| Blues |
A completely crazy bet is this album “Memory Ghost” which comes in the form of a 3CD box set (with no plastic to be seen, which is great!). Indeed, there are three CDs, which respectively last 79.24 minutes for the first, 78.47 for the second and 78.58 for the third, a total of no less than 4 hours of music! Three CDs packed to the brim with titles mixing traditionals and compositions, with titles honouring great figures of the blues now deceased and sorely missed, such as John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, Blind Willie Johnson…
The illustration on the cover of this set immediately catches the eye. A superb illustration, “Dancing with Death/ Danse avec la mort”, a linocut and colour ink on Canson paper edition by Frédéric Voisin with a cover design by Marie Gastaut. An illustration that shows what a Memory Ghost is: “A memory ghost is a memory that is so strong, it’s left an invisible mark so it can never be forgotten. Some memory ghosts are so strong they cause an eruption of emotions.” And yes, with these three CDs you are entitled to an eruption, even a tsunami, of emotions.
It was after attending a concert by Louis Armstrong and Trini Lopez at the Capitol Theater in Perth in 1963, when Steve was already a musician, that he realised he would be a storyteller and a songwriter. To celebrate his 62 years of career, the man nicknamed “the Australian griot”, wanted to give a beautiful, very beautiful gift to his fans and all those who will discover him through this set of 3CDs and 66 titles, all recorded in a single take.
The first CD (titled ‘DUO with Gary Ridge’) includes 25 tracks performed by Steve Tallis accompanied by Brazilian percussionist drummer Gary Ridge whose touch brings a lovely and lively carioca breath to several pieces. Steve plays 6 and 12 string acoustic guitars, electric guitar and bass guitar.
In the second CD (titled ‘Snakes of Desire’) , there are 18 tracks enabling us to appreciate the incredible talent of the trio accompanying Steve Tallis on guitar and vocals: Hans-Aage Deberitz on bass guitar, Yugon “Chobby” Chobanoff on drums and Phil Bradley on guitars.
The third CD, simply titled ‘SOLO’, allows you to appreciate the immense talent of this Australian griot singer accompanied only on guitar (6 and 12 strings).
The griot Steve Tallis still sends incredible shivers as his voice carries, rises, with intonations that would sometimes make Bob Dylan pass for a twin brother. A twin who would have lost this internal rage which animates the immense flame burning in Steve Tallis. A flame that has continued to burn within him since his earliest youth.
As much marked by his Macedonian cultural roots as by the music of the Eastern Mediterranean basin and by artists such as Dylan, Hendrix and the Stones, who he was immersed to through Australian radios, Steve Tallis sets out very early in search of the roots of the blues, developing in his own way its most tribal aspects.
Both a brilliant songwriter and a long-term traveller, the singer-guitarist has lived and played on all continents, accompanied Clapton, B.B. King and Van Morrison while retaining his personality and independence, constantly keeping within him this incredible passion for bluesmen such Leadbelly and John Lee Hooker. Crazy and a fan of both Tom Waits and Ali Farka Touré, divided between folk, blues and gospel, Steve Tallis went to play in India, France (listen to the first title of the first CD, ‘le chant des cigales à Montpellier’ – a recording of the song of the cicadas in Montpellier), Pakistan then Africa, crossing the road of blues with that of other equally gripping music.
On two of the parts of this box set, a list of names of musicians who have passed away and to whom Steve Tallis remains connected, in thought but also in the form of songs, like this sixth track from the first CD, simply titled ‘Charlie Watts’, and filled with strong emotion. This interplay between darkness and light, despair and hope, is a recurring theme throughout both the compositions and the overall atmosphere of the album. An album like this does a lot of good. It takes us out of our usual listening habits, offering a moment of reflection and questioning.
Several traditional songs are arranged in the style of the Australian griot and his percussionist friend Gary Ridge, such as ‘My God is a Rock’, ‘This May Be The Last Time’ or even ‘You Gotta Move’. Some compositions such as ‘Skeletons In My Closet’ and ‘She Makes Me Shiver’ are worthy of appearing in the Top 10 of the best songs of the year. Steve’s compositions are perfectly crafted pieces, always giving the impression of boundless spontaneity and insolent ease, miniature stories in their own right, finely crafted.
It is true that this album is of impeccable quality, with its small imperfections, of course, as it’s recorded in a single take, but it also gives this 3CDs’ opus an exceptional uniqueness. A must, undoubtedly!
Steve Tallis immerses us in a blues that comes from the deepest roots to a slamming modernity, without all that superfluity that clutters more and more albums; because the blues is a genre that demands caution, as it may offer sublime albums as well as very forgettable ones. Yet here, we have a truly delightful album, one that revitalizes the blues style by infusing it with cultural depth.
“Memory Ghost” captures the emotional depth of loss, grief, and renewed memories. It is more than just an album—it is a poignant tribute to those we lose along life’s journey. An album which restores faith in humanity.
This is an album of extreme quality, which is aimed at any lover of truly good music that comes from the heart and the guts, beyond the genre of music itself. It is, without a doubt, one of the most powerful creations I have had the privilege of hearing in recent years. An indispensable album, if ever there was one; this is the kind of work that reminds those of us who merely put words around art of its true significance and necessity.
Frankie Pfeiffer
Editor in chief – PARIS-MOVE
PARIS-MOVE, April 1st 2025
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To buy the 3CDs set
A limited edition of 1,000 copies and all in glorious mono, coproduced by the internationally acclaimed Rob Grant, Poons Head Studio – Fremantle.