George Marinelli releases Self Made Fool

As guitarist with Bonnie Raitt since 1993 and as an original member of Bruce Hornsby & the Range for many years before that, George Marinelli’s place is cemented in the pantheon of important and successful guitarists. Meanwhile, he has recorded at least seven solo albums and his latest, Self Made Fool, is a marvelous culmination of his development as an artist. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to live with his new release for the last week or so and am delighted to share a few thoughts about it.

First, I want to mention that all proceeds generated by sales of the collection of nine songs will go to Habitat For Humanity. Wonderful decision!

All vocals and instruments on Self Made Fool were performed by Marinelli alone, which makes attribution a cinch but I’d be remiss if I didn’t give kudos to his drumming and bass playing. He’s a world-class guitarist, for gosh sakes! The grooves are solid while still playful and free in every style and every track on the record.

WingDing Records

“King Of Your Despair” shows Marinelli’s deft guitar layering and precision — they fit together like a glove. The drums tumble like early Charlie Watts, whose bandmate Keith Richards would be right at home playing that rhythm part.

I hear a lot of influences in these songs — Joe Jackson, Hendrix, Steely Dan, reggae, etc. — but Marinelli’s own toolbox is overflowing. He has seamlessly built a distinct musical personality drawing from many disparate sources. “Living Like Kings” is a playful exposé of civilization’s decline, effectively using vocal octaves in the B-section, some backwards guitar and a searing electric solo to drive home the point. A dirty little “Streamline” guitar tone breaks up just right to put some grit on top of a funky rhythm feel. The title track, ballad “Self Made Fool”, takes a melancholy look at a dumb-ass dude’s blindness to just how lucky he had it. The slide solo is reminiscent of another George — I hear Harrison’s dexterity and mournful tone. Clearly, The Beatles play an important role in Marinelli’s artistic sensibility and expression.

Even the way Marinelli brings darkness into the picture is uplifting. “Done With Down” tracks depression all the way to a Phoenix-like redemption. The fingerpicking here is an aural expression of that relief and rebirth. A cover of a Brian Auger tune, “Happiness Around the Bend,” has Marinelli’s octave vocals again, and the plucky bass and single-note guitar figures bubble along as he tickles toes by randomly staying off the downbeat. I love that!

Some lyric double entendre on “Hard Time For Easy Money” pokes in and out of a reggae groove while Marinelli’s guitar follows suit. The crook in this tale gets his due.

A couple instrumentals round out the record, “Theme From Ben Casey” and Irving Berlin’s “What’ll I Do,” the former letting Marinelli riff over a 5/4 time signature, and the latter has him weaving mandolin and highstring guitars around a beautiful melody to close the album.

You want to hear cool songs with great guitar and vocals, featuring one of our most accomplished American musicians while contributing aid to some needy folks in our country? Go to georgemarinelli.bandcamp. com and check out Self Made Fool. It will surely make you want to explore some of the earlier recordings in his discography as well.

– Vince Santoro