Sonny's: The Best of Days CD from "BLUES MATTERS" magazine...

Talented musicians have the ability to make the most complicated pieces sound deceptively simple and conversely the most simple pieces sound like divine inspiration was acquired to play them.
 
Sonny Black is such a musician, The Best Of Days the perfect arena for his talent. Recorded as if playing live, Sonny Black says that he wanted to capture the spirit of performing in front of an audience. Sparsely backed at various points by bass, drums, fiddle and mandolin, this mostly instrumental CD travels through Sonny's influences from Blues (Blind Blake's Police Dog Blues), rags (Johnson City Rag), country, jazz, Latin and a classical piece (Maria Elena). Sonny only sings on two (Police Dog Blues and Delia).
 
This is a beautifully understated and timeless recording; gentle slide guitar balanced nicely with the up-tempo pieces. Listening to it almost makes you wish that all music was this simple and yet pleasing to listen to. It seems a shame that its appeal may only lie with acoustic guitar players, as it would be enjoyed by all lovers of Blues and other forms of traditional music. In his overture Sonny Black almost apologises if the listener detects any mistakes. I wish my mistakes sounded this good!

- David Styles -  'Blues Matters'

 


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Last modified: 03-May-2008