Three years before his passing, Irish guitarist Gary Moore was invited to take part in the Baloise Sessions, a small and intimate gathering for music lovers held in Basel, Switzerland. Alongside him and his Gibson ES335 for the evening were Pete Rees on bass, Vic Martin on keyboards and the living legend that is drummer Brian Downey.

It all took part on the 13^th November in 2008, and having been recorded, a live album has now surfaced documenting the evening. Of the nine tracks featured several are covers, taken from those blues albums that truly made his name, beyond his involvement with Thin Lizzy, alongside his slowed down reading of their ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ as first evidenced on his Back On The Streets album.

I came early to Gary Moore. I had older friends who’d known him personally, prior to him joining Colosseum II. When I latterly heard that band’s debut, Strange New Flesh, I was impressed, still am with their cover of Joni Mitchell’s ‘Down To You. Mind you, I’d not heard Jeff Beck apart from ‘Hi Ho Silver Lining’ back then so I didn’t know how much Moore’s work owed to the maestro. Indeed, Yardbirds guitarists in general, alongside a few of Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, were obvious big influences on the man. A bit too much possibly. However, my original admiration went after hearing him holding a note for what felt like half-hour during an ear-blasting rendition of ‘Parisienne Walkways’ when he was in G-Force supporting Whitesnake. This meant I tended to sidestep his subsequent solo career as he moved from rock to blues. I’m told I missed a lot, but you can only go on what grabs you at the time, and From Baloise Session is as good a place to dip in and see what the man was up to, sadly, at what was to be late in his career.

Lowkey introductions precede a short count-in as a sturdy but semi-casual hooked riff ensues but get a few bars in and you call this band’s bluff; there’s a bite to Moore’s guitar, and a pronounced shuffle to Downey’s beat. There’s also probably some secret document you’re ordered to sign before being allowed to play an Albert King number, one that reads: “Attack!” in both the large and small print. Here on ‘Oh, Pretty Woman’ licks begin to surface fast and furious, while the whole thing feigns that it’s just a laidback jam in some small anonymous club.

‘Since I Met You Baby’ rears its head next, and as with many of the songs encompassing this night out, they’re tunes you’ve heard a million times before, riffs you probably had a go at playing yourself if you’ve ever handled a guitar – The fact you may have thought the song title different to the one it’s going under here, or the same but with different words doesn’t really matter; it’s the approach, feel and delivery that makes each blues song either work or not. Here they continue their goodtime vibe with an added swinging big band approach, albeit Mr Moore is beginning to up the shred-count.

If having a laugh with the lads is tonight’s agenda, Chuck Berry’s ‘Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)’ fits the bill. Surprisingly it’s got a tight heavy rockabilly-come-skiffle that appeals while listening, albeit not a song I’d pick out to play singularly from the record.

Things then slow down for ‘I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know’, Moore’s vocals coming across sincere, his guitar playing generally sparse until halfway through this 12 minute number, then extenuating the emotive strain of the song rather than overly trying to impress the listener. In truth it’s Vic Martin’s organ that rings the changes through this one, oddly putting me in mind of the original Colosseum, rather than the version Moore was a part of.

Thin Lizzy’s ‘Don’t Believe A Word’ follows next, or rather the version Moore recorded for his Back On The Streets album, but with an improved – I’d argue – less piercing guitar sound, that’s more sympathetic for the times, moving towards the version’s up tempo latter section with another amiable swing from the rhythm section. ‘Still Got The Blues’ then enacts an atmospheric dance between the intent of epic orchestrated grandeur and a more subdued tenderness. At just under seven minutes long, when the more virtuoso neck wrangling of guitar comes in, they’re appropriately framed and executed.

‘Walking By Myself’ is a blues shouting 12 bar turnaround that’s a little corny but about the right time for a little audience participation, while inserting a few guitar histrionics. Then, in the same vein, but adding a little sophistication and swing is ‘The Blues Is Alright’ where the guitar wails loud and proud without egging the scene, though you do feel you’re gate-crashing a private party a little with all the “Hey, hey!” audience responses that go on a bit.

This is the sound of a band not over-rehearsed but well-seasoned; confident in what they’re doing. There’s a good time feel, Moore not averse to showing off when soloing but generally within the song’s framework. His technical skill’s without question; he’s the link between that classic rock sound and the shredders who followed. Committed fans are likely to enjoy this a lot, while for me it’s time reappraise his work, consider again where he fits into music’s bigger picture and go check out a few of those records I previously circumnavigated.

• Reviewed by Paul H Birch.

Gary Moore – Live: From Baloise Session is available on Provogue Records here.

Track List:

1. Oh! That Bitches Brew
2. Oh, Pretty Woman
3. Since I Met You Baby
4. Thirty Days (To Come Back Home)
5. I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know
6. Don’t Believe A Word
7. Still Got The Blues
8. Walking By Myself
9. The Blues Is Alright