Otis Read and Jimmy Corwin & Friends

Chris Brooks on pedal steel guitar

Friday, October 31

Playing in the Tap Room

Show Time 8p | Free | 21+

ABOUT OTIS READ:

As a resident of Warren, Rhode Island, the 54 year-old Otis Read is best known locally for his work as a member of the Celtic band The Gnomes.
 
Throughout the last 30 years, this song composer proved himself to be an experienced performer in diverse musical genres such as blues, folk, jazz and Americana. But after all those sheltered years, he finally gave in to the itching to take up a solo album. Turn a Page is the result of all that work and Read can be very proud of the production.
 
This debut album consists of songs in the style of folk, country and blues that all speak of love in all its aspects. Most of the tracks were composed in the land of love, Italy, during his 3-year stay in the south European country.
 
In 2005, he suffered a heart attack and after the long recuperation period, Otis Read understood that the moment had come to take his self-composed songs out of the closet and bring them out in the open via his debut album.
 
Turn a Page is the first track on the CD and allows us to hear Irish sounds along with a strikingly present tin whistle played by Phil Edmonds. The acoustic guitar dominates again in the uptempo track Before I Met You. In the song Riding on the Highway, Read says it took him 10 years to finish that song after the germ idea came to him during a long car ride.
 
Most of the songs of Turn a Page have come to fruition during the last 3 decades and are only now seeing the light of day thanks to the creation of this debut album as solo artist. Otis Read says that the songs Wake Me and Rainbow were written already 30 years ago and the song I'm Going Home was waiting in the aisles for 15 years before it was brought out.
 
The typical influences of country are present in every song and the banjo, fiddle and pedal steel form the musical witnesses to this heritage. Some highlights are worth pointing out: Like a Javelin, Wake Me and I Miss The Love, the instrumental accordion played by Phil Edmonds on Wined and Dined and concluding with Wishin' and Missin' You.
 
Otis Read promises that Turn a Page is the first of 4 CDs that he will bring out in a short time span. A country album, a folk album and a R&B album will follow shortly thereafter. If he wants to send them all to Rootstime, we will have our hands full with the reviewing. Luckily, we will still manage this duty with great pleasure.

With long time guitar player for Otis Read,