Nobody understands life’s cyclical, circular nature any better than Tinsley Ellis. After learning guitar at an early age and then joining The Alleycats in the late ’70s and in 1982 forming The Heartfixers, his Atlanta-based Blues/Rock outfit, Ellis eventually felt the pull of a solo career when he realized he wanted to be a Blues songwriter, not merely a Blues interpreter.
Ellis is used to working quickly — two days to record, two days to mix — but he’s been working on his as-yet untitled eleventh album for more than a month. Although that added time would normally imply more sonic bells and whistles, Ellis notes that his new album may well be his most scaled back studio effort to date.
“It has a real trio kind of sound. I hate to say people’s names, because I’d be comparing myself to them,” says Ellis with a laugh. “Imagine ‘trio Blues/Rock’ and certain names come up; one from Texas, one from England and one from Seattle and England. The traditional Blues music that I love to listen to and we feature from time to time on the bandstand is my passion, but that Southern Blues Rock is my birthright.”
Ellis’s sparse new direction was sparked by the demos he recorded at his small home studio. In listening back to his personal sessions, Ellis was struck by their powerful simplicity. He plays Play by Play in Silverton with The Jon Justice Band. Get show details and read Brian Baker's interview here.
