Read More Reviews

The Rick Fines Band (Rick's trio partners Rob Phillips on keys and Richard Simpkins on bass, with local rhythm ace John Crown on drums) took the stage to a hero's welcome and proceeded to tear a near full house down.

(Fines has) become a seasoned songwriter and distinctive vocalist and arguably one of the best acoustic fingerstyle and slide guitarists on the scene. Playing the old Gibson acoustic that had been his brother Grant's, it was obvious that his talents on the instrument just keep getting exponentially better.

Fines's easy manner with the crowd and wealth of interesting anecdotes kept the show rolling as he pulled out one great original tune after the other, the audience hollering back the response to the call in "Riley Wants His Life Back."

Fines's blues are musically rooted in the south yet remain very much a Canadian lyrical experience, and the addition of horns (Kevin Goss on saxaphones and clarinet, Michael Rosen on trumpet and Roger Chong on trombone) lent a real jazz 'uptown' edge to the evening and Rick was obviously in his glory with this talented trio on board.

Equally powerful in presentation were a couple of tunes with just Fines and his acoustic guitar, especially the particularly poignant "Pickin' Myself Back Up From Zero;" a retooled testament to the true nature of the blues and their intent to help one make it through hard times, and hard times reach out to us one and all.

Fines closed the evening to standing ovations and a couple of rockin' blues tunes on the electric guitar.

The Peterborough Examiner 2009

"... the classic blues guitar picking and authentic-sounding vocals of Rick Fines were the sweetener. Harking back to the Blues ancients and using their music to inform his own, Fines was the classic unknown who whets the appetite - and an early opportunity to hear more would be welcome."

Rob Adams, The Herald, Glasgow Scotland

"When he takes out his guitar and leans into the microphone, he proves he's a modern-day heir to a blues tradition that has its roots firmly tied to the cotton fields of the Mississippi Delta. Close your eyes and, if you're old enough, you'll be transported back to the times and places when blues wasn't merely popular, it was dominant; times like the mid-1960s, places like the Purple Onion and the Bohemian Embassy. The voice is more up-town than Muddy Waters or Mississippi John Hurt; the sound more contemporary that Josh White."

Doug Specht, Muskoka Times

"There was not a seat to spare at the Mill Pond Folk Club... Rick Fines took the stage with pianist Rob Phillips and bass player Richard Simpkins. All three are very accomplished musicians. There is a great synergy between them. Rob Phillips is an outstanding keyboard player... Fines has the ability to pick up the essence of musicians such as John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Woody Guthrie, either singing their songs, or incorporating their influences into his own. He is a relaxed performer with a sense of humour and perception, which adds to the enjoyment of his great ability on guitar and a voice that turns from gravel to silk."

Louise Livingstone, The Community Press, Eastern (Ontario) Edition

"Fines is an accomplished songwriter, acoustic and dobro guitarist and vocalist. But the key to the magic of Saturday night's concert was the chemistry created by the ensemble, including fellow Peterborough musicians Rob Phillips on piano and Richard Simpkins on upright bass. There was never any doubt of Fines anchoring the trio. However, Phillips and Simpkins were given lots of room to contribute on their respective instruments and on harmony vocals, which were both tight and smooth. This was definitely an ensemble effort as opposed to a soloist with a couple of accompanists. Fines is a laid-back, personable performer and his introductions were warm and charming. His affection for the music that stole his heart remained obvious throughout the evening. It's as though the music -- a rich stew of New Orleans barrelhouse, delta blues, zydeco and vintage swing -- inhabits the body." -

Robert Reid, Kitchener-Waterloo Record