If Mick Jagger and Greg Allman were related, that relative would be Jimmy Durkin (www.reverbnation.com/jamesdurkin). King of the uniquely toned Yamaha guitars, Jimmy’s latest CD titled ANDY’S CASTLE (2011) – performed, mixed and master by Jimmy – is a trip through the tales of someone who spent their life on the inside looking out. Jimmy’s family owned The Flick, Miami’s historical coffee house in Coral Gables (1963-1975), where Jimmy grew up around the likes of Bobby Ingram, Vince Martin, George Blackwell, Eric Anderson, Chris Smither, Jimmy Buffet, and David Crosby. Most recently, he just finished a two year stint as the MC of our region’s longest running open mic at the Luna Star Café (www.LunaStarCafe.com). An acoustic reminder of the great story-telling albums of earlier days such as Yes’ RELAYER (1974) and Genesis’ TRICK OF THE TALE (1976), Jimmy has laid his life out from start to finish via a world-wind tour in ANDY’S CASTLE. With a GET YOUR YA-YA’S OUT (Rolling Stones, 1970) blues sensibility blended with the fine southern-rock stylings of LAID BACK (Greg Allman, 1973), you are taken through all the hallways, ballrooms, courts and dungeons of ANDY’S CASTLE, and Jimmy holds all the keys. From the gentle lure of tracks like DANCE ACROSS THE WATER, to the diabolic SHE WANTS, and the regretful VANESSA RAE, you are drawn into the depths of this CD. And only after you pass through the stunning and mesmerizing title track do you get to the other side with songs like PARTY ON (recently featerd in City Link magazine) and my personal favorite NO PICTURE SHOW. Like any piece of architecture, ANDY’S CASTLE culminates decades of life, life lessons, and lessons learned by Jimmy Durkin. Listen and be inspired. You can hear Jimmy play regularly at his new Featured Artist Night every Wednesday evening at Kevros Art Bar (www.kevroart.com) in Delray.
Dr. Bob