Alan Arena - Deceived - In Loving Memory of Paul Nelson

 

Produced by Paul Nelson(Music Room Studio A)

Co-Produced by Jared Ghioto and Brad Hallen

Frank Roszak Radio Promotions

 

This album is dedicated to Lizbeth and all caregivers - Donate to Alan's Cause:

             The Hugs for Lizbeth CaregiverFund(GoFundMe)

 

 

 

 

 

 

                   Alan Arena's latest release,"Deceived", is a true testament to loyal and lasting friendships . I took the time when writing this review to delve into Alan's backstory , and had quite a thrill checking out all his live music featured on YouTube , much of which I happily posted and shared on FB . 

                 

                     Alan Arena had two top 10 New England albums before moving away to become a caregiver for his best friend Lizbeth,struck down by Huntington's Disease . https://www.youtube.com/live/XzjirVBzv14?si=khMe9d27LH0gUYr6

                     

                      Alan thought performing original music might no longer be in his future , But when a new music venue opened up on Cape Cod , The Music Room , Alan checked out the club and it turned out to be the break that he never found in Boston. As fate would have it,Grammy Award-winning producer and guitarist Paul Nelson,who played with Johnny Winter for 14 years , was a partner at the venue . When they met,Paul asked Alan to play a couple of his songs,and,impressed , the two began working together at the club . Paul made Alan a stage manager at The Music Room where he opened for Denny Laine , Albert Lee , Kim Wilson , Mike Zito , Albert Castiglia , Shemekia Copeland , Bernard Allison , among many others , Paul and Alan were talking about collaborating on a Paul Nelson album when Paul suddenly passed away from a heart attack while on tour,March,2024 . Now Alan honors the legacy of his friend,Paul Nelson , by giving him writing credit for everything that he touched and inspired, as with "Deceived". 

                      

                        Paul Nelson arranged to bring together a remarkable rhythm section for the recordings that include : Bassist Brad Hallen (Susan Tedeschi,Roomful of Blues) ; Marty Richards,drummer (J Geils Band),and keyboardist Brooks Milgate (Chris O' Leary). They also recruited Jerry Portnoy (Muddy Waters) on harp on "Mother Earth" and Disney legend Milton Smith on strings to play on "Deceived". Let's not forget Jamie Brown , baritone vocals , "Raised on Radio" ; Joe Russo , vocals ; Allyssa Jones,vocals;as well as Stephen Clements,percussion.

                      " I speak to people through my songs and I try to give everyone a chance to be a friend. I'll give a guitar player a free lesson, or help a good local band get a gig, to me music is about community. It's good to get everyone ,including younger players, involved."

                     

                             Heavily influenced by the American songbook,honky tonk,,blues,R&B,roots,soul,gospel,jazz themes and more,Alan's music is joyfully unpredictable and wonderfully fresh . From the heart music filled with enormous passion and a whole lot of soul , with cleverly crafted songs that speak to all of us , "Deceived" is a musical journey well worth taking , filled with those unexpected twists,turns,and detours that surprise us and excite us.

                       

                         From the rock solid entertainment of the groove-driven,radio-friendly , sing along, crank it up opening track of "Raised On Radio"; to the title cut,"Deceived" , co-written with Paul Nelson , whose flamenco-inspired fret work is just amazing! ; "The Devil In The Bottle" is party-ready,soulfully swampy, and totally funked-up with clever lyrics that are great fun and unforgettable ; Check out "Hypnotized" , mesmerizing , a showcase for "Sax" Gordon Beadle's rockin' saxophone; "Mother Earth" , written by Memphis Slim, made popular by Tracy Nelson, gives Jerry Portnoy plenty of room to showcase his iconic harp work ; "Speed of Life" is a swirling musical soundscape,riveting organ,catchy honky-tonk piano , and pounding bass lines . a fusion that is out of this world ; "Deceived" is also brought back as a fascinating and spirited instrumental ; "Believe In Yourself(Radio Edit)" features some extraordinary work on the 88's by the always amazing Brooks Milgate;and we certainly cannot forget the blues-rockin' , good time "Big Black Cat" , whose lyrics are as much fun as the track itself . 

                    

                   "I miss the open, raw sound. I miss the space between the notes and the sense of timing . As Muddy Waters said,"Less is more." I love the feeling of the blues and will support artists like Kingfish and GA-20 whose recordings have a real taste of the past, and a fresh new sound at the same time . Bands like this will lead the way for other artists."

         

                         Alan Arena is a first-class entertainer who brings out the very best in everyone that he plays with . A wonderful storyteller whose clever originals mix inspired music with impactful and memorable songs, oftentimes drawing from personal experiences . Alan connects emotionally with audiences everywhere , with that soulful voice and a unique sound that is familiar but also fresh and exciting. "Deceived" is a wonderful and timeless tribute to the legendary Paul Nelson , whose imprint on these recordings shines brightly and will never be forgotten . "Deceived"  leaves every listener with an unforgettable experience that absolutely delivers over and over and over again.Crank this one way,way up!!

 

Review Written By - John Muller - Blue Notes and Conversations - raymondmuller567.wixsite.com/blue-notes-and-con-1