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Sophistication, Lesley Rae Dowling - Feat. Jethro Butow

Blues licks and Irony

The latest Lesley Rae Dowling track, from the 2020 re-mix project, is the new version of Sophistication, re-named Sophistication, the name of the game. Lesley's vocal, with her tongue in cheek text and the superb electric guitar work of the late Jethrow Butow, make this and outstanding re-release. 

Jethro played on many of the cuts on her first album, but perhaps none of his playing added to the mood of her songs more than on this production. Producer Terence McCullagh remixed the track in the midst of the Corona lockdown of the last couple of months. 

He says: "At the time we recorded the original, I thought Lesley was having a dig at me and my girlfriend, when she came up with the lyrics. Now I see it is more universal in its scorn". 

Lesley Rae Dowling (c) Songwrights Publishers
Lesley Rae Dowling (c) Songwrights Publisher

He has presented the track as a guitar blues song. Though Lesley's uncharacteristically bluesy piano playing is still there, it is the vocal and guitar that catch the attention of the listener at first. 



Jethro was perhaps the go to session guitarist of the Johannesburg studio scene in the 1980's, having played on many hits by local artists. He later turned his hand to production but remained indispensable as a session man. Terence used Jethro on Lesley's first hit single, Grips of Emotion, as well. 

 The sleeve image is of Lesley, taken from a photo shoot done in 1985. 

Available for streaming from the 21st of August 2020. 





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