Patty Reese Let in the Sun

Patty Reese
Let in the Sun
Azalea City Recordings

Washington DC area roots-rock stylist and songwriter Patty Reese is a favorite among audiences in the Nation's Capital area. About this album (her fourth) she states, "This collection of songs is an honest representation of who I am, where I come from and where my heart is. The Blues remains the rock on which I have built every song I’ve ever written. I also love to incorporate songs by artists that inspire me and this time it was Steve Earle and Bob Dylan.” Backing her on the nine originals and two covers guitarist Jonathan Sloane; bassist Sonny Petrosky; drummer Andy Hamburger and Tommy Lepson on keys (co-producer with Reese).

Opening with a swampy blues "Is It Too Late For Me?," she proves adept in mixing in references to black cats and killing chains in a performance about searching for a happy home and saving herself from a devil's campaign with an emphatic groove and blues-rock slide. "Your Love" is a Texas blues-rock shuffle as she celebrates her love as a rock to build her home, a feather to make a bed and more. "Soul Satisfier" is a horn driven piece of danceable funk that she belts out while Sloane rocks out a bit in guitar as Lepson provides some grease with his organ, while she sings in a sultry fashion on "I Won't Let You Down," as she sings that when the world leaves you cold, "I won't you down." Her vocals throughout are full of heart and honesty

Other high-points include "Open A Window, Let In The Sun," a roots rocker with a gospel accent with Brian Simms on keyboards and Dave Chappell on guitar and "Awesome Sauce" a dance-able number with a New Orleans styled groove and blues-rock slide guitar evocative of Little Feat's "Dixie Chicken." "I Hear a Lie" is a moving country-rooted lament followed by a fresh interpretation of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright."

Steve Earle's lovers lament "Goodbye" is the closing track and Reese heartfelt singing of her regrets on this moving country performance is standout selection on a solid collection of performances that show her range as a performer and songwriter.

I received a review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2017  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371). Here Patty performs, ""Is It Too Late For Me?"

Scott Ramminger's Wise Fatherly Advice

Washington DC area saxophonist and vocalist Scott Ramminger impressed with his debut CD Crawstickers. It was full of good songs, strong bands and Ramminger’s strong saxophone playing and vocals. He has followed this up with a new recording Advice From a Father to a Son (Arbor Lane) that builds on the strengths of the earlier recording to produce a collection of performances that will satisfy both dancers and listeners. The album was recorded both in New Orleans (the first seven tracks) and the Washington DC area (last three). The New Orleans tracks have Ramminger’s tenor and baritone saxophones joined by David Torkanowsky on keyboards, Shane Theriot on guitar,   George Porter Jr. on bass, and Johnny Vidacovich on drums, The Washington, DC tracks include Tommy Lepson on organ, Dave Chappell on guitar, Jay Turner on bass and Barry Hart on drums. Nashville’s McCrary Sisters as well as DC’s Patty Reese are amongst those adding background vocals making for a strong cast of those supporting Scott on this.

Scott is a triple threat. He is a vocalist who brings warmth, depth of feeling, and humor, an able saxophonist who plays solidly in the vein of a Lee Allen or Red Tyler and a songwriter whose ability to craft songs together is quite notable. Without going through a detailed analysis of every track, a few highlights of the varied songs heard here include the opening I Love Your Smile, a song dealing with his wife’s many qualities (the clothes she wears, her derriere, fine sense of style, and he really loves her smile) with rollicking New Orleans piano from David Torkanowsky; a duet with Regina McCrary, The Other Man’s Shoes, with a message that folks should look beyond their own narrow views and try to see things from the view of the other man’s views with some striking guitar as well as a nicely shaped and clean-toned solo from Ramminger.

The title song which provides advice include that one be careful of a man in white shoes when buying a car; be generous to people who have less; eat more salad than you need; check your oil when buying gas; if go to an old girlfriend’s wedding try not to act like an ass; and don’t forget to call your mother, her love is second to none; enjoy everyday like it might be your last; advice from a father to a son, set to a lively second-line groove with a nice trumpet solo from Vince McCool; and the closing Sometimes You Race With The Devil, with a nice reggae groove and solid playing by the DC area studio group. This song recently took the Gold Award (the top honor) in the vocal blues/jazz category of the 2012 Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest.

The remaining performances stand out in a similar fashion. About Scott’s earlier album, Crawstickers, I observed that it was seriously entertaining with plenty of substance in the performances. With Advice From a Father To a Son, Scott has produced an another excellent  rich musical gumbo that is certain to delight a wide audience.

I received this from a publicist.  Here is Scott performing Crawsticker at the Surf Club, the late, fondly remembered DC area venue.

Scott Ramminger's Crawstickers A Rich Musical Stew

I have known Washington DC area saxophonist-vocalist Scott Ramminger from performances at clubs in the area. I have seen him both as a sideman in a band and leading his band the Crawstickers. He has just issued a CD titled Crawstickers with some of the DC area’s finest roots and rhythm players, including guitarist Dave Chappell, bassist Claude Arthur and drummer Pete Ragusa (best known for his long tenure in the Nighthawks). Also on this on backing vocals are Mary Ann Redmond and Patty Reese, two of the wonderful female singers that grace the DC area.

Watching Scott, I am always struck how good a vocalist and saxophonist. He is quite an accomplished musician whose saxophone solos are much more than simply honks and squeals. He is a storyteller and his solos provide a nice voice to contrast with the guitarists he plays with. The other thing is that his bands are tight and can swing and jump. They never came off as forced nor do they ever sound heavy handed or lead footed. These same strengths characterize this recording.

In addition to the strong playing, Ramminger has provided us with eleven originals that display his way with words. His songs are full of astute, often quirky, observations about everyday relationships and life. The songs include a strong blues duet with Mary Ann Redmond, There Must Be Something Wrong With You, and the Crescent City groover Real Fine Gumbo, about a woman not too sightly and a bit mean, and whose parents hate Scott, but she makes a real fine gumbo so all is right. The are funky grooves of Give a Pencil To a Fish, where he sings that give a pencil to a fish and the fish ain’t gonna write like Joyce, and give a hammer to a cow and he will never build a barn, and to his lady he says that’s why I won’t “give my love to you.” In addition to the fine studio band, Real Fine Gumbo sports a larger horn ensemble while Give a Pencil has some hot trumpet from Vince McCool who effectively uses a mute on it. That song also has features fine tenor from Ramminger’s, while Dave Chappell adds strong slide guitar. This is typical of their strong playing throughout.

Brian Simms plays keyboards throughout including accordion on Three Dollar Beer. This number has a Tex-Mex groove and a strong lyric about a man losing his job on a rig off the Gulf Coast and his wife going off with an insurance salesman and no matter hard he tried, he ended back at the roadhouse for a three dollar beer. Another topical song, I Dreamed I Met Jesus, has Jesus in a bar late last night , having a salad and an Amstel Lite while saying he was troubled by the way the world looks and people setting fire to each other’s holy books. The album concludes with a rocking duet with Patty Reese, “The Country’s Gone From Me.”

This is seriously entertaining music here with plenty of substance in the performances. Mix together strong original material with a first-rate band and a terrific singer-saxophonist, the result is the real fine gumbo of Scott Ramminger’s excellent Crawstickers. Scott’s website is www.scottramminger.com and this is available on cdbaby and iTunes.

Scott provided me with a review copy.