Benny Bianco On the Making Of ‘Loving Blues’
What was the creative process like for this particular album?
This project started out as an apprenticeship task at my workplace, Calibre Audio (an audiobook charity specialising in material for people with sight loss). I had to demonstrate audio skills, so music seemed like an obvious choice for me.
The tunes I chose to record were traditional-style blues tracks inspired by my favourite artists like Big Bill Broonzy, Scrapper Blackwell, Leroy Carr and many others from the 1930s to 1950s. It made sense to work on these as they’d been in my notebook for a good while – plus I wanted it to be an anniversary gift for my partner as we were nearing 1 year together at the point, hence the album artwork too!
Piano tracks were recorded in the shed in my mate’s garden (thankyou to my pal Jasper!) and the rest were recorded in the office studio at Calibre.
Were there any memorable or standout moments during the recording sessions for 'Loving Blues?'
The track “Waiting for Glory” is a gospel-style number (in the style of artists like Josh White and Georgia Tom Dorsey) and it was a very tough but rewarding process of getting all the vocal overdubs in place. It was a classic case of having an idea in your head and bashing away to get it right.
I think it captured the feel of a choir, and the fact that the vocal parts don’t always happen in unison adds an organic human feel, which is very important to me.
Can you talk about any standout tracks on 'Loving Blues' and what makes them special to you?
The previously-mentioned “Waiting for Glory” is one which was important to do because my wonderful, heavenly other half loves listening to gospel music – so this one stands out for me.
“Cosy Corner Blues” is another important one because our relationship has been characterised by the warmth and cosiness we have felt from day 1.
In musical terms, I attempted to make this song a classic ‘Bluebird-style’ blues akin to the Bluebird recording label in the 1930s. Many of these tracks by Sonny Boy Williamson I, Washboard Sam, Bumble Bee Slim and Tampa Red had a wonderful, captivating feel and groove – the piano, guitar and harmonica would effectively all be singing together in harmony. This style of blues has given me much joy in my life.
Finally, blues music has a long history of double entendre, so one of my entries into this tradition was the number “Farming Blues” – all I can say is, listen to some of Blind Boy Fuller songs (you’ll be able to tell by the titles) and then you’ll be able to guess what I was driving my plough at…
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got started in music?
I’m an introverted fellow who likes cooking, going on walks and reading books. My dad had a collection of blues CDs which I started properly listening to when I was about 15 – right into the old style of blues like Blind Lemon Jefferson, Barbecue Bob and Robert Johnson – and from there I picked up the harmonica. My favourites harmonica players are Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson I. Guitar and bass followed and then piano was a lockdown activity.
I have lots of influences on other instruments – T-Bone Walker, B.B King and Lonnie Johnson are guitarists I adore, while Otis Spann, Leroy Carr and Blind John Davis are legends of the piano. There’s just so much good blues to dive into wherever you listen to your music – if you know where to look. The web forum weeniecampbell.com has a lot of fab resources for anyone looking to start listening to this wonderful genre.
What are your future goals or aspirations as a musician?
From what I’ve seen, people respond well to authentic music played with heart, no matter the genre. When someone shakes my hand and says well done, that’s success enough for me. The most important thing is that they’ve had an enjoyable time appreciating some music with other folks. If someone smiles, then I’m doing something correctly.
Hopefully I can continue on this trajectory, record and release my backlog of songs and perhaps I’ll share music that resonates with people. Whether it’s a rendition of a traditional blues style or idea, or something bit more unusual or contemporary, I’d like to think there’s something for a broad range of listeners.
