Sometimes even the Bluesbunny will sit down and relax, pour a glass of something strong and pretend that time has no meaning. Hussein Boon's debut album, Life Changes, is packed with ambient, flowing sounds. Perfect for those rainy Friday nights at home.
"Mellow" pretty much sums itself up. Kick off your shoes, loosen that tie and grab that bourbon! Gentle keyboards form a glacial cave around Boon's melodious picking on "On A Clear Day", and all of a sudden, you're someplace far from home.
The title track is a blues/jazz crossover, and particularly enjoyable at that. Boon's playing is seamless, and the chillout accompaniment only exaggerates his melodies. "Night Train" has a more urban feel to it, but is no less listenable. There's a certain string of notes in "The Last Glass" that takes me into a classy 1950s New York restaurant. One of those joints where the down 'n' outs can't get in. One of those joints that I couldn't get into.
It's ever the pitfall for the instrumental musician - the coffee shop. While Boon's CD is probably the best instrumental jazz release you'll hear this year, it may well also be the only one. It would be a great shame if the music of Hussein Boon was confined to coffee shops because its boundaries are far outside such places.
It's also worth noting that this album would be well suited as a soundtrack to an X-rated movie. While this probably won't happen, it's maybe worth a go sticking it on if your partner's dissatisfied in bed. Hell, it's worth a shot!
Anyone who appreciates the guitar will respect the worth of Hussein Boon. In an age when the charts are clogged with snotty white boys overusing the C chord, it's refreshing to have somebody playing music with a bit of soul to it.