High-quality blues from accomplished Shawn Pittman . Borne from blues legend influences, Make It Right was recorded in Copenhagen before lockdown.  This is blues at its best .

Release date: Out Now

Label: CRS

Format: CD / streaming

“I’m just playing the music I want to hear,” says Shawn Pittman.

He’s playing blues music I  want to hear too.

He’s a native of  Oklahoma  but  spending a bulk of his time in Texas has rubbed off. Some of the gritty hardness we associate with the Lone Star State has made its way into his tough uncompromising blues.

Steeped in music domestically, learning piano from his mother, purloining his brother’s drum kit and then inspired by blues legends   Lightnin’ Hopkins, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Elmore James, and Albert King, the guitar became his adopted instrument. After a break, his uncle, fortunately, put him back on the straight and narrow. Taking advantage of experienced musical mentors he has now ended up with a string of fantastic blues albums culminating in his latest release Make It Right.

He readily admits: “I have had many obstacles on my road just like anybody that has embarked on this lifestyle, some self-inflicted, but through my failures, I have learned invaluable lessons about life and people, and my strengths as well as my weaknesses. As an artist, I feel like I am just beginning. The one constant I have had is the desire to be great at what I do.”

And he is.

This album is music of the highest quality. To me, Shawn Pittman is a rival and equal to Joe Bonamassa and can hold his pick up high with any blues legend. He has mixed with and clearly taken advice from his mentors and blues maestro BB King (no relation, obviously, but still my top bluesman) once told him, “Treat people how you want to be treated, and remember everybody has a boss.”

If this is how he treats us, then many have surely been extra kind to him. There isn’t a weak track. His guitar work is intricate, subtle, emotional….  exquisite. The kind of player who listening to live. you wouldn’t want the gig to end.

This is my first hearing of Shawn  and I will be delving into his back catalogue of electric and acoustic blues and hopefully looking out for him at blues festivals should he ever get over here. He tells us he’s longing to reach these shores one day so I hope the blues gods are listening!

Shawn Pittman online: Website / Facebook / Instagram

You can follow At The Barrier on Twitter here, and like us on Facebook here. We really appreciate your support.