Phil Trigwell is back!  For those of you who are not familiar with Phil, he is an English rocker who moved to Sweden in the early seventies and is an active musician in the roots scene since 1958. He has recorded for Enviken and Tail Records. Boogie Woogie Cowboy is the one I have in my player now and it's a real bopper! Entirely recorded and performed by Phil Trigwell and A.J. Hakwinson in Los Bandhagos. If you want to know where exactly Los Bandaghos is, then you'll have to listen to the last track on this CD.

Opening up with an energetic footstomper "Rock, Bop, Jump & Jive" the pace and quality is set for the rest of the CD. Hakwinson is a virtuoso guitarpicker and if you listen to his playing throughout the CD you'll notice that he masters every aspect of his instrument to lay down a unique 50's style and sound. Phil Trigwell's voice is a warm and pleasant one, and he can display energy and power as well as a laid back, jazzy voice. No drums are used on the entire CD, but thanks to the driving rhythms of the musicians you don't miss them for a single second. Next song is a cover of the Delmore Brothers "Freight Train Boogie", very well done. Phil is also a skillful songwriter and the third track is one of the songs on this CD coming from Phil's pen. Great lyrics and guitars! Next is the title song "Boogie Woogie Cowboy" a C&W standard recorded by Merl Travis, Spike Jones, Tubbs and of course Snow. Phil recorded a more than worthy addition to this list. One of songs that made my ears perk is "Travelin'Light", best known of course as the number one hit Cliff Richard had with it. Cliff's version was of course very laid back but Phil and A.J. pumped it up a little bit to a catchy truckers song. I've heard several versions of this song, Billy Holliday's, Andy Tielman's and Allison Moyette's but this new version stands out.

This album is filled with great cowboy songs old and new, bringing back the days of old, a joy for my ears, and I'm convinced, yours as well.

Tracklisting:
Rock, Bop, Jump & Jive / Freight Train Boogie / They Just Wanna Rock 'n' Roll / Boogie Woogie Cowboy / I'll Never Forget / No Good Lover / When Payday Rolls Around / Welcome To Paradise / Hillbilly Express / Pretty Pretty Baby / Sugar Moon / Travelling Light / Milk Bucket Boogie / Since You Went Away To School / Hooray For That Little Difference / Trouble Finds Me / A Picture Of Me / Adios Bandhagos

Musicians:
Phil Trigwell - All lead and background vocals, double bass
A.J. Hakwinson - All lead guitars, banjo's, Acoustic guitar, double bass

Information & bookings:
Phil Trigwell
Phone: 00468 6471237
philtrigwell@hotmail.com

Tessy Records
Hinter den Grasshöfen 74
38524 Sassenburg
Germany
http://www.tessyrecords.de

Rhythm Bomb Records
PO BOX 130152
27466 Cuxhafen
Germany
http://www.rhythmbomb.com

Reviewed by Uncle_B, 2006