The Terry Hanck Band From Roadhouse To Your House Live!

The Terry Hanck Band
From Roadhouse To Your House Live
Vizztone

Two years after The Terry Hanck Band's last release, VizzTone has issued a new live recording by them "From Roadhouse To Your House Live!," recorded at the California State Fair by Chris 'Kid' Andersen. the band consists of Hanck on saxophone and vocals, guitarist Johnny ‘Cat’ Soubrand, bassist Tim Wager and drummer Butch Cousins, with special guest Jimmy Pugh on keyboards. About their last album, "Gotta Bring It On Home To You," I noted the range of music from lively R&B, straight blues, swamp blues and pop and if anything, they continue in this vein on what must have been quite a performance for those at the Fair that day.

Hanck is quite a congenial vocalist with a bit of grizzle whose robust saxophone with a mix of King Curtis yackety-yak with Junior Walker honking. Wager and Cousins provide a solid foundation with Pugh (who also gets to display his Hammond B-3 sound on the opening track, Hanck's "Good Good Rockin' Going On," an updating of "Good Rockin' Tonight," on which Soubrand tears off one of his blistering solos. Some yackety-yak sax opens the rollicking cover of T.V. Slim's "Flatfoot Sam," with Pugh's boogie-infused piano leading into a crisp guitar break. Hanck's "Junior's Walk," is the leader's tribute to the Motown legend while Soubrand's tremolo on Chuck Willis' "Whatcha Gonna Do When Your Baby Leaves You," gives the performance the feel of some of Little Willie John's recordings. Hanck's "Smilin' Through My Tears," is an appealing swamp pop-styled ballad with a booting sax solo.

The remainder of this performance is equally varied and entertaining including a cover of Louis Jordan's "Ain't That Just Like A Woman," which opens with Hanck playing Cleanhead Vinson's "Kidney Stew" followed by a bit of "Chattanooga Choo Choo," before launching into the Jordan song. This is followed by a cover of Tyrone Davis' classic "Can I Change My Mind" (there is also a nice rendition of "Slip Away" here). Dave Spector's "Octavate'n," is an instrumental with Soubrand featured and pulling out all the stops. Hanck's original, "Peace of Mind," is evocative of some of Magic Sam's recordings and Soubrand's guitar evokes Sam here.

"From Roadhouse To Your House Live!" captures the engaging and strong blues, R&B and rock of the Terry Hanck Band in very strong form.

I received from my review copy from VizzTone. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). Here Terry in performance.

 

Terry Hanck Gotta Bring It On Home To You

Saxophonist and vocalist Terry Hanck has a rhythm and blues party on his new Delta Groove release, “Gotta Bring It On Home To You.” The CD is by The Terry Hanck Band and Friends which has Hanck and his band of guitarist Johnny ‘Cat’ Soubrand, bassist Tim Wager and drummer Butch Cousins joined by friends guitarist (and producer) Chris ‘Kid Andersen; guitarist Debbie Davies; keyboardist Jim Pugh; Baritone saxophonist Doug James; pianist Bob Welsh; organist Lorenzo Farrell and background vocalists Lisa Leu Andersen and Dennis Dove.

Bringing his vocals with a touch a grizzle and his mix of King Curtis yackety-yak with Junior Walker honking, Hanck and his friends bring together a lively part of rocking R&B on Elvin Bishop’s Right Now Is The Hour evoked Hank Ballard; the straight blues Peace of Mind with Soubrand sounding like a cross between Magic Sam and Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson; the swamp pop flavored My Last Teardrop, although the performance shifts midway into a West Coast R&B rocker; the King Curtis influenced organ sax groove of T’s Groove; and the  straight cover of Tommy Ridgely’s classic instrumental Jam Up.

There are plenty of production touches such as the cheesy fafisa organ used on Pins and Needles that lends it a Tex-Mex flavor. Hanck’s band is excellent and the guests all acquit themselves quite well. Also, production and recording is excellent, as expected with Delta Groove. Gotta Bring It On Home To You is another fine CD from Hanck.

I received my review copy from Delta Groove. Here is a video of the Terry Hanck Band with some booting sax to kick things off.