Trevor Babajack Steger is an English musician, raised listening to his mother, a club singer and the only two records in his parents record collection, Johnny Cash and Rory Gallagher. So, in the late seventies his own musical adventures began by playing bass in a local punk band. In 1981 a friend dragged him reluctantly along to see Nine Below Zero, the day after he bought himself a Sonny Boy Williamson record and a blues harp and he was hooked.
Fast forward several years and finding himself disillusioned with the restraints and pressure of a recording studio the musician decided to decamp to his narrowboat,’ Sirius’ to record his latest album, ‘Six Foot Ten’.
As Steger explains:
With only physical space a constraint, I created a floating studio on my boat, hanging up blankets, blocking off the windows and rigging up two condenser mics. With just a couple of national guitars, my case of harmonicas and a well stocked fridge, I felt I could take the time to explore, improvise and refine.
At the end of six days I was excited that I’d managed to capture the best takes of the ten tracks and now they were ready for Paul Jones of MuMu Audio to shape them into workable rough mixes.
The resulting record sounds so authentic it’s almost as if it had been lifted straight out the delta blues scene on the 1930s!
Across ten tracks and forty three minutes the album is a sonic treat to the ears and there isn’t a bad song on it. In fact. The biggest issue is trying to find a highlight amongst the recorded gems contained within as every song is a classic. Steger’s gavel edged vocal gives an earthy depth to the songs and is wonderfully intertwined with his guitar skills.
Opening the record, ‘Farewell Sorrow’ is a slick slide guitar drenched song that harks back to the acoustic work of the late Rory Gallagher. Adding a haunting atmosphere to the song is the stunning violin playing and backing vocal by Jo Chambers. It takes a brave musician to tackle one of the greatest blues songs ever recorded, but on ‘Gallows Pole’, Steger adds his name to the illustrious list of artists who has successfully recorded and made the song their own. With added percussion added by Jesse Benns and Jo Chambers once again adding her magical vocal skills, alongside Steger’s guitar and harmonica. This is one of the best versions we’ve heard of this classic in years.
The upbeat country blues of ‘Gypsy Queen’ is foot stomping classic that once again utilises the skills of the three musicians and is destined to a favourite of Steger’s concerts. The history of the blues genre has long been associated with wandering musicians moving around, loving, leaving and a yearning for home. On the folk blues based ‘Travellers Song’ Steger perfectly captures all those subjects in three and half memorable minutes.
Steger explores the spiritual side of the blues on the inspiring ‘Dirt Poor Road’, while rounding out the record, ‘Back to The River’ leads the listener out with a delightful homage to narrowboat life.
Why Trevor Babajack Steger isn’t a household name is an absolute mystery, given his musical skills and song crafting ability. If there was any justice in the world then ‘Six Foot Ten’ should be every bit acclaimed as ‘Beggars Banquet’ and many others that were influenced by the same sources.
‘Six Foot Ten’ is a blues classic of the future.