Biography
Taking inspiration from the great delta players such as Robert Johnson, Blind Willie McTell, Son House and Mississippi John Hurt, he combines their raw syncopation with the sounds of Chicago (e.g. Muddy Waters and Howling Wolf) and the modern song writing approach of the likes of Robert Cray welding the whole into a powerful music for the modern day.
Equally at home on Acoustic and Electric guitar, playing both slide and fretted styles Andy considers his music to be Urban rather than Country Blues, after all he lives in the City Of Portsmouth and has never been near a cotton field in his life! The subject matter of his music reflects this urban perspective, whilst remaining very much in the traditions of the music.
Since becoming a fully professional musician in 1989 Andy has been developing his solo style. Swapping between acoustic and electric guitar his distinctive rhythmic style has been forged by the pragmatic approach of "getting out on the street" and playing the blues. The solo performance (occasionally accompanied by a harmonica or sax player) is where Andy's real strengths lie. Freed from the rigid structures of band life Andy plays in rhythmic metres that would give any drummer or bass player a headache but which follow the ebb and flow of the emotions of the blues. And, be it happiness or sadness, joy or lament emotion is what the blues is about! His singing continually strengthens and he can produce any thing from a deep emotive growl to a high melodic falsetto. The solo context is also where Andy's slide guitar comes to the fore. His impressive technique enables him to craft his own self penned material as well as rearrange the songs of others in ways that make them completely his own. A strong example
of the first is the title track of the CD "From The Roots On Down". His unique arrangement of "Broke Down Engine" worked up by listening to a Dylan version a of Blind Willie McTell song is an excellent example of the second.
http://www.broad.ology.org.uk
http://www.myspace.com/andybroad
http://www.iacmusic.com/andybroad
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