CD REVIEWS Bert Deivert Takin’ Sam’s Advice Gravitation GRA026

Source: Real Blues magazine, Canada
Date: 05/20008
Writer: Andy Grigg

On rare occasions we will get an album by an Acoustic Blues Artist (Caucasian) that actually has something new, unique and refreshing to say and “Takin’ Sam’s Advice” is a case in point and ranks as the Very Best of its’ particular genre. Yes, Bert Deivert refurbishes a dozen classic Blues numbers but they are mainly less-familiar titles and Deivert is a very wise and seasoned veteran who has made the music conform TO HIM, a factor that is oh-so-important when covering others’ tunes. Deivert says it in a ‘new way’ that immediately catches one off-guard and the man is both an Ace acoustic guitar/mandolin picker and a very fine singer who delivers with seeming ease.

There aren’t many acoustic recordings that can get me up and dancing but the String Band ensemble (Per-Arne Pettersson – dog bass, Nina Anderberg – fiddle, Dan Magnusson – drums, Janne Zander – resonator/baritone guitars, Peter Case– harmonica, Brian Kramer – slide guitar and Bert D. on mandolin/guitar) doesn’t give you any other alternative as they jump-the-boogie on “Seems Like A Dream”, with Deivert exhibiting mucho prowess on the mandolin.

Bert Deivert deserves every bit of support and attention we can direct his way. 5 Bottles for some Blues Purity all the way from the Baltic Ocean. Bert Deivert is spreading The Blues Truth and there ain’t a more noble or important occupation.

- Andy Grigg

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Source: Il Blues, Italy
Date: 12/2008
Writer: Silvano Brambilla

On the side of emotions - TAKIN' SAM'S ADVICE - BERT DEIVERT

Bert Deivert, with his self-produced TAKIN' SAM'S ADVICE, takes us by the hand and leads us back to the Mississippi Delta, to offer us pleasing revisitations of traditional acoustic pieces.  

Deivert doesn't revolutionize the songs, he highlights them with a fresh approach and feeling, the delicate intensity that defines blues at its roots.

He plays acoustic guitar, slide and mandolin, but he hasn't done everything alone: he surrounded himself with a broad combo of talented Swedish musicians who play violin, banjo, other acoustic guitars, harmonica, standup bass, drums and vocal accompaniment Althogether they are a great "listen", in the swinging rhyhtm of Seems Like A Dream, in My Baby's Gone (both by Yank Rachell), and in the slow traditional Crow Jane (with a second female voice). Excellent duets between guitars, mandolin and voice in Big Road Blues, Bert's own When You Got A True Friend, That's Alright  by Jimmy Rogers and the version of Broke and Hungry (by Sleepy John Estes) with singer-songwriter Peter Case on voice, guitar and harmonica. 

After Divin' Duck Blues Deivert does wonders by himself, with the slide on his finger, on Preaching Blues and Levee Camp Moan (both by the great Son House) AND with the traditional Silver City and Morning Blues, pizzicato style.

Truly excellent.

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Source: Blues in Britain, UK
Date: 12/2007
Writer: Michael Prince

Bert Deivert, although originally from the USA, is a long-term resident of Sweden.

Bert Deivert is more of a traditional downhome blues artist, playing guitars and mandolin. The latter instrument is obviously of great importance to Bert and in this respect Yank Rachell has clearly been one of his greatest influences. No fewer than three songs by Rachell feature on this release. On many of the tracks, Deivert is joined by other musicians, such as Tom Paley (on guitar rather than banjo here), fellow American resident of Sweden, Brian Kramer and the harmonica player from Kramer’s band, Mats Qwarfordt. The opening track, “Seems Like a Dream” gets the album off to a great start and definitely makes you feel you want to hear the rest of it. Son House’s “Preaching Blues” receives a solo reading, with Bert playing some fine Delta slide on a single-cone National. He is a great fingerpicker as well, as witnessed by his version of Willie Brown’s “Mississippi Blues”. There are 14 tracks in all, offering plenty of variety, so this is a CD that I, and doubtless other listeners, will come back to again and again.

Rating: 9 of 10
-. Michael Prince

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Source: HUDBA magazine, Slovakia
Date: 11/2007
Writer: Peter Radvanyi

Bert Deivert´s new album is a pleasure for every fan of traditional acoustic blues. Deivert is a white American bluesman, who was inspired by Son House. After seeing his performance in 1966 he took the neck from bottle of wine and started to use it to play on his guitar. Later he was a street musician in San Francisco and in the year 1974 he moved to Scandinavia.

Over there he recorded couple of solo albums and three albums together with well-known black bluesman Eric Bibb, who also lived in Sweden. Deivert named his new studio album from July of this year "Takin´ Sam´s Advice" . It is dedicated to his idols and leads back to the roots. As he wrote in the booklet of the CD, his new album is dedicated to the memory of Son House, Sam Chatmon and Yank Rachell, who led him to blues music.

They have great influence on his style of playing and their records are an inspiration for him, even today. He is a singer with an expressive voice, and mandolin and resophonic guitar player. His new album offers blues classics – acoustic versions of old songs and not only by the three bluesman mentioned before, but also by other legendary masters like Tommy Johnson, Bo Carter or Sleepy John Estes as well as an original song by him and Brian Kramer " When You Got A True Friend". While recording in the studio he got help from several friends, his steady concert mate – slide guitarist Janne Zander, drummer Dan Magnusson and bassist Per-Arne Pettersson. Some tracks were guested by guitarists Brian Kramer, Tom Paley, Lasse Boström, and harp players Peter Case and Mats Qwarfordt, banjo player Gunnar Backman, who together with Deivert is also co-producer of the album, fiddler Nina Anderberg and in the song Crow Jane we can hear also vocal by his daughter Emmy Deivert.

As I already wrote at the beginning, Deivert´s album is dedicated to listeners who like traditional delta and country blues. The greates achievement, besides excellent sound, is the fact that the songs don´t stick to a slavish effort to copy the originals. Bert Deivert and his friends play with a great light touch, very naturally, and thanks to their excellent instrumental skills and convincing vocals, they demonstrate that the songs of the old blues masters are still relevant today. They still have something to say to today´s listeners despite all the years that have gone by. Some of the songs, like Seems Like A Dream, I Want You To Know and My Baby´s Gone, are played with such good taste and liveliness that one would think they are recorded in concert. And although the new album introduces nothing groundbreakingly new, except the seldom heard combination of blues mandolin and slide guitar, it is an excellent cd and I can say also it is a timeless album, to which every blues fan can listen and won´t be disappointed.

- Peter Radvanyi

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Source: Blues News magazine, Germany
Date: 10/2007
Writer: Christian Schrober



Bert Deivert’s passion for the blues began in 1966 when he saw Son House for the first time on tv. At the time, sixteen year old Bert Deivert was so impressed  by what he saw that he broke a wine bottle to make a bottleneck for his slide guitar. Since then he has devoted himself to the traditional playing styles of country blues as realized on guitar and mandolin.  In 1974 this American emigrated to Sweden where he celebrated success as a singer/songwriter as well as solo guitarist together with other artists from Eric Bibb to Wanda Jackson.

Deivert dedicated his current album, Takin’ Sam’s Advice, to blues legends Son House, Sam Chatmon, and Yank Rachell, where he presents traditional country & hokum blues material that he instills with enthusiastic and impressive adaptations. From the first cascades of mandolin notes on the opening track Seems Like A Dream (Yank Rachell) one becomes engulfed by the album as if it were a whirling Nordic maelstrom, from the cutting slide riffs to the sprightly mandolin licks, until one, aptly enough, rises up again for the  Divin’ Duck Blues (also Yank Rachell).

And there in-between, Deivert delivers fantastic versions of classics like Big Road Blues (Tommy Johnson), Preachin’ Blues (Son House) or Silver City (Mance Lipscomb). The reason this acoustic album is so refreshing is that finally mandolin and fiddle are brought to the forefront, which, since the early days of blues, have been almost completely lost to the domains of bluegrass. Seldom have these traditional songs sounded as fresh, relaxed and alive as in Deivert’s versions.

A spectacular album.

- Christian Schrober

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Source: Blues-Finland.com
Date: 10/2007
Writer: Pasi Tuominen

Acoustically yours

”Takin’ Sam’s Advice” is a cd by Bert Deivert, who is coming to Jyväskylä Blues Live. This Bostonian, who has moved to Sweden, takes a deep bow towards his musical godfathers Yank Rachell and Son House.

“Takin’ Sam’s Advice” is the ninth album by Bert Deivert. This artist, born in Boston in 1950, was hooked on blues by Son House as a teenager, when he saw the Missisippi man on tv. The influence of his other great musical role model, Yank Rachell, can also been heard on the new record.
Deivert’s musical career started seriously in the beginning of the 70s after he moved to San Francisco. He played there as a street musician and gathered a lot of experience. However, Bert has lived in Sweden for a long time, and there he has had the opportunity of working together with Eric Bibb and Wanda Jackson, among others. “Mandolin is a scorned instrument in acoustic blues” Bert says, referring to his favorite instrument, “and very few artists produce albums featuring mandolin.”

“Takin’ Sam’s Advice” – naturally doesn’t leave you wanting for mandolin. The instrument casts its sweet voice on many pieces.The only Deivert-original on the record, “When You Got a True Friend”, written together with Brian Kramer, is a good example of that. The piece belongs to the freshest part of the album, with mandolin playing suiting Kramer's acoustic guitar very well.

The other outstanding mandolin track is the energetic opening piece “Seems Like a Dream”. This driving piece on the record is actually hit material. The song, recorded by Yank Rachell in 1941, will also appear on the Rachell tribute record which will be published at the end of autumn. Folk song interpretation “Crow Jane” is also lively and it is spiced by by the vocal background singing of Emmy Deivert and the banjo of Gunnar Backman.

The Sleepy John Estes interpretation of “Broke and Hungry” reminds one of Deivert’s and Peter Case’s years on the streets of Frisco. The “duo” plays a fearless, inspiring version of the song. Among more minimalistic tracks are “My Baby’s Gone” (also Rachell) and particularly Son House’s “Levee Camp Moan” which Deivert performs in a direct attacking manner – the piece is over seven minutes long as if it would underline the agony which lies in the true-life background of the song.

Worth mentioning are also the folk melodies “Morning Blues” which Bert interprets clearly with respect to John Sebastian, as well as “Missisippi Blues” which is decorated by the pleasant guitar figures of Lasse Boström.
The album has the mark of a very strong tribute. This time one pays the deepest homage to Yank Rachell, whose pieces both begin and end the record. Though 14 songs might be considered a little too much for a record which is based on a rather minimal gallery of instruments, the carefully planned structure holds the listener's interest. It would have been nice to hear more original material. In any case, Bert Deivert is an excellent singer and musician who is performing at the Jyväskylä Blues Live! festival, and should not be missed!

- Pasi Tuominen

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Source: Evening Herald, Dublin Ireland
Date: 08/2007
Writer: Sarah McQuaid

Born and raised on the East coast of the USA, Bert Deivert honed his bottleneck guitar and mandolin chops in San Francisco, then moved on to Sweden, where he's still based today. 'Takin' Sam's Advice' is his ninth album and has the kind of laid-back, relaxed feel that only veteran musicians seem to be able to muster. It's also a great argument for the mandolin as a blues instrument, particularly when Deivert lets rip on 'My Baby's Gone', one of three tracks here that were originally recorded by the late great blues mandolin pioneer Yank Rachell (1910-1997). Peter Case, an old pal of Deivert's from his San Francisco days, joins him on a delightfully raw and ragged interpretation of 'Broke And Hungry' by Sleepy John Estes, and there are also guest appearances from Tom Paley and Brian Kramer among others. This is an immensely likeable CD, full of great down-home country blues picking and singing.

 - Sarah McQuaid

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Source: Blues News, Norway  
Date: 08/2007
Writer: Bjørn Wiksaas (Translation)

BERT DEIVERT
Takin’ Sam’s Advice
Gravitation Records 2007

Bert Deivert is probably a name that is not represented in everyone's record collections. We should do something about that because this American based in Sweden with more than 30 years in the blues is something as uncommon as a veteran with a genuinely novel approach to his music and his musical heroes. Bert Deivert, who also plays Irish traditional music with the emerald isle's Christy O'Leary - already has several good blues productions on his conscience. Three of them were done together with Eric Bibb.

As far as Deivert's heroes and musical influences go, we are speacking especially about Sam Chatmon, Son House, and Yank Rachell. That is, in the case of this cd, TAKIN' SAM'S ADVICE. And if anyone can't automatically recall Rachell, we can remind them that he was Sleepy John Estes' mandolin-playing partner. Rachell, who died in 1997, was the greatest player we have had on this instrument. In my opinion, the mandolin is a blues instrument that is used too seldom nowadays, and if for that reason only, one should consider Takin' Sam's Advice is "heaven-sent". However, Deivert plays mandolin and a variety of guitars, including slide, and he sings with a voice that is better than most.

Deivert uses a group made up of Swedish and American musicians for this production. The album opens with the very perky Rachell tune “Seems Like a Dream”. Bert has replaced the guitar on Rachell's 1941 recording with a very fine mandolin part. By the way, this song has been chosen (together with the Deivert/Peter Case duet BROKE AND HUNGRY) to be on the Yank Rachell tribute cd, which according to plans, will be out later this year. And so the record goes step by step; Tommy Johnson's “Big Road Blues”, followed by Son House’s “Preachin´ Blues”. Don't be fooled by the fact that a few of the titles are well-known. Deivert approaches them in his own fresh way. It is never boring, something which can easily happen when acoustic country blues is not performed well enough. In "When You Got a True Friend" he has another great guitarist with him, Brian Kramer (who, by the way, is also an American living in Sweden). They have co-written this song and it is a unique elegant duet between these two gentlemen.

The guest musicians so far have already been mentioned. The duet with Peter Case, who was a street musician with Bert early in the 1970's, and Brian Kramer too. And we have Nina Anderberg who does a great guest spot on fiddle in the Bo Carter song "I Want You To Know", Gunnar Backman on banjo, Mats Quarfordt on harmonica, and don't forget Janne Zander who plays fine guitar licks throughout the record. Anyway, it would be too much to mention everything, but in a time when music can so easily be released on cd, it is refreshing to see the high quality of the things we find on this album. Takin´ Sam’s Advice has heart, is down-to-earth, and is simply top class music by top class musicians who play because they like to. And for that reason only.

When the exquisite mandolin picking on “Divin´ Duck Blues”, the last track, fades out, the listener is in such good spirits (this one, at least) that there is only one sensible thing to do, start playing it all over again. And that is precisely what this writer does. The other cds in the pile will just have to patiently wait their turn.

And finally: Back in 1966 Bert Deivert saw Son House on tv and was so fascinated by what he saw and heard that he immediately broke a wine bottle to try to make his own slide (bottleneck). He was, once and for all, hooked on the blues - something we can be happy about today, 41 years later!

Bjørn Wiksaas
Rating: 6 out of 6

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Source: Blues News, Finland
Date: 09/2007
Writer: Pete Hoppula (Translation)

Bert Deivert is a musician, born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1950, who lost his heart to bottleneck blues when he saw Son House playing on a tv show in 1966.
Such cult figures of delta blues as Sam Chatmon, Yank Rachell, Skip James, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, and Tampa Red were essential sources of inspiration for him, when he started doing live performances with his musical buddy Peter Case in San Francisco in the early 1970s.
In 1974 Deivert moved to Sweden and has continued his career as a versatile singer/songwriter there. So far, this widely-traveled guitar and mandolin wizard has published three solo records and six duo albums, as well as having guested on the records of several other artists.

This year he has already released an album together with old-timey folk hero Tom Paley, entitled “Beware Young Ladies” on the Swedish Gravitation label.
Some of his recent partners worthy of note: accomplished acoustic bluesman Eric Bibb, rockabilly and country singer Wanda Jackson, and Irish musician Christy O’Leary, with whom Bert made a couple of short visits to Finland in 2002-2003.

On this latest record Deivert has left his own compositions in the desk drawer, except for one, and instead concentrates on songs by his musical heroes. Though using standards may sometimes be questionable in the blues record industry, he has woven the melodic treasures of these masters into a warm and down-home country blues record which is not satisfied by being just another predictable lifeless tribute. Instead it spotlights the originality of the soloist himself and his main guitar accompanist Janne Zander.

Deivert is most clearly influenced by Yank Rachell. That means there are altogether four versions here of the music of this mandolin maestro who died in 1997. Among the acoustic band performances colored by the harmonica of Mats Qwarfordt, there is “Seems Like a Dream”, which is almost rockabilly, and “My Baby’s Gone”, which is strong down-home blues.

Peter Case, previously mentioned, plays guitar and harmonica on the captivating, juke-style thumpingly original recording of “Broke and Hungry” by Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell. Tom Paley helps with his guitar on “Divin’ Duck Blues”.

The spirit of Rachell is alive and well in Deivert’s own warmly emotional composition “When You Got a True Friend”. The soloist himself plays mandolin here, assisted by blues musician Brian Kramer, who moved to Sweden from Brooklyn, NYC. He plays the National slide and sings some of the verses. Kramer also takes part in in the merrymaking on “Big Road Blues” by Tommy Johnson, which is probably one of the most borrowed classics of prewar-blues. Son House also gets his share of the tributes.

The solo performance “Preachin’ Blues” and the seven minutes of “Levee Camp Moan”, with a blazing slide guitar, are both striking proof of Deivert’s stylistic sense and capacity for interpretation.

Guaranteed hits are also the Bo Carter number “I Want You To Know” caressed by the violin of Nina Anderberg as well as the beautifully acoustic “Mississippi Blues” sticking to William Brown's arrangement where Deivert is supported by guitarist Lasse Boström.

Yes, I hope you noticed that Bert Deivert is coming to the Jyväskylä Blues Live! happening, together with Janne Zander. “Takin’ Sam’s Advice” will naturally give you some inkling of what you can expect!

- Pete Hoppula

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Source: Nya Wermlands Tidning, Sweden
Date: 08/2007
Writer: Olle Hernegren (Translation)



ROCK SOLID AND VARIED
Bert Deivert was born American but became a resident of Sweden’s county of Värmland in the 1970’s. He has been a hard-working musician on the scene with a focus on older blues and Irish folk music. His new cd, Takin’ Sam’s Advice is dedicated to the three bluesmen Son House, Sam Chatmon, and Yank Rachell. Rachell was one of the first blues musicians that used the mandolin, an instrument that has also become Bert Deivert’s trademark.
Bert Deivert takes on older blues, with its roots in the Mississippi delta area before World War II. Aided by friends and family in Värmland and in the US, he interprets and updates these old originals with love and respect.

The instrumental settings vary, from Bert’s solo voice and mandolin to a larger group of musicians that powerfully, but using restraint, give an added depth to his interpretations.

Takin' Sam's Advice is a rock solid and varied work that has been prepared painstakingly, but with great joy and feeling.

- Olle Hernegren

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Source: Blues Arts Journal, Austria
Date: 08/2007
Writer: Norman Darwen

A lovely and entertaining set of Mississippi country-blues styled numbers from this US/Swedish singer, guitarist and mandolin player. He was inspired to play the blues after hearing Son House, who remains a clearly discernible influence on his style – try ‘Levee Camp Moan’ or ‘Preachin’ Blues’ on this CD – but he has a warm voice and style, which reveals that Bert’s years of working alongside Eric Bibb have also left their mark.
Other inspirations that show up here include Sleepy John Estes, Mississippi John Hurt, Bo Carter and Sam Chatmon (to whom the title refers) but most especially Yank Rachell, whose influence results in Bert’s wonderful mandolin lines.
These tracks range from solo items to acoustic based band sounds, with the likes of Americans Tom Paley and Brian Kramer helping out alongside such talented local musicians as fiddler Nina Anderberg, harmonica ace Mats Qwartfordt and phenomenal guitarist Janne Zander.

Very highly recommended…..

- Norman Darwen

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