by guitardoorAugust 9, 2021
https://guitardoor.com/birmingham-blues-legend-ritchie-dave-porter/

Birmingham is cited for numerous Musical Phenoms and holds as Home for Ritchie Dave Porter the Birmingham Blues Legend. It’s hard to buy something for a man who has everything. In Ritchie’s case, it’s hard to say more positive accolades than he already has been given. However, I am going to add another voice to the Choir.

I knew instantly just by two songs into the latest project we not only had a love for the Telecaster but we also play diverse styles of guitar and that’s the mark of a musician. Some people learn to play in an academic sense and there is not any Negative to that. However you have players of any chosen instrument, but a Musician is a different animal by the Origin of the word muse. There’s a magic there, Mr. Porter is tapped into the Muse. I myself as “Jimmy Fleming” 30 plus years as the guitarist professionally am an odd duck. When I hear a player who is better than me I get excited, not jealous or cynical. Ritchie sure stirred some excitement.

BECOMING A BIRMINGHAM BLUES LEGEND

On the Subject of Birmingham, he relayed “ I was born in Marston Green in Birmingham UK on January 18th, 1970. Birmingham is home to half of Led Zeppelin and all Black Sabbath and before the epidemic was thriving blues and Hard Rock City. Hopefully, things will return to normality once the epidemic is over as gigs and festivals were obviously canceled but will slowly resume.”

WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT THE BIRMINGHAM BLUES LEGEND RITCHIE DAVE PORTER

‘King of minimalist Blues with plenty of feels ‘-Get Ready to Rock! Radio, Pete Feenstra

‘Ritchie Dave Porter is one of the finest Blues Rock guitarists to come out of Birmingham UK. Power, control and an instinctive emotional touch ‘-Rock Radio UK, Trevor Hazel

‘There is no doubt about it, Ritchie Dave Porter is prolific, giving us a constant stream of high-quality guitar work that is outstanding ‘-Blues In the South magazine, Ian k McKenzie

‘Ritchie is not afraid to mix his Blues with jazz and rock and even Spanish influences and plays a sparkling guitar’-Blues magazine

He is such a player that that thing many of us dream and froth at the mouth over, the “Endorsement Deal” came to knock on his Guitar Door as well. “Eko guitars Italy asked me to be an official Endorsed Artist as I play Eko dreadnought electroacoustic when I play acoustic so I still endorse their acoustic guitars to this day. I first bought an EKO due to Jimmy Page using an Eko acoustic in the 1970s on some Led Zeppelin performances live and in the studio. The page will always be a huge influence as is Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix and Carlos Santana and Johnny Winter.

In addition to the EKO Gear wise…”At present, I have recorded Blues, Blues Jazz, Blues Rock, Hard Rock using electric guitars mostly Telecasters, and also released acoustic blues records although I rarely play acoustic these days as I love playing my Telecasters so much as they feel perfect to play and have that classic tone. I do not use foot pedals at all just a Telecaster through a Marshall amp .”

When speaking to new Players or players looking advance forward in the new days we live in He Imparted “ I would encourage new guitar players to play from the heart and master rhythm guitar playing before learning how to play solos.A new player should listen to Blues guitarists and understand pentatonic scales and play with feel and soul not go for speed as speed is great but feel and soul is more important otherwise it is soulless.’

Talking the Jam of the Magic Lamp “ If I could jam with anyone it would be Jimmy Page for sure I love his style, tone, and eclectic versatility, he was one of the innovators and an excellent electric and acoustic guitarist. If Page and I jammed it would be one hell of a Blues jam for sure.”

Now Ritchie is not alone in his endeavours and is well pleased to have a Partner in music Enter Debra Susan. “ I invited Debra for coffee and played her the rhythm guitar part and riffs to what became our first single “One Hell Of A Ride” and Debra immediately impressed me, singing incredibly and wrote the lyrics right away. It was a magical meeting and we ate now a blues and rock duo and in a romantic relationship so musically and personally we are very happy, creatively and romantically.” “ Debra and I are opening the forthcoming John Bonham A Celebration 2 Festival on Saturday 25th September and as we are huge Led Zeppelin fans it is an absolute honour to open and perform at this Rock Festival in John Bonham’s hometown of Redditch.”

The latest of Richie Dave Porter’s work is a set of 6 singles with Debra and Producer Michael Tingle. What I heard made me go back in thought yet again to Music Being Art on the Canvas of Silence. This Gentleman uses every hue of color. He is not a “one-trick pony” and he is, as I’ve discovered lately of The Guitarists in the U.K., just a real good-natured fellow. If we can have a Pandemic, I want one of Humility and equal respect. They have it across the Pond.

Fast Train Rollin ‘- A new piece in the history of the Blues

Translated from the Italian website.  See the original review here.

A fixture of ours in the last four years leads us to be spectators of the ever-growing artistic path of the Birmingham bluesman : Ritchie Dave Porter .

One year after his previous work ‘End Of The Line’ the English singer, composer and guitarist returns with a new album with a title that represents his artistic path: ” Fast Train Rollin ‘ “. A train that shows no sign of wanting to stop and that is always ready to overcome the different stations that it meets along its route, even the most inaccessible ones. An aptitude that led to the birth of ten new songs that quickly went on to give shape to the artist’s new record birth. A new beginning, as announced by the initial “ New Beginnings”. Ritchie’s style is well known but his Acoustic Blues and his emotional and poetic touch even where words don’t need to appear is a signature that guarantees each piece. We are well aware that what has been written up to this point may appear to be a slip-through or point to suspicions of favoritism but there is no denying the very personal style of the artist and what he manages to convey. A very simple imprint, without the need for particular moves or winks. ” Blues To The End ” is the most striking example; Blues lines that come directly from the banks to the Mississippi River , from those mysterious and evocative lands that have seen the birth of the Father of Blues, Robert Johnson; a song of absolute simplicity. More particular and with echoes reminiscent of some songs by Willy DeVille is the following ” The Girl With Red Hair “. A mix of blues and gypsy rhythms that infuse this piece with very bright colors. A romantic ballad that, however, does not let itself be enchanted by the easy melody and by the too obvious lyrics, even if the arrangement is very simple and linear. A road that continues into the next “Sarah” by creating a sort of connection between the two tracks, both musically and lyrically with softer guitar lines in the stanzas and more pronounced in the chrous, a choice that partly separates the two songs but still leaving them linked. The title track of the album leaves behind a strange aura, perhaps due to the speed with which it is played, in line with its title, leaving just enough time to notice its arrival and being invested without warning even if anticipated by a intro slow and cadenced, almost gloomy. The following ” Cold Black Heart ” and ” Loner Blues ” follow the typical canons of Acoustic Blues, without decorative frills and without external influences, while with ” Sirocco ” we witness a new incursion of Mediterranean rhythms and sounds, warm and sensual. ” Just Give Me More Days ” and ” Spirits Of The Woods ” (the only track in which the drums appear to support the rhythm of guitar and bass lines ), they close the album mixing the scanty Blues of the first with the rocking scents of the second.

An immediate album that once again confirms the spontaneity of Ritchie Dave Porter’s artistic path ; an album of pure Blues, blood and direct. No useless ceremonies, simple rhythms, guitar and voice, a barely mentioned bass and drums only when needed, few elements but incisive and devoted to the cause.