Ritchie Blackmore - Getaway (Groups & Sessions) (2005)

Years before he attained guitar-god status with Deep Purple, Ritchie Blackmore was a session player of startling prolificacy and diversity -- Get Away assembles a generous 52 tracks that capture a gifted young guitarist still exploring the limits of his abilities, enjoying the creative freedom afforded by anonymity. While serious Blackmore fans will most appreciate tracing his technical evolution, aficionados of obscure British Invasion-era rock & roll will also find much of note here -- few of these singles attracted notice on either side of the Atlantic but they remain quintessential relics of their time and place, covering a broad stylistic swath from rockabilly to pop-soul to freakbeat. Blackmore proves himself an inventive, adroit player regardless of context, bringing energy to even the most banal material -- the epic hard rock sound of his Deep Purple work hasn't yet come together, but the pieces of the puzzle are scattered across these two discs. Highlights include a demo version of the Joe Meek-produced "Telstar," Screaming Lord Sutch's "Honey Hush," the Soul Brothers' "Goodbye Baby Goodbye," and the solo entry "Getaway."