ZapTown

Gary Lucas & Dean Bowman
Chase the Devil
Knitting Factory
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

Links:
Gary Lucas: http://www.garylucas.com/
Dean Bowman: http://deanbowman.net/

Gary Lucas remains one of the premier virtuosic guitar players of our time. Expert slide work and lock stock and barrel mastery of the fretboard, his passion for music of all types rifles out from his axe on countless collaborations and solo albums. Recently endeavoring to compose and arrange works in the styles of raga and Chinese pop, Lucas recognizes the importance of emotion rather than just instrument proficiency in his music. This time, he has teamed up with baritone jazz/blues journeyman Dean Bowman on Chase the Devil.

Two seasoned vets who have performed their inspiring and electrifying set of spiritual roots and gospel music to New York City crowds, Lucas and Bowman aren’t evangelizing so much as they are rallying for emotional intensity.

Lucas is outright impressive in his playing throughout. Blazing Strat fingerpicking licks behind Bowman’s frenzied lines on “God is a Good God”. It’s hard to tell who’s trying to keep up the pace, what with Lucas’ wailing leads and Bowman’s relentless hand-clapping.

“Jerusalem” is a wonderful selection, and praise is owed for this remarkably touching performance. Also inclusive of Chase the Devil, Lucas and Bowman fit well together on the very stripped-down version of the John Fahey-renowned ode “In Christ There is No East or West”.

The first two tracks are originals written for the release followed by ten renditions of traditional folk, blues, gospel, and Hebrew numbers. Joining the ranks of a few of the artists covered on this thrilling LP, and rightfully so, Chase the Devil achieves as another exemplar to true spiritual roots music.