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DRY WEAVE REVIEWS

Topp 40, April 4, 1997

Dry Weave was formed in the beginning of 1996 when Swedish bass player Lennart Zethzon and Italian drummer Giulio Proietti decided to form a band. On jazz & blues club Fasching´s stage they found guitarist Matti Norlin. On the debut album, which currently lacks official distribution but can be purchased at the trio’s concerts, strong musicality meets traditional blues/rock. The guitar sound is strikingly clean but Dry Weave still consistently delivers a tight energetic powertrio-sound. References: Stevie Ray Vaughan (at their rougher moments) and Robert Cray (at his more polished). Dry Weave can be seen live at Jägar'n in Västerhaninge(19/4) and at Järfälla(26/4)

Stereo Magazine, Number 3, 1997

"Not nice but interesting" is Dry Weave's own description of their self-produced debut CD. I would like to claim it is both. If a blind eye is turned to the production, which suffers from budget restrictions, then this is a good blues album. Dry Weave guards its blues tenderly and carefully, sometimes nearly too carefully. Who knows, perhaps it’s a sign of healthy respect? The album's music breathes everything from traditional 12-beat standard blues to more Hendrix-oriented tracks, with a little stench of jazz in between. Guitarist Matti Nordin (Norlin!) is a real treat to listen to, especially in the solo on "Long distance blues". It has been a while since I heard such blues shredding. All be damned if the man doesn't sound like Hendrix at times. If Dry Weave were given the opportunity to make a properly produced album, we Swedes would have our own domestic Thunderbirds or Omar & The Howlers. One problem still remains; the album currently lacks distribution. This problem will, however, surely be solved.

Petter Ahrnstedt

Nya Norrland, July 15, 1997

Promising debut that pomises more

***

Powerblues with the roots in Hoting is what Dry Weave offers to the listener on their debutalbum Skifid Things. Here you will quite a few gems, but at the same time, unfortunately, that dirty feeling is sometimes missing.

Dry Weave is a Powertrio in the spirit of Cream and Jimi Hendrix. Gitarrist Matti Norlin, from Hoting, has previously released a solo blues album and has made cassettes together with Fredrik Haake from Ö-vik. Bassist Lennart Zethzon has a past within Funk while the drummer Giulio Proietti has among other things performed with sax legend Dick Heckstall-Smith.

On the CD you will find 13 tracks of which all, except Big Bill Broonzy’s “How you want it done”, are original material. A pretty clean sound of funky blues which is easy listening but sometimes a little vacant.

There are of course, high points - Long distance blues, Pigs at the parliament zoo, How you want it done and Sittin’ on a bench in a Park are definitely ready for several playbacks and make the third star shine brightly. A good debut which promises more to come.

Åke Dahlbäck

Borås Tidning, June 30, 1997

Nordic Jazz & Blues Festival 1997

“ When, who I would like to call the festival’s blues find, Dry Weave performed the festival came to life again. The outstanding trio, with singer and guitarist phenomenon Matti Norlin in the spotlight, gave a real shot in the arm to the genre, with roots deeper in Muddy waters and Robert Johnson than any of the festival’s other blues bands, while at the same time playing bolder and funkier than anybody else.

Later at the Grand the acoustic section was one of the funniest and freshest I have heard within Swedish Blues. Hoting find Matti with congenial support from bassist Lennart Zethzon and Giulio Proietti at drums have a future as good as gold.”

Rolf Haglund

Contact / Booking: mattinorlin@gmail.com