Bob Malone }-- Reviews

Bob Malone is one of those few musicians whose show seems to end much too soon, leaving you with the urge to hear more. A ragtime bluesman with the look of an Old West elixir-peddler, Malone spins yarns and music out of personal moments he invites you to share with him.

Sitting at his battered old piano, and backed by a nine-piece band which includes horns, conga drums and a pair of female harmony singers, Malone combines Randy Newman-like melodies with a Tom Waits delivery clothed in Joe Cocker-styled arrangements.

Malone's songwriting is very smart, somewhat like that other piano man, Billy Joel's somgwriting used to be - except that Malone's playing ability is in another dimension. His songs take you with him into his world, where it's a bit seedy, a bit sad and sometimes funny. But it's also interesting and curious, and a place where you don't mind spending a little time.

His raspy, sweet vocals tell tales of a well-traveled vagabond musician. His melodies are simple, yet sophisticated, with infectious rhythms driving each song. Most of them cover his personal recollections about his life and loves, and other observations of the human condition, usually from the viewpoint of a barstool or fleabag hotel. Although it's an area that has been touched by others, such as Waits and Bob Seger, Malone takes the best of each and makes it his own, without seeming derivative.

His presence and manner onstage are personable and intimate, almost like a friend playing a special song just for you in your own living room. His use of horns and congas as part of the arrangement pumps the edge of the music into a jazz flowing medely. Down-home blues, R&B and blues-jazz fusion combine in a clear flowing stream.

Malone and his band make complicated transitions seem simple and casual, and his choice of partners for this gig was well-made, as they easily followed his lead and took their own when called upon. Most appeared to be well-traveled themselves - there were few youngsters in this group. But their age simply translated into experience and the courage to take risks with the music - something many of today's younger groups just don't seem to do.

Malone's songs are touching, heart-wrenching, and at times humorous. "Raydaddy's Blues" and "It Took An Older Woman (To Make A Man Out Of Me)" were outstanding. The title track from his CD The Darkest Part Of The Night, was an exceptional blend of blues, jazz and showmanship.

While playing, Malone rarely leaves his piano, and there's really no need for him to. For emphasis, he rises off the bench now and then, or pumps his leg to the beat of the music. Still, his greatest command is over the keyboard, and over the communication he establishes with the audience through his performance.

Malone's been called one of the "Hottest Unsigned Acts In L.A." Why he's still on his own is one of the mysteries of the music industry, as you don't see talent in a package like this very often. So, if you want to be entertained at a reasonable price, check him out - before someone in the biz wises up and makes you pay for the privilege of seeing him perform live.