Gary Boyle - 1978 - Electric Glide

Gary Boyle

1978

Electric Glide

01. Snap Crackle 5:17
02. Hayabusa 4:10
03. Electric Glide 3:59
04. Morning Father Joys 5:04
05. Gaz 6:39
06. It's Almost Light Again 4:16
07. Grumble 2:35
08. Brat No. 2 4:20

Bass Guitar – John Giblin (tracks: A2, B1, B3), Phil Chen (tracks: A1, A3)
Drums – Richard Bailey (tracks: A1, A3), Simon Phillips (tracks: A2, B1 to B3)
Guitar – Gary Boyle, Gary Moore (tracks: A2, B1), Kenny Shaw (tracks: A4, B4), Robert Awhai  (tracks: A1, A3)
Keyboards – Pete Jacobsen (tracks: A1, A3)
Percussion – Simon Morton (tracks: A1, A3)

India’s contribution to Western popular music arcs from Sir Cliff Richards, Britain’s original teen idol, to rock and roll’s greatest voice Freddie Mercury, and from the father of Indo-jazz John Mayer to Vijay Iyer, perhaps the most lauded pianist in contemporary jazz. But there is another name, less well known but equally significant, that bridges these two worlds – rock and roll and jazz – and adds Indian colour to the history of rock and roll.

Gary Boyle, born in Patna in the waning days of the Empire, and highly regarded by peers, critics and industry giants, is possibly the greatest guitarist you’ve never heard of. Coming of age in the frenetic early years of rock and roll, Boyle’s story of a childhood spent in Bihar’s railway towns to playing with a veritable who’s who of jazz and rock such as Eddie Harris, Brian Auger, Dusty Springfield and Jimi Hendrix, is one of the most unlikely of rock and roll tales.

The firey guitarist from Isotope and Brian Auger's Trinity here presents eight tracks of jazz-rock, tight unison playing interspersed with jazzy solos. Consummate musicianship from all involved. Boyle himself ranges from a John Goodsall-like instrumental rock to almost a Wes Montgomery tone on other tracks, even acoustic on one track. Boyle has few equals on six strings and this is one of his best.