Read The Road Signs by Carol Bean

For her debut, she's assembled a talented cast of kiwi musicians. I suggest you check this fine album out for yourself. It is nicely sound packaged by the able hands of Robbie Duncan at Braeburn Studio Wellignton, New Zealand. (Liz Barry -NZ Musician Vol 13 No 1. 2006)

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As her song Land of Smiles says, Carol was "born in the middle of England, was a girl in Ontario, she moved to LA, Hollywood - just north of Mexico". This album showcases Carol’s ability to create songs with driving rhythm and great feel. Her unique voice and style of playing guitar move easily from the blues through to rock and alt/country backed by an exciting line up of New Zealand musicians.

Carol specialises in playing funky blues riffs and soulful West Coast rhythmic rock on her various guitars. Her acoustic style includes Travis picking and her electric rhythmic-hooks style is accented by quirky turn-arounds. She draws on a variety of influences from blues and rock for example: Debbie Davies (from the bands of Albert Collins and Coco Montoya), Bonnie Raitt, James McMurtry, Rolling Stones, and New Zealand’s Darren Watson and Bullfrog Rata. Some of her alt/country influences are Lucinda Williams, Eliza Gilkyson, Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, and John Doe. Occasionally she incorporates the brooding sounds of European and Cajun music (gypsy/Celtic mixes) into her solo and band songs.

Carol plays a Gretsch Duo Jet 1957 reissue that she bought at the Guitar Centre in Hollywood on one of her visits to LA in October, 2005. Carol also plays a 1954 Martin 0021 that Ry Cooder spotted for her at Reno’s Music Store on Pacific Coast Highway, Manhattan Beach. On Read the Road Signs she primarily plays her EC10 Gibson semi-acoustic (pictured on the album cover) and an MIJ Fender/Squire Stratocaster. She plays her electrics through a Fender Deluxe amp, uses a TS9 Tube Screamer, and AKG mics.

Read the Road Signs was produced by Carol Bean with assistance from Clinton Brown (NZ) and Tom Villano (USA). It was recorded mixed and mastered at Braeburn Recording Studio, Wellington, by Robbie Duncan.

The musicians invovled include:

Steve Cournane on drums (award winning CL Bob jazz band) and Clinton Brown on bass (Wayne Mason Band). On guitars Michael Petrie, Mark Laurent, and Ray Ahipene-Mercer lend their talents and virtuosity. Blair Latham (CL Bob) takes the smoky honours for his saxophone playing along with Bob Smith's Hammond organ sounds with the classic Leslie speakers. Richard Klein (Ar-Kay Cajun Band) plays fiddle on a slow and brooding number while at the other end of the spectrum Lester Mundell and John Broadbent play duelling harmonicas on a swinging dance tune. Added to the mix are two songs with the Celtic sounds of Live Bait’s Paddy Burgin http://www.burginguitars.co.nz/ on his Weissenborn slide guitar and mandolin, Ruairidh Morrison on pipes and fiddle, and Bernard Wells, banjo.

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