b. July 8th, 1952 in New Orleans (Louisiana)
LOUISIANA SWAMP BLUES vol.3
Wolf
May - July 1990
CATCH THE FEELING
Larry Garner (only on cassette)
July 1990
Après un service militaire en Corée, il travaille dans une usine chimique. A partir de 1981-82, il devient le guitariste-maison du Tabby's Blues Box (un club dirigé par Tabby Thomas). Peu après, une participation au Burnley Blues Festival (en 1982) le fait connaitre en Europe. Larry forme son premier groupe en 1986 - le Boogaloo Blues Band - et tourne dans la région de Baton Rouge. Deux ans plus tard, il remporte l'International Blues Challenge à Memphis. Pour ses premiers enregistrements, il rassemble autour de lui un groupe compact : Kenny Burch (piano), Terry Dockery (harmonica), Spencer Williams (basse) et Floyd Saizon (batterie). Lors de ce début prometteur, Larry est son propre producteur. Bon chanteur, il est encore un peu maladroit à la guitare. "Someone new", "PMS" et "Doghouse blues" sortent du lot et montrent un artiste en devenir. On notera également la très jolie version de "Sky is crying" reprise dans l'anthologie Wolf "Louisiana swamp blues vol.3".
After military service in Korea, he worked in a chemical plant. From 1981-82, he became the house-guitarist of Tabby's Blues Box (a club run by Tabby Thomas). Soon after, a participation in the Burnley Blues Festival (in 1982) gave him some renown in Europe. Larry formed his first band in 1986 - the Boogaloo Blues Band - and tours in the Baton Rouge area. Two years later, he won the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. For his first recordings, he gathers around him a compact backing band : Kenny Burch (piano), Terry Dockery (harmonica), Spencer Williams (bass) and Floyd Saizon (drums). During this promising start, Larry is his own producer. Good singer, he is still a little bit clumsy on guitar. "Someone new", "PMS" and "Doghouse blues" stand out and show a promising artist. Note also the very nice version of "Sky is crying" compiled in the Wolf anthology "Louisiana swamp blues vol.3".
DOUBLE DUES
JSP
July 1991
Grâce à Stephen Coleridge qui ramène une cassette de Larry au producteur John Stedman, ce dernier a l'opportunité de signer chez JSP, un label anglais. Gravé à La Nouvelle Orléans, Larry garde le poste de producteur et certains de ses musiciens réguliers. D'autres sidemen remarquables participent à ce disque : Marc Adams (claviers), Joe Hunter (basse), Oscar "Harpo" Davis (harmonica). Guitariste précis, plein de feeling, plaçant toujours la note au bon moment, Larry Garner met au point un style brut mais contemporain marqué par le swamp-blues. Ses textes sociétaux et plutôt pessimistes montrent un artiste complet et original. "Scared of you", "No free rides", "Buster", "Tale spreaders", "California sister" s'imposent comme de franches réussites.
Thanks to Stephen Coleridge who brings a Larry's tape to producer John Stedman, he has the opportunity to record for JSP, an english label. Cut in New Orleans, Larry keeps the producer position and some of his regular musicians. Other notable sidemen participate in this record : Marc Adams (keyboards), Joe Hunter (bass), Oscar "Harpo" Davis (harmonica). Precise guitarist, full of feeling, always placing the note at the right time, Larry Garner is developing a raw but contemporary style marked by swamp-blues. His societal and pessimistic texts show a complete and original artist. "Scared of you", "No free rides", "Buster", "Tale spreaders", "California sister" impose themselves as genuine achievements.
CHEMICAL CITY SHAKEDOWN
Sidetrack
1991
Dans cette anthologie, rassemblée par Stephen Coleridge, proposée sur le label Sidetrack, on trouve le titre "All night long" joué par Larry Garner.
In this anthology, compiled by Stephen Coleridge, proposed on Sidetrack label, there is one title "All night long" played by Larry Garner.
TOO BLUES
JSP
1992
Après le superbe "Double dues", Larry trouve l'opportunité de graver un second disque pour JSP. Son groupe reste quasiment inchangé : Terry Dockery, Joe Hunter, Daryl Jefferson, Frank Mitchell, Floyd Saizon. Des titres formidables comme "Shak bully", "Dog house blues", "Thought I had the blues", "Born to sang the blues", "The preacher man" méritent absolument l'écoute.
After the superb "Double dues", Larry finds the opportunity to record a second album for JSP. His backing band remains virtually unchanged : Terry Dockery, Joe Hunter, Daryl Jefferson, Frank Mitchell, Floyd Saizon. Wonderful songs like "Shak bully", "Dog house blues", "Thought I had the blues", "Born to sang the blues", "The preacher man" are absolutely worth listening.
YOU NEED TO LIVE A LITTLE
Verve
Gitanes Jazz
March - April 1994
Passé chez Verve et placé sous la supervision du producteur John Snyder, Larry Garner change totalement d'environnement. Son groupe est désormais composé de Kip Bacqué (guitare), David Torkanowsky (claviers), Willie Weeks (basse), Brian Jones (batterie) et des participations notables de Sonny Landreth et de Matthew Skoller. Résolument orienté vers un son contemporain plus lisse, sa musique conserve toutefois son inspiration et son pouvoir d'attraction. On trouve quelques morceaux bien sentis : "Another bad boy", "Four cars running", "Rats and roaches in my kitchen" ainsi qu'une nouvelle version de "Shak bully".
Arrived at Verve and placed under the supervision of producer John Snyder, Larry Garner totally changes his environment. His group is now composed of Kip Bacqué (guitar), David Torkanowsky (keyboards), Willie Weeks (bass), Brian Jones (drums) and significant participations of Sonny Landreth and Matthew Skoller. Resolutely moved towards a smoother contemporary sound, his music still retains his inspiration and power of attraction. There are some well-chosen songs : "Another bad boy", "Four cars running", "Rats and roaches in my kitchen" and a new version of "Shak bully".
BATON ROUGE
Verve
Gitanes Jazz
Evidence
April - May 1995
Cet album eut des ennuis d'ordre contractuel et ne fut publié qu'en 1999 aux Etats-Unis par Evidence alors qu'il avait été enregistré près de quatre ans plus tôt. Dans la lignée de "You need to live a little" (et toujours John Snyder comme producteur) au niveau du son et de la production, plus convenus dans l'ensemble. Larry y partage les parties de guitare avec Larry Mac Cray. On remarque "Jook joint woman", l'instrumental "Street doctor", "Airline blues" et "The have and the have nots" aux accents Country.
This album had contractual problems and was not published until 1999 in the US by Evidence when it was recorded nearly four years ago. In the continuation of "You need to live a little" (and always John Snyder as a producer) concerning sound and production, more conventional overall. Larry sharing guitar parts with Larry Mac Cray. We can note "Jook joint woman", the instrumental "Street doctor", "Airline blues" and "The have and the have nots" with its Country accents.
STANDING ROOM ONLY
Ruf
January 1998
Enregistré à Memphis aux Ardent Studios, produit par Jim Gaines, "Standing room only" est le premier album de Larry pour le label allemand Ruf. La veine commerciale s'avère encore plus prononcée qu'avant. La set-list se révèle peu convaincante et manque de flamme. On peut ressortir, néanmoins, une excellente reprise de "Drifter" (un titre composé par Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown).
Recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, produced by Jim Gaines, "Standing room only" is Larry's first album for the German label Ruf. The commercial vein turns even more pronounced than before. The set-list appears unconvincing and lacks of flame. We can point out, however, an excellent cover of "Drifter" (a song composed by Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown).
ONCE UPON THE BLUES
Ruf
Late 1999
Co-produit par Larry Garner et Dick Shurman, ce second disque pour Ruf semble plus consistant que le précédent avec plusieurs compositions notables : "Slower traffic keep right", "A real gambling woman", "I won't tell your mama", "If she tells you no" (avec l'excellent harmonica de Seiji Yuguchi) et une reprise puissante de son "Kleptomaniac". Au final, un disque de bon niveau.
Co-produced by Larry Garner and Dick Shurman, this second album for Ruf seems more consistent than the previous with several notable compositions : "Slower traffic keep right", "A real gambling woman", "I won't tell your mama", "If she tells you no" (with the excellent harmonica of Seiji Yuguchi) and a powerful cover of his "Kleptomaniac". In the end, a good level record.
EMBARRASSMENT TO THE BLUES
Ruf
December 2001
Captation d'un concert allemand dans lequel Larry est accompagné par Michael Van Merwyk (guitare), Christian Dozzler (piano), Miguel Hernandez (basse) et Stoney Trahan (batterie). Un disque plaisant et chaleureux malgré quelques longueurs.
Capture of a german concert in which Larry was accompanied by Michael Van Merwyk (guitar), Christian Dozzler (piano), Miguel Hernandez (bass) and Stoney Trahan (drums). A pleasant and warm album despite some lengths.
BASIL'S BAR BLUES
Milan
2003
HERE TODAY GONE TOMORROW
Dixiefrog
2008
Après une trop longue absence due à des ennuis de santé (notamment un triple pontage coronarien), Larry revient sur le devant de la scène, collaborant cette fois avec le label français Dixiefrog. Comme d'habitude, il est son propre producteur et compose tous les morceaux sauf un : l'autobiographique "Here today gone tomorrow", un hommage touchant à B.B. King ("For you Mr B.B. King"), un pur blues accrocheur ("The last coke") jusqu'au final funky ("Funk it up"). On note aussi les participations de musiciens louisianais amis comme Henry Gray, Buckwheat Zydeco, Oscar "Harpo" Davis, Rudolf Richard. Probablement, son album le plus abouti.
After a long absence due to health problems (including triple bypass surgery), Larry returns to the front of the scene, collaborating this time with the french label Dixiefrog. As usual, he is his own producer and composed all the songs except one : the autobiographical "Here today gone tomorrow", a touching tribute to B.B. King ("For you Mr B.B. King"), a pure catchy blues ("The last coke") to funky final ("Funk it up"). There is also participations of the Louisiana musician friends like Henry Gray, Buckwheat Zydeco, Oscar "Harpo" Davis, Rudolf Richard. Probably his most accomplished album.
LIVE AT THE TIVOLI
No Looking Back
October 2009
Album live globalement trop long et, par conséquent inégal, dans lequel Larry Garner est notamment accompagné de Norman Beaker. Entre moments intenses ("Cold chills", "No free rides", "Scared of you") et moments faibles ("Option on you baby", "Raised in the country"), ce "Live at the Tivoli" ne doit être conseillé qu'aux fans confirmés du bluesman.
Uneven and overall too long live album, in which Larry Garner is notably accompanied by Norman Beaker. Between intense moments ("Cold chills", "No free rides", "Scared of you") and weak moments ("Option on you baby", "Raised in the country"), this "Live at the Tivoli" should only be recommended to confirmed fans of the bluesman.
BLUES FOR SALE
Dixiefrog
2012
Poursuivant sa route chez Dixiefrog, Larry (toujours producteur et compositeur) est accompagné de la plupart de ses musiciens habituels (Shedrick Nellon, Nelson Blanchard, Miguel Hernandez). Il laisse certaines parties vocales à la chanteuse Debbie Landry. De cet excellent album, on peut retenir "Broken soldier", "Last request" et surtout "It's killing me", un superbe blues, probablement le meilleur titre du CD.
Continuing his road at Dixiefrog, Larry (still producer and composer) is accompanied by most of his usual musicians (Shedrick Nellon, Nelson Blanchard, Miguel Hernandez). He leaves some vocal parts to singer Debbie Landry. In this excellent album, we can retain "Broken soldier", "Last request" and especially "It's killing me", a superb blues, probably the best track of this CD.
GOOD NIGHT IN VIENNA
JNR
April 2013
Alors que Larry Garner demeure un compositeur hors-pair, il se perd ici dans des reprises de standards, longues et ennuyeuses. De plus, Larry ne semble pas très en voix (certaines pistes sont chantées par Norman Beaker). Un album tout à fait dispensable.
While Larry Garner remains an outstanding composer, he is lost here in long and boring standard covers. In addition, Larry does not seem to be in voice (some tracks are sung by Norman Beaker). An album quite dispensable.
UPCLOSE AND PERSONAL
Dixiefrog
January 2014
Larry Garner et l'allemand Michael Van Merwyk se connaissaient depuis plusieurs années. Ici, ils jouent en public dans une performance totalement acoustique (avec le seul accompagnement de Jochen Gens à la basse et aux percussions). Un CD intéressant à l'ambiance intimiste et relachée.
Larry Garner and german Michael Van Merwyk knew themselves for several years. They play here in public in a totally acoustic performance (with only accompaniment of Jochen Gens on bass and percussion). An interesting CD with relaxed and intimate atmosphere.
GUILTY SAINTS
Dixiefrog
2016
Association de deux guitaristes (un texan et un louisianais) débouchant sur un album gravé en France pour Dixiefrog (un label dirigé par Philippe Langlois). Accompagnés par d'excellents musiciens (Mike Lattrell, Larry Crockett, Pascal "Bako" Mikaelian, Christophe Duvernet, Alain "Leadfoot" Rivet), ils réussissent quelques belles pistes : "God today", "A friend like you", "Do not stand at my grave and weep", "You can't do it". Les autres morceaux me semblent plus inégaux.
Association of two guitarists (from Texas and Louisiana) opening on an album cut in France for Dixiefrog (a label run by Philippe Langlois). Accompanied by excellent musicians (Mike Lattrell, Larry Crockett, Pascal "Bako" Mikaelian, Christophe Duvernet, Alain "Leadfoot" Rivet), they managed some nice tracks : "God today", "A friend like you", "Do not stand at my grave and weep", "You can't do it". The other songs seem more uneven to me.