Erja Lyytinen Stolen Hearts Album Launch 100 Club London 11-4-17

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On arriving at The 100 Club and the Connor Selby Band were already into their stride with Connor centre stage and showing a maturity in his guitar playing that belied his tender age.
His bluesy playing with hints of Paul Kossoff,Gary Moore,Joe Bonamassa and BB King to name a few was incredibly impressive whether it being a slow paced blues number or when the pace increased and it not just a flurry of notes.

His original material was excellent and ending with The Beatles With A Little Help From My Friends meant they left to great applause and one to look out for when their debut ep is released this year.Very impressive.

JFK were up next and if I am honest didn't inspire me at all apart from the guitar playing of Iago Banet.


























Photo credit Edyta Kresak

But the evening was all about Erja Lyytinen and the release of her superb new album Stolen Hearts released by Tuohi Records on Friday the 7th April.

Ably supported by her 3 piece band,apologies for not getting any of their names,her hour and 15 minute set was primarily based around the new album with 7 of the 11 tunes being played as follows (in no particular order).

City Of Angels
Lover's Novels
Black Ocean
Stolen Hearts 
Slowly Burning
Rocking Chair
24 Angels

She also played a selection of songs that included Everything's Fine and I'm A Woman (a Koko Taylor cover).


























Photo credit Edyta Kresak

With a smile ever present Erja is forever thanking us for being there and from the off with a superb sound all eyes are focused on the diminutive figure with the voice of an angel and who's guitar playing is just fantastic.Known mainly as a slide guitarist for which we are treated to a world leading display during the epic Black Ocean her lengthy solo without slide shows a consummate performer who plays with emotion and tone that shines so brightly.
The funky stop start guitar riff builds to the chorus and the solo is all picked held notes and no little melodic intent on a song that is a real show stopper. 

City Of Angels starts with an acoustic feel before building as the song ebbs and flows and a masterful display of band feel and timing as Erja's slide solo shows her class from the very first note.Her poise and dexterity and note picking are wonderful.

The title track Stolen Hearts has a heavy blues guitar riff and a harder edge to Erja's vocal with another superb mid song solo and a little audience participation in the outro chorus too.

Slowly Burning is a perfect smoky club blues number with Erja's passionate vocal lines showing her vocal range off superbly and the guitar solo being a lesson in passion,tone and melody with every note thought out and only adding to the aural pleasure.

Lover's Novels again has a funky undertow with the slide work impressing and 24 Angels should be a hit any day with it's sumptuous melodies and cross genre characteristics which rises from a whispered intro that rises to a band work out with slide guitar at it's core but never forgetting melodies and wow that vocal melody.

Erja Lyytinen with Stolen Hearts has taken her music to a new level and in the live setting she is a superb performer with guitar playing right out of the top drawer and vocals to match.

I'm hooked and you should be too.























Photo credit Edyta Kresak




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