Last night in a little Melbourne laneway, Diesel launched his new blues album ‘Blues Project- Saturday Suffering Fools’ in a club called Paris Cat.
Paris Cat is a very cool, off the radar venue. It is one of Melbourne’s hidden treasures for live jazz and blues music. It was the perfect place to launch the new Diesel album.This is Diesel’s (real name Mark Lizotte) first blues album since 1996.
“Saturday Suffering Fools’ is equal parts classic blues covers and new music written by Mark. Diesel does his version of songs by Albert King, Buddy Guy and Elmore James. Last night he opened with Don Gardener’s ‘My Baby Likes To Boogaloo’.
The band, billed as Diesel and guests, included Bernie Bremond from his Johnny Diesel and the Injectors days, his brothers Mike and Brian Lizotte and his father Hank on tenor sax.
Mushroom founder Michael Gudinski addressed the throng before Diesel played. He talked of how the blues got him into the business. The first act he managed was Chain who are still around today. He also told a very funny story of being the only white guy in a blues bar in Chicago, but that was okay because he was with Muddy Waters.
Diesel is without a doubt one of Australia’s great guitarist. He has clocked up quite a heritage in the Australian music business after having done it all.
The show last night popped in a very rare Injectors oldie. He finished with ‘Since I Fell For You' and ‘Parisienne Hotel’ from his debut album.
During his career he has clocked up two number one albums with ‘Hepfidelity’ and ‘The Lobbyist’.
The hits you know include ‘Tip Of My Tongue’, ‘Come To Me’ and ‘Don’t Need Love’.
‘Saturday Suffering Fools’ deserves a special listen. This is Diesel playing the music he loves. It is the blues.
