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Being cool is a designation others impose upon an artist. As soon as the artist himself thinks about being cool, he isn't. Hugh Pool is clueless about his exceptional talent. He is very cool! Pool is a partner in Excello Recording Studios in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, which a while ago replaced Greenwich Village as the affordable place for creative New Yorkers to hang. The studio combines the best of vintage recording equipment and has a modern ear for new musical ideas at an affordable price. Excello's client list includes David Byrne, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Richard Hell, Deborah Harry, and Taj Mahal. Pool is also half of the duo called Mulebone, a Rev. Gary Davis-in-space outfit that this summer took New Morning, their second album, to number four on Bill Wax's Bluesville charts on Sirius/XM. Pool has no idea how well or poorly it did on radio. "I really don't pay close attention to that stuff. I mean, making the record I pay attention, but when it's done, out and over, it's kind of like, if nice things happen, that's awesome."
"HUGH POOL. You can't swing a cat in this city without hitting Hugh Pool. I caught this hard working New York country-delta-blues guitarist at the Bottom Line opening for Dave Edmunds, some time ago. Playing flavorsome guitar with a mouthful of whiskey and a salty voice, he seems to be a member of 100 bands supplying his Winter and Allman Brothers sound. When he's not playing, you can see him with engineering credits on CDs from bands like The Bootleg Remedy. Whew!"
"Hugh Pool's song hark back to the 1960's rock that was steeped in the blues. His repertory extends from rolling-and-tumbling slide-guitar boogies to neo-psychedelic jams to reflective, down-home hymns that recall The Band."
"Before there was grunge, there was Howlin' Wolf. Now there's the HUGH POOL BAND... Pool is a tremendous slide and fingerstyle guitarist with a propensity for adventure. He's also got a great voice...intense, deep and real."
"HUGH POOL. Evidence that not every rocker living in Brooklyn is a bandwagon-jumping, Vice-reading twentysomething. Pool's earnest forays into roots rock vibe a mellower Gregg Allman, maybe, or a jorneyman blues player with a jones for introspection and noise-geetar."
"It's true that Hugh can play the living shit out of a guitar. He can do things to the instrument that I have NEVER seen anyone do. His riffs are as seamless as a bender. His tone borders on the sublime. But all of it is smoke and mirrors, icing on a very large cake. The thing about Hugh is that when you see him you see this guy who is being true. You see who he is, which is to say you see a man who lives so deep in the pocket that he probably evolved from lint. In this day and age of Velveeta processed bands, Hugh is refreshing to say the least."
"I had forgotten how talented this guy is. He can literally do it all...electric blues with and without slide, acoustic delta style on a National, wicked fast country style fingerpicking, you name it.... he even blows a pretty mean harp."
"The average music fan may not know who Hugh Pool is right now. But if there's justice in the world of music, that will change."
"HUGH POOL KNOCKS THE DOORS OFF." Just back from 3 shows on the east coast of North Carolina, Hugh Pool is a one man armada. Each finger might as well have its own guitar, there is so much sound coming out. Then as if he needed more, there's the harmonica's howl, his foot is stomping, and the voice is the unmistakable, authentic sound of life's struggle through the classics of the finger-picking blues. And when Hugh picks up his 1937 National metal guitar...hold onto something.
"Whatever Mojo is, Hugh Pool has it in spades."
"Hugh Pool is one of those rare artists whose vision transcends his chosen genre."
"...in other words they're the veritable Real Deal."
"Hugh Pool is a Brooklyn cowboy, if there ever was one. This wildman from Williamsburgh has been up and down these highway roads across America, many times now gracing audiences with his fancy fret work and his self-described psyche-delta stomp. Along the way he has had the priviledge to share a stage with everyone from Patti Smith and Johnny Winter to Gov't Mule. As always expect a little blues, a little country and one hell of a rocking good time."
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