Vaneese Thomas Blues For My Father

Vaneese Thomas
Blues For My Father
Segue Records

The youngest daughter of the legendary Rufus Thomas, Vaneese Thomas, like her sister Carla and brother Marvel, have been involved in the music business dating backing to singing back-up vocals for Stax. After college she relocated to New York where she was a session singer and songwriter. She has issued several albums that showcase her singing and songwriting, and the latest is “Blues For My Father” (Seque Records). It had been five years since her last album, “Soul Sisters Volume 1” (Segue Records), where she resurrected classic soul recordings from the likes of Bettye Swan, Tina Turner, Etta James and her sister Carla. This new recording, as indicated by the title, has her delving more into blues and she contributed ten originals and also handles two covers, one of which is from her late father.

Produced by Thomas and her husband Wayne Warnecke, there is a variety of musicians appearing on this, but the core is Buddy Williams on drums, Will Lee on bass, Robbie Kondor on piano and Tash Neal on guitars with Warnecke on percussion. There are appearances by (among others) Marvel Thomas and Paul Shaffer on organ, Ron Mathes and Jeff Mironov on guitars, horns led by Tim Ouimette and Perry Gartner and Shawn Pelton on drums.

What stands out on “Blues For My Father” is Thomas’ vocals. Rob Bowman, who penned the liner notes, mentions “Vaneese’s masterful control of phrasing, breath, intonation and timbre.” In other-words, she can flat out sing with a display of vocal dynamics as well as power to leave a strong impression on the listeners. She belts out about having the blues while sitting at the station waiting for the train to bring her lover back on the opening “Southern Central Blues.” Then she gets sassy celebrating her man who plays no tricks and “10 X The Man You Are.“

The Memphis funk of “Wrong Turn” is a delightful duet with sister Carla (while Marvel adds organ) with some punchy horns in the backing and a crisp guitar solo from Jeff Mironov. “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” has a bit of southern rock feel as Tash Neal is on dobro with Mironov again on guitar. Part of the melody here is evocative of the Ricky Allen recording “Cut You Loose,” although her lyric is telling her man to wrap his arms around her and never let go.

The centerpiece of this release is a duet with her father Rufus, “Can’t Ever Let You Go.” Like Natalie Cole did with her recordings with her deceased father, Vaneese adds her vocal to the original Rufus Thomas recording. Husband Warnecke pulled out Rufus’ vocal from the original analog masters, added some exhortations from other Thomas recordings, then provided a contemporary backing, and guitar and sax solos along with Vaneese improvising around her father’s vocals.

Other highlights on this set include “Corner Of Heartache And Pain,” a straight, slow blues about the pain felt after her man left with Paul Shaffer on organ. “Love’ Em And Leave’ Em Behind” is a soulful number where Vaneese tells a heartbreaker she has seen her friends in too much pain, but he won’t do the same to her. “Southern Girl” is a celebration of her roots and the south with Kirk Whalum taking the sax solo. There is also a straight cover of John Fogerty’s “The Old Man Down The Road” before the disc closes with a wonderfully sung lament, “Blue Ridge Blues” backed simply by Rob Mathes’ guitars.

“Blues For My Father” is a showcase of Vaneese Thomas’ craft as a songwriter and her soul-shaking vocals and should have considerable appeal among blues and southern soul audiences. 




I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2014 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 357). I recently reviewed her most recent recording, The Long Journey Home.

Here Vaneese is performing at the 2015 Pennsylvania Blues Festival.

 

Howard Johnson and Gravity Testimony

Howard Johnson and Gravity
Testimony
Tuscarora Records

Nate Chinen proclaimed in the New York Times in 2006 that Howard Johnson was the individual "most responsible for the tuba's current status as a full-fledged jazz instrument." Certainly in more than five decades, his musicianship, invention and imagination has lifted the tuba to its present position as more than a novelty or simply being part of the early history of jazz. He played with the ensembles of Charles Mingus, Carla Bley and Gil Evans (to name a few) as well as a founding member of the Saturday Night Band and pop icons like Paul Simon and Taj Mahal.

Gravity is a tuba-centered band whose current membership includes other tuba players Velvet Brown, Joe Bargeron, Earl McIntyre, Joseph Daley, and Bob Stewart with a rhythm section including Carlton Holmes on piano, Melissa Slocum on bass, and Buddy Williams on drums. Joe Exley guests on tuba for 5 of the 8 songs while Nedra Johnson wrote and sang one number. McIntyre, Daley and Stewart are long-time associates and members of Gravity and the four appeared with Johnson as part of Taj Mahal's Tuba Band (Taj has sung, performed and recorded with Gravity as well in the past).

Johnson contributed a couple of originals and the handsome arrangements here and the presence of the rhythm section contributes to the attractiveness of the performances. The title track opens this on a lovely fashion with first his percolating solo followed by one from Bargeron with the other low brass adding to the atmosphere with swinging backing and solos from pianist Holmes and a short drum break from Williams as the ensemble takes this number out with some gruff tuba. Up next is a jaunty blues "Working for the Jones" with a very nice vocal from Howard's daughter, Nedra who sings about doing things she swore she would never do. Holmes and the rhythm are excellent supporting her (while the and then her father's robust solo.

There are two McCoy Tyner compositions included here including a fresh take of "Fly With the Wind," which might seem an unusual choice, but the tubas collectively play a role similar to strings on Tyner's originally and Johnson continues to impress with his fluidity and expressiveness. On the other Tyner composition, the bouncy "High Priest," Johnson is heard playing some driving baritone sax with Bargeron and McIntyre standing out among the tuba ensemble. Bassist Slocum solos strongly here. In between these two numbers is a lovely take on the Carole King classic "A Natural Woman," with Velvet Brown playing the melody and improvisation while Johnson handles the ensemble lead.Johnson's "Little Black Lucille," has Johnson opening unaccompanied on the penny-whistle whose high register is far removed from the other selections. His playful playing is joined by Holmes and then ensemble who provide a frame for his solo which is followed by Holme's stately, gospel-tinged piano.

Bob Neloms composition "Evolution" on which Johnson's arrangement and the composition contribute as much as the solos from him, McIntyre, Bargeron and Stewart along with the personality they each provide with their playing, and this feeling is also heard on the closing number, a rendition of Wilton Felder's "Way Back Home," which provides its own take on this soul jazz classic, originally performed by The Crusaders. Far from being a novelty jazz ensemble because of its instrumentation, Gravity plays music that both moves one with its melodicism as much as the unique instrumental harmonies fashioned by its leader. It has been nearly two decades since I saw them, and another decade since I saw them with Taj Mahal's Tuba Band but like a previous recording by them I have, the music here surprises and consistently delights the listener.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the March-April 2017 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371). Here Howard Johnson and Gravity perform "Fly With The Wind."

 

Lou Volpe Remembers Ol' Blue Eyes

A guitarist who transcends the realms of jazz, R&B and adult contemporary, Lou Volpe's newest recording is his salute to Frank Sinatra whose centennial was in 2015. "Remembering Ol' Blue Eyes (Songs of Sinatra)" (Jazz Guitar Records) has him performing 13 standards that are associated with Sinatra to which Volpe provides his personal interpretation while displaying his virtuosity and melodic sense. On eleven selections, Volpe is joined in a supportive role by Delmar Brown, Mel Davis and Onaje Allen Gumbs on keyboards; bassists Stanley Banks and Leo Traversa; Buddy Williams and Gary Fritz on drums and percussion respectively; with drummer Sipho Kunene offering his talents on one track. On the other three selections he plays solo.

There is plenty to like about listening to Volpe with spectacular single-note runs, riveting chordal playing, rich smears, edgy twang, swirling crescendos, filigreed delicacy and more backed by the various backing trios for performances that mix melodic ornamentation and scintillating improvisations. The Brazilian groove underlying the rendition of "Speak Low," while the rendition of "It Was A Very Good Year," with Gumbs on keyboards is taken in a R&B tinged vein with plenty of smears and twang against the simple, steady groove.

Volpe has big ears and there are tinges of Wes Montgomery on a swinging "A Foggy Day," while the late night melancholy of "One For The Road," is given a lively reworking with some twang and snap from the leader. "Days of Wine and Roses" is a lovely performance with Volpe effectively using overdub as he takes his lead over a simple chordal backing. Much the same can be said of the extremely lovely "Softly As I Leave You." There is more exquisite playing on the closing selection, Carlos Santana's "Europa" subtitled by Lou "(Dedicated to the Brilliance of Frank)," again with just Volpe and his guitars.

While I found a couple selections, such as "That's Life," not completely successful, "Remembering Ol' Blue Eyes (Songs of Sinatra)" is easy to listen to and full of considerable musical substance. He may be a guitar virtuoso, but Lou Volpe also is one who knows how to intrigue and entertain his listeners.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "I'll Remember April" from the release.