Victor Wainwright and the Train Memphis Loud

Victor Wainwright and the Train
Memphis Loud
Ruf Records

Victor Wainwright has become one of the most prominent individuals on the blues and American roots music scene. He has been a regular Blues Music Award nominee and winner. This new release certainly will not disappoint his many fans. Joining Wainwright (vocals, piano, Hammond B3, electric piano) in the studio are The Train: Billy Dean (drums, percussion, vocals), Terrence Grayson (bass, vocals), Pat Harrington (guitar, vocals), Mark Earley (baritone sax, tenor sax & clarinet), Doug Woolverton (trumpet & flugelhorn) and Dave Gross (guitar, vocals, percussion). There are special guests present as well, including former train member Greg Gumpel (guitar/vocals), Reba Russell & Gracie Curran (vocals), Monster Mike Welch (guitar). Wainwright and Dave Gross produced this, and Wainwright wrote or co-wrote all 12 songs.

Musically, "Memphis Loud" is blues-based roots as opposed to straight blues. That is a simplistic description as the music here is terrific. Perhaps think of Leon Russell as opposed to Sunnyland Slim. Anyway, his two-fisted piano is wholly on display here while guitarist Pat Harrington and saxophonist Mark Earley wail on "Walk that Walk." Even more impressive than Wainwright's piano is his compelling singing, such as on the train blues that provides the album its title. There is some plenty of spellbinding, blistering boogie-woogie piano as he sings about a train heading to Memphis and coming through one's town. What also shines is the tempo shifts and the arrangement. "Sing" is another stunning track with its dreamy, circus parade tempo, and an arrangement employing the interweaving of Wooverton's muted was way trumpet and Earley's clarinet.

On "Disappear," that Wainwright sounds like he is performing an unrecorded George Harrison song with Dave Gross' guitar solo adding to this feel. Hints of Booker T and the MG's are present in the setting for "Golden Rule." Other selections are equally intriguing and gripping. With Wainwright's marvelous singing, along with a first-rate studio band and production, "Memphis Loud" is a superb recording with plenty of musical magic.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a recent performance by Victor Wainwright and The Train.

 

Vanessa Collier Honey Up

Vanessa Collier
Honey Up
Phenix Fire Records

After having her second album on Ruf, Vanessa Collier's latest is a crowd-funded, self-produced CD. The Berklee graduate (with degrees in Performance and Music Production & Engineering) is a threat as a singer, songwriter (she wrote 9 of the ten songs on this) multi-instrumentalist (playing various saxophones as well as guitar on this) and arranger. She has recruited quite a group of musicians for this including Nick Stevens on drums and percussion, Nick Trautmann on bass, Sparky Parker on guitar for several tracks, William Gorman on keyboards, Laura Chavez on guitar (8 of the ten tracks), Quinn Carson on trombone (5 tracks) and Doug Woolverton on trumpet (5 tracks).

Her website notes that she "weaves funk, soul, rock, and blues into every powerful performance," and that is quite evident on the varied musical program here which includes songs ranging from the opening New Orleans flavored "Sweatin' Like A Pig, Singin' Like An Angel," as she shouts about singing in the Southland. Vocally, she impresses with her presence while Laura Chavez blasts a some hot West Coast blues guitar prior to Collier taking a funky tenor sax solo in a King Curtis vein, and then trades fours with Woolverton. It isn't simply the performance of her and the core band, but her arrangement of the horns and the production, all of which is first-rate on this party track. There is more of a party mood on "Don't Nobody Got Time To Waste," with the brassy horns riffing in support set against a jubilant gospel-rooted groove. Gorman is very greasy on the organ while her sax soars against the rest of the band.

The title track is a funky song where she sings about being held up in her relationship and another who wants her to "honey up and kiss his behind." She takes a punchy sax solo while Gorman takes a keyboard solo set against Stevens' driving drumming. "Percolatin'" is a funky instrumental that showcases her funky R&B sax playing. Bassist Trautmann is spotlighted here as well. One of the most interesting, and enjoyable songs here is "Icarus," an imaginative telling of the Greek mythological figure. She plays acoustic guitar (providing an effective sparse backing) behind her melodious singing and a strong short saxophone solo. It is a change of pace from some of the more hard-hitting songs, including "The Fault Line," with more searing guitar from Laura Chavez. There is the effective employment of resonator guitars by Collier and Parker, along with Chavez's focused fretwork on "Bless Your Heart." For variety, there is a touch of country in her vocal on the horn-driven shuffle, "You're a Pill." Again Chavez shines while Collier's booting solo helps ride this track out. "Making lemonade out of lime can get a little crazy… " opens up the New Orleans-Ray Charles flavor on "You Get What You Get."

The album closes with a nice rendition of Chris Smithers' "Love Me Like a Man," that opens as a duet with just Parker's backing before the full band joins in to add punch behind her heartfelt singing and saxophone solo. As a matter of taste, there are a couple songs that I might have preferred a slightly slower tempo or a tad lighter touch on the drums, but I am again impressed by Collier as a singer, saxophonist, songwriter, and a producer. "Honey Do" is a striking recording that will have strong appeal to many.

I received my review copy from a publicist. I have made stylistic changes to the review that originally appeared in the September-October 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 380). Here she performs "Sweatin' Like A Pig, Singin' Like An Angel."

Adrianna Marie And Her Roomful Of All-Stars

Adrianna Marie And Her Roomful Of All-Stars
Kingdom of Swing
VizzTone

West Coast chanteuse Adrianna Marie has a second recording of jump blues and swing backed by a fine band including underrated guitarist L.A. Jones, pianist Al Copley, bassist Kedar Roy, drummer Brian Fahey and the Roomful Horns (Doug James, Rich Lataille, Doug Wooverton, Mark Early and Carl Querrfuth). Duke Robillard, who did the studio production, and Junior Watson guest on selected tracks while Bob Corritore is on harmonica for one tune.

There is a mix of originals by Adrianna along with covers of classic blues and swing numbers. The originals are pretty good songs and like everything this is well played in the vein of the early jump blues style of Roomful of Blues with plenty of brass as on the opening title track, her tribute to the swing era although the real king of swing was King Carter and not Goodman. Some nice growling trumpet from Wooverton on this selection. A similar thrust is "Gimme a Roomful," a salute to swing and Roomful of Blues."

A straight cover of an Esther Phillips' classic "Better Beware" is followed by a rollicking original "Sidecar Mama" that sounds like a cover of an unissued Camille Howard or Wynona Carr recording with a superb solo. "Memphis Boogie" is another noteworthy original in the jump blues tradition. These are fun sides with plenty of solo space, although when she attempts renditions from Ellington "Mood Indigo," Billie Holiday, "The Blues Are Brewin'," her vocals are enjoyable but hardly distinctive. And if not in the league as a singer on Helen Humes' level, her rendition of Humes' "Drive Me Daddy," displays her good taste in material. The terrific Muddy Waters' styled slide guitar, has Bob Corritore's harmonica lend it a Chicago blues meets jump blues feel.

"Jump With You Baby" gives several of the players a chance to solo while L.A. Jones duets with her on the boisterous "T-Bone Boogie," a thinly disguised reworking of Big Joe Turner-Pete Johnson classic "Roll 'Em Pete," with a terrific Doug James baritone sax solo and Al Copley laying down some strong boogie woogie piano. Jones takes a T-Bone Walker styled solo here followed by his wonderful playing on the closing instrumental "Blues After Hours." It closes an enjoyable and well-performed, if not outstanding, swing and blues recording.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review appeared in the May-June Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 372). Hdere she performs "Kingdom of Swing."

Paul Gabriel's What’s the Chance …

Paul Gabriel has been a regional treasure in New England, who in a career that spans over 40 years, has appeared on three albums by legendary singer/songwriter Harry Chapin, played slide guitar on Rory Block’s Grammy-nominated album, Mama’s Blues, toured with Michael Bolton and recorded and toured with his several of his own bands. His friend (and mentor), Duke Robillard has produced Gabriel’s new release, What’s the Chance … on Shining Stone Records. On this he steps into the spotlight on an album of 13 tracks that showcases him as a distinctive, bluesy guitarist, a talented songwriter and a master of diverse musical styles.

On What's the Chance…, Gabriel is backed by a core band of Billy Bileca on bass, Nick Longo on drums and Larry “Buzzy” Fallstrom on keyboards. Special guests on the new album include Duke Robillard on guitars and background vocals; former Butterfield Blues Band alumnus Mark Naftalin on piano; Bruce Bears on keyboards; Steve Pastir on guitar; and the Roomful of Blues Horns consisting of Rich Lataille on alto/tenor sax, Mark Earley on tenor/baritone sax, and Doug Woolverton on trumpet. With the exception of Chris Kenner’s R&B classic Something You Got, and bassist Bileca’s C.M.C., Gabriel penned the songs on this.

As Gabriel observes, he first saw Duke Robillard perform with a new band, Roomful of Blues, around 1968 and Duke became an influence and a mentor. Gabriel’s music certainly will not provide any surprises for those familiar with early Roomful or Duke and The Pleasure Kings. Gabriel’s Old Time Ball, is a jump blues clearly derived from T-Bone Walker’s T-Bone Shuffle, and is sung and played with a nice graceful swing. Ride, Ride, Ride is an appealing bluesy rocker while the title track is a reflective rootsy R&B tinged ballad. 328 Chauncy Street is a punchy, jazzy instrumental with Robillard and Bears (on organ) taking solos before Gabriel comes in swinging with a bit of buzz-saw in his tone. Baby I Wish is a nice uptown blues original with a touch of Percy Mayfield’s Tangerine and Brunswick recordings in the arrangement with Bears and Gabriel taking tough solo breaks. 

Devil’s Daughter is an original lyric about a gold digger, set to a melody derived from Nobody Knows You When Your Down and Out, with Mark Naftalin on piano, followed by a fine original jump blues “All That Time Gone.” Bileca’s C.M.C. provides Gabriel to display a jazzier side of his guitar playing he as navigates the changes of this interesting original. While the title of Roomful of Blues, may be inspired by the band, the song is not a homage to the band. The song has a base line that evokes Bill Withers’ Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone. Gabriel, having been lied to once again, pleads to be taken from that room full of blues. Rich Lataille takes a marvelous tenor sax solo on what may be the standout track on this album. Fine At’Tire, is a change of pace as Gabriel only backed by Naftalin’s piano, recalls a visit to Memphis.

A relaxed shuffle Spoda Be, closes out What's the Chance … , ending a varied and most appealing blues recording with some roots extensions. Strong material, solid playing mixed with the leader’s warm, heartfelt vocals makes for an impressive release.

A publicist supplied me with a review copy. Here is Paul Gabriel in performance.