Legacy : Volume One

Arbor Records Ltd /  earMUSIC via Absolute

When Healey passed away last year on the eve of European dates and the launch of a new album, many a guitar player and musician felt a sense of loss. That week I found myself performing ‘Confidence Man’, the Hiatt tune that Healey had made his own at a show with London band Roadhouse. Curiously it was the knockabout movie called ‘Roadhouse’ that had brought the Canadian rocker to the attention of many due to his band’s cameo performance. Healey played jazz trumpet and other instruments but came into his own as a guitar player with a very unconventional picked-on-his-lap style that produced a distinctive and fluid vibrato sound. He wrote songs and he came up with versions and remodelled editions of well-known and obscure numbers. My own favourite was a harp-driven take on LZ’s ‘Communication Breakdown’. It’s not included here, but hopefully on Volume 2 ?

This set comprises one DVD documentary taking in jams with SRV, Clapton, Stones, Paul Shaffer and others and some of his video’s PLUS two sound CD’s – the singles on one  and various live and/or unreleased items on the other. Absolutely essential for fans but also a damned fine introduction for those who liked Healey’s work but didn’t get around to purchasing.

If you haven’t heard Healey do ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’, it’s here and up there with Todd Rundgren’s effort on the ‘Material World’ George Harrison tribute album that also features the mighty Smithereens. When you hear ‘It Could All Get Blown Away’, you are struck by the trademark blend of strength and tenderness that made Healey that little bit special. Jeff was well aware of his influences and on this set you will find his runs through Cream’s ‘White Room’, Tom Petty’s ‘Lost In Your Eyes’, the Spirit gem ‘I Got A line On You’ and even ‘All Along The Watchtower’ which features his friend Tom Cochrane, an artist well worth investigating in his own right.

In some ways, Healey was the nearest muso that Canada has produced to approach music with the same enthusiasm as Rory Gallagher and ‘See The Light’ has some of the Irish wizard’s speedy, heady spirit. Rocker ‘Full Circle’ has a crisp and rolling punch and Stonesy lyric ; whilst ‘Cruel Little Number’ has a sinister climb and floaty guitar figures. There’s an Eddie Money touch to ‘Leave The Light On’ which is an FM-friendly song but still powerful.

Being blind did not stop Healey playing intensely and powerfully ; touching on the senses, my favourite Healey story involves his band sitting and talking between sets backstage and a silence falling when a voluptuous waitress walked through the room. In a generous mood, the young lady walked over to Healey and placed his hands on her bust, whispering ‘Just in case you were wondering what had stopped your colleagues’ conversation..’

Pete Sargeant     www.fairhearing.co.uk