When It's Time/ Blackstratblues - instrumental blues-rock


By Narendra Kusnur 

 Album: When It's Time
Artiste: Blackstratblues
Genre: Instrumental blues-rock
Label: Self-released
Rating: *** 1/2

After fronting Mumbai rock band Zero, Warren Mendonsa turned solo with Blackstratblues, playing his guitar-based compositions. The project has had a good following on the live circuit, and regular recordings have attracted fans over the past 12 years.

The fifth Blackstratblues album When It's Time  was released last month to mark Mendonsa’s 40th birthday. Joining him are keyboardist Beven Fonseca, drummer Adi Mistry and drummer Jai Row Kavi, with saxophonist Sid Vashi appearing on the concluding title track.

When It's Time is a concept album on how life progresses in five-year spans till the age of 40. Though the base is blues-rock, one finds doses of funk and modern jazz, and even influences of guitarists like Carlos Santana, Lee Ritenour and John Scofield.

The album begins with a countdown by a young girl (Mendonsa’s daughter Nia) on ‘Tiny Bit Of Sky’, whose simple, balladsy melody line makes it one of the highlights. The first three numbers are leisurely paced, and Mendonsa peps up the tempo on ‘Interstellar Roadtrip’, which also uses a Mellotron.

‘Black Hole X3’ has a somewhat repetitive start but changes theme to a psychedelic route midway . Two favourites are ‘Looking For Polaris’, which has fluid guitars, and ‘Little Castles’, where Mendonsa plays guitar, bass and percussion himself.

The title-track keeps changing tempo, and the saxophone gives it a different flavour. All the musicians are tight, and the compositions are laid back and never flashy. Some new live favourites are sure to come out from here.


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