Greg Koch Band
Plays Well with Others
Rhymes With Chalk Music
Wisconsin-based
guitarist
Greg Koch is
a fiendishly
talented player
who not only
amazes with
his twisted blues sensibilities, but can
also disarm you with his legendary sense
of humor. He does this here by inviting
Joe Bonamassa, Robben Ford, and Paul
Barrère to the party. Billed as by the Greg
Koch Band, Plays Well with Others is
more of a group effort than his previous
instrumental releases. Even after a casual
listen, you can hear this ensemble is a
well-unified entity that could lay waste to
any blues bar this side of Kenosha.
The slinky, legato run that opens “Simone” is pure Koch—ear-twisting intervals combined with a down-home sensibility that’s equal parts Billy F. Gibbons and Joe Satriani. Bonamassa steps in for a chorus before trading with Koch, and in typical fashion, executes perfect EJ-esque runs with a bluesy bent. Jazz-bopper Robben Ford adds his unique, sophisticated lines on three cuts, including the strongest track on the album, “Walk Before You Crawl.” This album finally shows Koch in his most accessible context, as part of a rock-solid blues band. This album is bound to spread Koch’s reputation past Summerfest crowds and NAMM geeks who surf YouTube demo videos.
Must-hear track: “Walk Before You Crawl”