Jimmy Beedham - Faking it

​Jimmy Beedham

Faking It
self-released; 2026

​By Dino DiMuro​
​

Artists hoping for a review sometimes send files that can be plugged directly into my music library. Sometimes (not always) I get an album I know I'll be keeping forever. This is one!

Forgive me ahead of time, because I am a mere human boy facing a colossus of musical chops and creativity in the person of Jimmy Beedham, a guitarist and songwriter from Manchester, UK. Though having played professionally since his teens and working in a number of live bands (including a tour of the French Alps!) this is actually his first album under his own name, which allows him to "stretch out creatively, outside of the restraints of session work."

Beedham notes that these eight tracks "are all about the interplay and personality of the stellar cast of musicians, including Neil Fairclough (Queen/ Adam Lambert), John Dagnall, Neil Edwards (The Deccan Traps) and Stu Fagan." Fans of the Brecker Brothers, Snarky Puppy, Andy Timmons, George Benson and Steely Dan should feel at home! These studio recordings were manned by Chris Taylor at NoiseBoy studios (Salford) and at Dave Speakman Music (Middlewich) though Speakman sadly passed away before finishing the project. Mastering was by Pete Meher.


"Frenchman's Breakfast" starts with a mixing trick which makes the music sound like accordion buskers on the streets of France, then moves into a lively bebop-funk crossover. Maff Hall's piano and John Dagnall's drums are the standout backing players, but never get in the way of Beedham's incredible, jazzy guitar inventions. Track two is "Heir Of The Dog" and it functions as a jamming extension of track one, with all the same players. I love how the guitar and electric keys seem to be having a conversation across the stereo field. There's also som ghostly vocals that add another cool flavor. 

"Life By Misadventure" slows down for a space-prog interlude which reminded me of instrumental passages from "Focus 3" or early Genesis. Let's just establish that Beedham's guitar makes my jaw drop in every song!
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"On Talacre Beach" takes me way back to the amazing acoustic duet by Al DiMeola and Paco de Lucia called "Mediterranean Sundance," except that it seems Beedham does this incredible duet with himself! "Trojan Funk" is the lead single from the album and takes the band into Dr. John territory with a topping of Billy Cobham or Mahavishnu Orchestra.

Side Two brings in saxophonist Anthony Brown and drummer Stu Fagan for the funky blues workout "Don't Get Caught." The sax basically takes the place of the keys as a "foil" to Beedham's guitar insinuations, creating a Weather Report meets Frank Zappa feel. After the smooth yet complex fusion odyssey "No Picnic" the big ending comes with "ATP" (Adjacent to Paradise) which is called "a tongue in cheek ode to life on the road with the band." My first thought was that this was a kind of prog parody framed in ZZ Top crunch, while the artist sees it as cock/yacht rock and a mixture of The Darkens, 10cc, Steely Dan and Zappa. These may be the wildest guitar parts yet, with even a bit of expert tapping and inhuman speed. This is also the only track with vocals and of course they compete with Queen for harmonic complexity.

Here's a second opinion from my stepson, listening in the car: "This is the best guitar music I ever heard in my life! Can I find this on YouTube?" So if you don't trust me, listen to Nick!​

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