Paterson Blends Genres on Beatles Album

By DownBeat I Nov. 13, 2019

Joel Paterson explores the music of The Beatles on his new instrumental album, *Let It Be Guitar!*
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Fifty years after The Beatles’ last public appearance, the lads from Liverpool continue to inspire musicians from numerous genres around the world. One of them is Chicago-based guitarist Joel Paterson.

His new instrumental album—Let It Be Guitar! Joel Paterson Plays The Beatles (Bloodshot)—features a blend of jazz, exotica, blues, rockabilly, western swing and country as he explores Fab Four tunes such as “All My Loving,” “Drive My Car,” “From Me To You,” “Michelle,” “Things We Said Today,” “Something” and “If I Fell,” which premieres below.

Let It Be Guitar! features new arrangements of these familiar tunes, employing a variety of musical styles and guitar sounds, paying tribute to Paterson’s biggest influences, including Les Paul, Chet Atkins and James Burton.

The album features Paterson (electric guitar, pedal steel and lap steel) alongside three musicians who all have experience playing in both Americana and jazz bands on the Chicago scene: Beau Sample (bass), Alex Hall (drums) and Chris Foreman (Hammond B3 organ).

In a nod to The Beatles’ famous rooftop concert (and last public performance) atop the Apple Corps building on Jan. 30, 1969, Paterson decided to do a rooftop performance himself. Joined by Hall and Sample, the guitarist went to the rooftop of Smashed Plastic—the Chicago company that pressed the vinyl version of Let It Be Guitar!—for a performance.

“This is the guitar record I’ve always wanted to make,” Paterson said in a press release. “I love The Beatles and their artistry and attention to detail in the recording studio—and I love all-things-guitar. So, I had a great time diving into these amazing songs, coming up with my own arrangements, and at the same time paying tribute to some of my favorite guitarists and vintage recording techniques of yesteryear.”

The album’s liner notes were written by singer-songwriter JD McPherson, who quipped, “Contained within certain tracks, you may even find nods to other instrumentalists who have delved into The Beatles’ body of work ... . It’s almost the meta-sonic equivalent of a Liverpudlian Rube Goldberg drawing.”

Following record-release shows on Nov. 22–23 at Chicago’s Green Mill jazz club, Paterson will embark on a national tour opening for McPherson, including dates in Seattle at The Crocodile (Dec. 3), in Phoenix at the Crescent Ballroom (Dec. 10), in San Francisco at The Independent (Dec. 13) and in Nashville at the Basement East. (Dec. 22).

Paterson also is involved with another project. He and Hall are members of the quartet The Western Elstons, a band included on the Bloodshot compilation Too Late To Pray: Defiant Chicago Roots. Released in celebration of the label’s 25th anniversary, the set features songs by Robbie Fulks, The Handsome Family, Kelly Hogan, Jon Langford’s Hillbilly Lovechild (featuring Steve Albini) and Freakwater, among others.

For additional information about Paterson and other Bloodshot artists, visit the label’s website. DB