Shawn Pittman

By Kevin Wildman Oklahoma native and Austin transplant, bluesman Shawn Pittman is back with another great album, Make It Right! Make It Right! is Shawn’s 13 th solo album, and the follow up to 2018s Everybody Wants To Know, the album that he did in conjunction with Jay Moeller. Make It Right! was released on Continental Blue Heaven records and features thirteen of the best traditional style Blues songs that I’ve heard in a long time. Four or five of them are covers, and the rest are Shawn Pittman originals. When I sit here and listen to this newly received CD, visions of Lightnin’ Hopkins and John Lee Hooker race through my mind. On this album, Shawn truly embraces his roots. This is something that seems to be lacking in a lot of Blues recordings these days and although it sounds traditional, it also sounds sincerely like Shawn, a newly revitalized Shawn. Shawn usually takes a little time between albums to collect his thoughts. Sometimes the breaks are large, sometimes just a year or two. His recordings have slowed down a bit since 2009 and 2010 when he was turning out several albums a year, but now he seems a bit more focused and the quality of the songs are just fantastic. Shawn recorded this album in Holland when he was over there doing a few festival shows in 2019. The album was recorded during breaks between shows. Recording took place at Heyman studios near Copenhagen. The owner of the studio, Christian Heyman Zinckernagel, was also the engineer there. He met Christian through his tour manager, Erkan Ozdemir, who was also doing double duty playing bass with Shawn on the tour. Levent Ozdemir, Erkan’s son, performed drums on the album. Evidently the studio and its surroundings helped to inspire Shawn and his new songs. He really felt comfortable there and got off to all the tape machines and analog radios around the studio. Right off the bat he struck up a friendship with Christian and the ambiance of the studio really made Shawn feel at home and helped to bring out his best work yet. Among the songs on the album are at least 4 covers, Albert King’s “Finger On The Trigger,” Junior Kimbrough’s “I Feel Good,” Eddie Taylor’s “There Will Be A Day,” and Bobby Blue Bland’s “Woke Up Screaming.” Although these songs are really great, the true gems on this album are the Shawn Pittman originals. “Finger On The Trigger” features some of the tastiest playing I’ve heard Shawn perform. On “I Feel Good”, Shawn keeps the groove flowing throughout the song, nothing fancy, just plain tasty. “There Will Be A Day,” really features some inspired picking, and “Woke Up Screaming,” is definitely a tour de force. The album starts off with a Shawn Pittman original, “Done Tole You So!”, and when Shawn sings “Done Tole You So”, there’s a lesson to be learned there. Yeah, he knew she would take your money, so don’t go knockin’ on his door cryin’. This is your the album, and it is so inspiring. It moves so classic song about gold digging women… effortlessly and sounds so smooth. And it’s building on the old themes of love and no wonder I think that. As they sat down to betrayal. record that song, Shawn tells us that Christian, “Make It Right,” the title song has a the engineer, declared that they were going to great gritty, drivin’ sound to it. It definitely make history with this song. Without a doubt, was the right song to name the album after. it’s one of my top picks off the album. He’s right you know, “Gotta Make It Better, Also, one of the most inspiring things Gotta Make It Right.” And he certainly did about this album is the lyrics. From thought with this album. He made it better and no provoking to plain visionary, the lyrics from doubt about… he made it right! this album are some of the best to come out of Everything is just right about this Shawn’s head to date. I know I’ve used this album. The songs, the song structure, the term already in this story, but here it comes melodies, the tones. Oh god, the tones… you again. The lyrics on this album are just could write a whole story about the tones that inspirational. They’re delivered with great Shawn is getting out of his Jimmy Vaughan thought and sincerity. There’s no forced Tex-Mex Strat and Super Reverb, not to falsetto’s (well, maybe one) or growls here, mention his Butterscotch tele through his just tastily delivered and honest. Bassman. But let’s not forget the other guys I could go on and on about this new in the equation either, Erkan and Levent are record, but the truth is you just got to just a powerhouse together. No wonder he experience it yourself. If you’re into Shawn picked them to play on his festival tour that Pittman already, then you know this is a good year. To use them in the studio was pure album. If you’ve never heard of Shawn genius. The three of them sound as if they before, you’ll swear you just discovered a had been playing together for years. The new talent... someone very sincere and honest. album really sounds tight. Yeah, this is one of Shawn’s best albums, if The song, “I’m Done,” has a refreshing not his best yet. slide guitar sound on it that’s really smooth. This album is well worth adding to Shawn tells us that that slide guitar was your collection, and for those of you who inspired by Hound Dog Taylor. Then you take have never heard about Shawn Pittman a song like “How Long.” All I can say is before, get up off your ass and get yourself a “Wow, what a great song.” The slow tempo copy. This will be one of the best traditional on this song is perhaps the slowest song on style Blues albums you’ll hear this year. September 2020 • Rock and Blues International 31