I've always thought of Andy Earle, long a fixture in Durham clubs, as a bluesman. Having seen him countless times in various configurations, from Highway 61 to hosting various jams, it's always been in a blues setting. And a fine bluesman he is, his spare, clean guitar work perfectly complimented by an unusually expressive voice, capable of everything from a mesmerizing whisper to a rafter-shaking roar.Whether detailing life's joys or its sorrows, Andy is an utterly engrossing performer.

But there's another facet to Andy's considerable talents; as the leader of his own trio (with Ron Eller on drums and bassist Keith Dindayal), Andy, who's originally from Barbados, delivers a program of R&B spiced with an irresistibly bouncy calypso beat, easy and warm as a summer breeze. The group's repertoire mixes originals with timeless chestnuts like Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now," the Drifters' "Under The Boardwalk," and Gershwin's "Summertime," here given an unusually lilting treatment that nonetheless perfectly captures the song's essence. Even moody, minor key ballads that in lesser hands would wallow in darkness and despair somehow seem to promise comfort and contentment when Andy tackles 'em.
While his fretwork is admirably agile, it's as a vocalist that Andy truly shines; he caresses a lyric like a lover, his rich baritone a seductive purr both warm and inviting. Yet soothing though it may be, there's an ever-present and unmistakeable sense of barely-controlled power to Andy's singing, a raw and unbridled passion seething just under the surface. Woe betide those who'd underestimate him!

The Andy Earle Trio serve up music perfect for dancing and romancing, ideally suited to swaying slowly with a willing partner in one's arms. As a bluesman he has few peers; as only a very few can, he's able to take audiences on a journey from raucous celebration to the very heart of darkness, routinely leaving audiences breathless from the experience, yet happy indeed to have accompanied him on his travels through the emotional spectrum.
In short, whatever the configuration and regardless of musical genre, Andy Earle is one of Durham's treasures. Catch him whenever you can!