Like a fine bottle of wine, you want it to breath and then take it slowly as you ingest the warm effects and let it seep into your presence. This is how we experienced Albert Lee at Hugh’s Room on Thursday night.

His first two songs are warm and easy. He allows his audience to relax and let every note he plays to resonate throughout the room. Albert Lee presents his music like a rare, treasured item and allows you to examine and process each and every note he plays.

By the third song he inadvertently had you “Spellbound”. It was a perfect third song because now you are fully immersed in the Albert Lee experience.

Once you made it in, he started the party with a good old rockabilly tune. This was the moment the room was warm and fun and you knew you only wanted to stick around and avoid the coldness that was happening outside.

What makes Albert Lee so special live is his life experiences. He has played with many amazing acts over the span of six decades. Some of the names he gained his knowledge from and made significant contributions to are, Eric Clapton, Emmylou Harris, The Everly Brothers, Herbie Mann and Bo Diddley just to name a few.

This is a lucky man because not only does he play his personal music, but he plays songs from all the great from the past that he worked with.

I was quite fond of his version of “Runaway Train” done by John Stewart. In fact, his choice of Pop and Rock songs kept things fresh and engaging. This couldn’t really happen so smoothly if he did not have such a colourful career.

Colourful would also be the perfect word when it comes to describing his style of guitar playing. There can be a book written just about his wide variety of sounds and styles he could pull from his guitar. It can be as flavourful as a home cooked meal. It is finger picking good!

At the age of 82, Albert did complain a little bit about how thin the skin on his fingers were getting these days. It takes him about two weeks of nonstop playing to build those calluses up again. Albert also had a bit of a fall on the ice when he was walking towards Hugh’s Room for the performance. This guy is a real Rock and Roll trooper, because if he didn’t tell you these stories, we would never have been the wiser.

The other moment that was worth noting was a long and forgotten Ray Charles tune that started off with a country twang and soon became a gospel tune before it emerged as a small Rock epic.

Being a travelling band, you have to include some form of transportation song in your set list. We received a ballad about a car and the heartache of losing that car. We jumped aboard a starship and headed for the final frontier.  But don’t worry he brought us all back safely to earth where we enjoy the company of a “Country Boy”

For his encore, Albert paid tribute to the recent passing of Glen Campbell. It was a lovely tribute to the legend of Country music. And then he kicked us out singing with another rockabilly favourite, “Tear it up”.

Even at 82 and injured, Albert was still gracious enough to come out after the show and talk to some fans and we left satisfied with the warmth this man gives to his audience every time he hits that stage.

Albert Lee at Hugh’s Room: