b. December 26th, 1965 in Chicago (Illinois)
THE NEXT GENERATION
Celluloid
Teldec
December 1989
Fils du bluesman Luther Allison, Bernard baigne dès l'enfance dans la musique de son père, l'accompagnant dans les festivals, jouant de la guitare avec lui. A 18 ans, il le rejoint sur la scène du Chicago Blues Festival. En 1983, il devient le guitariste régulier de Koko Taylor. Puis, Bernard joue avec le groupe Back Talk avant de rejoindre le groupe de son père en 1989. Avec celui-ci et ses musiciens du moment, il trouve l'opportunité de graver ce premier disque en Suisse. Le disque se révèle très inégal mais prometteur. On peut retenir l'autobiographique "Baby child", les pistes blues comme "Trav'lin'" et "Low down and dirty".
Son of bluesman Luther Allison, Bernard was immersed in his father's music from childhood, accompanying him to festivals, playing guitar with him. At 18, he joined him on stage at the Chicago Blues Festival. In 1983, he became Koko Taylor's regular guitarist. Then, Bernard plays with the group Back Talk before joining the backing band of his father in 1989. With him and his musicians of the moment, he finds the opportunity to cut this first album in Switzerland. The record is very uneven but promising. We can point out the autobiographical "Baby child", the blues tracks like "Trav'lin'" and "Low down and dirty".
HANG ON
Inakustik
Ruf
June - July 1992
Gravé en France, il y a un manque de feeling global dans cette option Blues-Rock influencée par Jimi Hendrix et Stevie Ray Vaughan. La production de Michel Carras et Bernard Allison est froide et orientée Rock. Quelques reprises correctes comme "Going down" de Don Nix et "Cadillac assembly line" d'Albert King.
Recorded in France, there is a lack of overall feeling in this Blues-Rock option influenced by Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The production of Michel Carras and Bernard Allison is cold and Rock oriented. Some decent covers like "Going down" by Don Nix and "Cadillac assembly line" by Albert King.
NO MERCY
Inakustik
1994
Enregistré sur des scènes françaises, composé en grande partie de reprises survitaminées, ce disque en public propose un gros son Blues-Rock. Le jeu de guitare de Bernard Allison est virtuose mais dépourvu de feeling et d'émotion. Il se montre bien meilleur dans sa lecture apaisée de "Breaking up somebody's home".
Recorded on French stages, composed largely of powerful covers, this live disc proposes a big Blues-Rock sound. Bernard Allison's guitar playing is virtuoso but devoid of feeling and emotion. He is much better in his soothing reading of "Breaking up somebody's home".
FUNKIFINO
Ruf
January - February 1996
KEEPIN' THE BLUES ALIVE
Cannonball
BORN WITH THE BLUES
Ruf
December 1996
Tourné vers un Blues profond plutôt que vers le Blues-Rock, cet album prouve que Bernard est capable de faire preuve d'inspiration et de feeling et de composer des titres solides. Bien entouré par Ron Levy (production et claviers), Will Crosby, Matthew Skoller et la section rythmique de Buddy Guy, Greg Rzab et Ray "Killer" Allison. On peut mentionner quelques bons titres comme "Baby chile", "Young man's blues", "You gave me the blues", "Home goin'" (chanté par Ray C. Drain) et deux reprises intéressantes ("Rocket 88" et "Garbage man").
Turned towards deep Blues rather than Blues-Rock, this album proves that Bernard is capable of showing inspiration and feeling and composing solid titles. Well surrounded by Ron Levy (production and keyboards), Will Crosby, Matthew Skoller and Buddy Guy's rhythm section, Greg Rzab and Ray "Killer" Allison. We can mention some good titles like "Baby chile", "Young man's blues", "You gave me the blues", "Home goin'" (sung by Ray C. Drain) and two interesting covers ("Rocket 88" and "Garbage man").
TIMES ARE CHANGING
Ruf
1998
On remarque les reprises bien senties de son père Luther Allison ("Life is a bitch", "Bad love") mais aussi ses propres compositions comme "I can't get you out my mind", le funky "Tell me", une piste acoustique "Don't be confused", "In the morning", "If you want me to stay". Beau cocktail entre Soul, Blues et Funk.
We can point out the well-known covers of his father Luther Allison ("Life is a bitch", "Bad love") but also his own compositions like "I can't get you out my mind", the funky "Tell me", an acoustic track "Don't be confused", "In the morning", "If you want me to stay". Nice cocktail between Soul, Blues and Funk.
LIVE AT THE W.C. HANDY AWARDS vol.1
Rykodisc
May 1999
KENTUCKY FRIED BLUES LIVE
Ruf
June 1999
Concert capté pendant les W.C. Handy Blues Festival en juin 1999. Le son et la musique sont puissants, quelques morceaux beaucoup trop longs mais globalement le feeling et l'inspiration sont au rendez-vous. "Bad love" et "Midnight creeper" sortent du lot.
Concert captured during the W.C. Handy Blues Festival in june 1999. Sound and music are powerful, some pieces much too long but overall the feeling and inspiration are present. "Bad love" and "Midnight creeper" stand out.
BLUE HAZE : SONGS OF JIMI HENDRIX
Ruf
Late 1999 - Early 2000
ACROSS THE WATER
Tone-Cool
THE RIVER'S RISING
Blues Boulevard
2000
Arrivé chez Tone-Cool, après une longue collaboration avec Thomas Ruf, Bernard opte pour un son résolument plus Rock et des arrangements plus commerciaux (production de Jim Gaines) : plus beaucoup de Blues, guitares lourdes, ballades sans saveur. On peut retenir, néanmoins, "Meet me half way". Attention, "The river's rising" est, en fait, une compilation reprenant des titres de ses deux disques Tone-Cool.
Arrived at Tone-Cool, after a long collaboration with Thomas Ruf, Bernard opts for a more Rock sound and more commercial arrangements (production of Jim Gaines) : no more Blues, heavy guitars, ballads without flavor. We can mention, nevertheless, "Meet me half way". Beware, "The river's rising" is, in fact, a compilation containing titles of his two Tone-Cool discs.
STORMS OF LIFE
Tone-Cool
THE RIVER'S RISING
Blues Boulevard
2002
AUTOUR DU BLUES vol.2
Creon
April 2003
Invité pour ce disque collectif, Bernard joue "Man upstairs" en mode acoustique avec Patrick Verbeke.
Invited for this collective record, Bernard plays "Man upstairs" in an acoustic mode with Patrick Verbeke.
HIGHER POWER
Ruf
2005
Arrangements Rock ultra-puissants, guitares suramplifiées, synthétiseurs moches, chant très inégal. Au final, il n'y a pas beaucoup de Blues dans ce programme bruyant et très ennuyeux.
Ultra-powerful Rock arrangements, overamplified guitars, ugly synthesizers, very uneven singing. In the end, there are not many Blues in this noisy and very boring program.
TRIPLE FRET
JSP
2005
Produite, organisée et composée par Bruce Feiner, cette réunion de guitariste rassemble Bernard Allison, Carl Weathersby et Larry Mac Cray. Mais les guitaristes en font trop, invités à prendre plusieurs solos pour chaque titre. De plus, le son est lourd et les titres calibrés et interchangeables. L'orgue de Lucky Peterson apporte difficilement un peu de variété.
Produced, organized and composed by Bruce Feiner, this guitarist meeting brings together Bernard Allison, Carl Weathersby and Larry Mac Cray. But guitarists do too much, invited to take several solos for each title. In addition, the sound is heavy and the titles calibrated and interchangeable. The organ of Lucky Peterson hardly brings a little variety.
ENERGIZED : LIVE IN EUROPE
Ruf
October 2005
Double CD live capté à Göttingen en Allemagne. Comme souvent avec Bernard, les titres sont souvent trop longs. Dommage car certains moments valent réellement l'écoute ("Bad love"). Trop d'instrumentaux, trop de solos démonstratifs.
Double live CD captured in Göttingen Germany. As often with Bernard, the titles are often too long. Too bad because some moments are really worth listening ("Bad love"). Too many instrumentals, too many demonstrative solos.
CHILLS & THRILLS
Jazzhaus
CC Entertainment
September - October 2007
Le mélange de Blues, Funk et de Rock se révèle parfaitement maitrisé et produit. Bernard, inspiré et mesuré à la guitare, est accompagné par un groupe compact et solide (Jassen Wilder, Rusty Hale, Mario Dawsen, Eric Gales). De nombreux excellents moments parsèment la set-list : "Chills and thrills", "So devine", "Missing Tyrone" (en hommage à Tyrone Davis), "That's why I'm cryin'", "Groove with me". Version européenne originale sur Jazzhaus, réédition US sur CC Entertainment avec pochette différente.
The mix of Blues, Funk and Rock is perfectly mastered and produced. Bernard, inspired and measured on guitar, is accompanied by a compact and solid band (Jassen Wilder, Rusty Hale, Mario Dawsen, Eric Gales). Many great moments dot the set-list : "Chills and thrills", "So devine", "Missing Tyrone" (in tribute to Tyrone Davis), "That's why I'm cryin'", "Groove with me". Original european version on Jazzhaus, US reissue on CC Entertainment with a different cover.
THE OTHER SIDE
Jazzhaus
CC Entertainment
2010
Dans la parfaite continuation de "Chills and thrills", Bernard livre ici un bon album de Blues-Rock sans excès et varié : "I wouldn't treat a dog", "Tired of tryin'", "The other side", "Leavin' the bayou" (avec la participation de Lonnie Brooks) ainsi qu'une bonne reprise du "Fire" de Jimi Hendrix.
In the perfect continuation of "Chills and thrills", Bernard delivers here a good album of Blues-Rock without excess and varied : "I wouldn't treat a dog", "Tired of tryin'", "The other side", "Leavin' the bayou" (with the participation of Lonnie Brooks) and a good cover of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire".
LIVE AT THE JAZZHAUS
Jazzhaus
2011
Double CD live de Bernard Allison capté en Allemagne. La restitution sonore est excellente. Bernard chante convenablement et joue de sa guitare avec à propos. Il y a bien quelques longueurs mais ce live s'écoute avec un vrai plaisir. "I wouldn't treat a dog", "Tired of tryin'", "Groove with me", une belle reprise de "Rocket 88" méritent une écoute approfondie. A noter la toujours belle participation du saxophoniste Jose James. "Live at the Jazzhaus" demeure pour l'instant son meilleur disque en public.
Double live CD of Bernard Allison captured in Germany. The sound quality is excellent. Bernard sings properly and plays his guitar with precision. There are a few lengths but this live album can be listened with a real pleasure. "I wouldn't treat a dog", "Tired of tryin'", "Groove with me", a nice cover of "Rocket 88" deserve a deep listening. Note the always beautiful participation of the saxophonist Jose James. "Live at the Jazzhaus" remains his best live album until now.
THE ALLISON BURNSIDE EXPRESS
Jazzhaus
September - October 2012
Association entre Bernard Allison et Cedric Burnside issus tous les deux de familles prestigieuses du blues. Blues électrique matiné de Hill Country Blues avec quelques accents Rock, Funk ou Hip-Hop. "Do you know what I think", "Fire it up", l'acoustique "Mississippi blues", "That thang" et la reprise de "Hidden charms" de Willie Dixon sur un mode Zydeco sont des pistes intéressantes.
Association between Bernard Allison and Cedric Burnside, both from prestigious blues families. Electric Blues mixed with Hill Country Blues with some Rock, Funk or Hip-Hop accents. "Do you know what I think", "Fire it up", the acoustic "Mississippi blues", "That thang" and the cover of Willie Dixon's "Hidden charms" on a Zydeco mode are interesting tracks.
IN THE MIX
Inakustik
2015
Production lisse et aseptisée entre Soul et Blues-Rock. Beaucoup de titres restent franchement impersonnels et échouent à intéresser l'auditeur. On peut éventuellement retenir "Move from the hood", "I'd rather be blind", "Set me free", "Lust for you".
Flat and tasteless production between Soul and Blues-Rock. Many titles remain frankly impersonal and fail to interest the listener. We can possibly retain "Move from the hood", "I'd rather be blind", "Set me free", "Lust for you".
LET IT GO
Ruf
2018
De retour chez Ruf avec le producteur Jim Gaines pour un album de blues apaisé et minimaliste. Accompagné seulement de George Moye, John T. Mac Ghee et Mario Dawson, Bernard donne quelques pistes attachantes comme "Same ole feeling", "Let it go", "Leave your ego" et "Castle".
Back at Ruf with producer Jim Gaines for a calm and minimalist blues album. Accompanied only by George Moye, John T. Mac Ghee and Mario Dawson, Bernard gives some engaging tracks like "Same ole feeling", "Let it go", "Leave your ego" and "Castle".
HIGHS AND LOWS
Ruf
2022