Joe McMurrian

Live At The Aztec Theater
Self Produced

Live At the Aztec Theater was released in tandem with Joe McMurrian’s latest studio recording Old Blood last fall. It is a spectacular documentation of McMurrian’s amazing dexterity on guitar and banjo, his songwriting, and the command he has when performing. Taking his influences from the musicians who created the original blues, he brings the music up to date and completely transforms it into his own modern readings while never losing the effect the masters intended or the feel of the emotions behind what the blues are supposed to be about.

Selections on Live At the Aztec Theater cover a lot of McMurrian’s background as well as his newer work from the Old Blood release. There are offerings of his brilliant self-written compositions that are intense and deeply crafted in their lyrics and the instrumentation that flows from his mind. He is innovative in his music, perhaps one of the most creative songwriters in the blues and acoustic music today. It is jaw-dropping how powerful his playing comes across and the crowd at this performance eats up every moment of one song after another that mesmerizes and keeps drawing you into his realm of greatness.

It does not matter what McMurrian is performing on stage. It all comes across from deep within his heart. These are songs that matter. Whether covering traditional blues masterworks like Skip James’ “Hard Time Killing Floor,” Son House’s “Preaching Blues,” Blind Willie McTell’s “Broke Down Engine Blues” or the inspirational gospel classic “I’ll Fly Away,” McMurrian performs each with a perfect delivery. His own compositions set the bar on this album, though. He recreates his own material from Old Blood in magnificent fashion and lets us see that his own numbers are every bit as vital as those who have inspired him to play the blues to begin with. Songs like “Snow Mountain Blues” and “Lost In The Country” may be new, but they fall right in line with what this music should sound like, and does in the more than capable hands of Joe McMurrian.

Live At The Aztec Theater is a must have recording for anybody who loves acoustic music, blues, Americana, folk or whatever, it does not matter. This is one that will capture your heart and will be a favorite for years to come. Place him in a live setting and let Joe McMurrian take you into a world of wonder and awe. It has that effect.

Total Time: 72:35

Preaching Blues / Over The Hill / Down To The River Crying / Lost In The Country / Blue Meadow / Sugar Babe / Drop Down Mama / God Moves On The Water / Old Blue / Hard Time Killing Floor / I’ll Fly Away / Get Away From My Window / Snow Mountain Blues / Broke Down Engine Blues / Catfish And Whiskey / You’ve Got To Move / Standing On Highway 61