Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne Inspired By The Blues

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne
Inspired By The Blues
Stony Plain Records

The grand master of blues and boogie-woogie piano, Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne is back with his fourth album for Stony Plain (and I believe his tenth overall). He has written eleven new songs along with a live cover of "Georgia on My Mind." His vocals, piano, and organ are backed by a band including former B.B. King bassist Russell Jackson; Joey DiMarco on drums; Yuji Ihara on guitar; Dave Babcock on saxophones; and Bob Tildesley on trumpet. There are guest appearances from Billy Branch on harmonic; Duke Robillard on guitar; and Lynne Chwyl on backing vocals. Recorded live in Mexico, there is a different backing band for "Georgia."

Wayne is a strong blues and boogie-woogie piano player, primarily influenced by Fats Domino, Ray Charles, and Johnnie Johnson, but also Amos Milburn and Bill Doggett. He is able to handle a straight Chicago Blues like the opening "I Knew I'd Be Playing The Blues," on which Billy Branch adds his expertise. Then its a bit of rock and roll boogie-woogie on "Start Rockin'," with the lyrics having a bit of his musical philosophy with a choice guitar solo as well. Even though it sounds like he is playing an electric piano on "I Like That Woman," Kenny's playing evokes Amos Milburn. There is some fine guitar that evokes early 50's jazzy blues guitar (is that Robillard playing here), before Wayne takes an organ solo to take this performance to its close.

There is "Jimmy and Johnny," a boogie-woogie rooted song that has a lyrical theme in the vein of "Frankie and Johnny." Tildesley plays outstanding muted trumpet solo, while Wayne plays some of his best, relaxed boogie-woogie playing here on a recording where he consistently plays strongly, "Make Up Your Mind" is a rollicking Chicago blues-styled shuffle that especially shows how solid Russell Jackson and Joey DiMarco are in keeping the groove. After his relaxed, yet rollicking, boogie-woogie piano on the instrumental, "Lake Country Boogie," which also has a booting tenor sax solo, the Blues Boss pays tribute to Fats Domino with "Mr. Blueberry Hill." Wayne's lyrics, as well as his vocal and piano, captures the spirit of the Domino's legendary Crescent City recordings.

The album closes with the live recording from a Mexican concert of "Georgia," with Mati Vaarman's organ adding color as well as a greasy chicken shack solo along with Wayne's electric piano. His vocal, which is in the shadow of Ray Charles, is one of his best here, and guitarists Raul Ukareda and Jevgeni Lamba both take strong solos. Like the rest of this album, this selection is wonderfully played, and Kenny Wayne, a very affable singer, sings and plays wonderfully throughout this splendid new release.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a promotional video for this release.

40 Years of Stony Plain

Alligator Records is not the only independent label to issue an anthology celebrating its catalog. "40 Years of Stony Plain," is the latest installment in such compilations from the Canadian label, apparently the oldest independent Canadian record company still with the same ownership. Stony Plain is much more than a blues label, although love of blues and jazz is at the core of Holger Petersen who has also hosted blues radio programs for nearly fifty years, helped found the Edmonton Folk Festival and so much more. The Stony Plain catalog spans folks and roots to jazz and blues and has issued 15 albums from Canadian Country Icon Ian Tyson (formerly of Ian & Sylvia) as well as 20 Duke Robillard releases along with over a half dozen he produced with other artists, eight CDs and one DVD by Ronnie Earl and six releases from Eric Bibb. Richard Flohil provides an overview of Stony Plain including excerpts from his notes to earlier compilations as well as song notes in the enclosed booklet.

This celebration of the label has three discs. The first is entitled "Singers, Songwriters and much more" and includes performances, from amongst others, Colin Linden, Spirit of the West, Doug Sahm, Harry Manx and Kevin Breit, Emmylou Harris, New Guitar Summit, Rodney Crowell, Ian Tyson, Jennifer Warnes, Steve Earl and Eric Bib featuring Taj Mahal, The Blind Boys of Alabama and Ruthie Foster. Highlights on this disc include is the acerbic roots-rock of Linden's "No More Cheap Wine"; the Irish flavored "The Crawl" from Spirit of the West; an unusual folky Doug Sahm performance; the atmospheric reworked blues of Manx and Breit, "Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"; the revival of an Elvis Presley Arthur Crud-up cover by James Burton, Albert Lee, Amos Garrett, and David Wilcox; a hauntingly beautiful Emmylou Harris performance; Duke Robillard, Jay Geils and Gerry Beaudoin recorded a lightly swinging "Flying Home" as part of New Guitar Summit; the traditional country of Ian Tyson's "Cottonwood Canyon" and Tim Hus' "Wild Rose Waltz," and the Eric Bibb led gospel "Needed Time."

The second disc brings "Blues, R&B, Gospel, Swing, Jazz and even more," with performances by the likes of Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne, Joe Louis Walker, Rosco Gordon, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, Maria Muldaur with Taj Mahal, MonkeyJunk, Jay McShann, Jeff Healey, Billy Boy Arnold, Ruthie Foster, Sonny Rhodes and King Biscuit Boy. There is a rollicking "Bankrupted Baby" by the Blues Boss from his most recent recording; Joe Louis Walker's revival of a swamp rockabilly number "Eyes Like a Cat"; late Rosco Gordon and Jay McShann (both from Duke Robillard produced sessions I believe); Ronnie Earl's revival of Otis Rush's "It Takes Time" with vocalist Michael Leadbitter from his latest album; Muldaur & Taj doing an impassioned take of Blind Willie Johnson's "Soul of the Man"; Jeff Healey's amusing swing era jive of "Hong Kong Blues"; a terrific Billy Boy Arnold Chicago blues; Ruthie Foster's excellent Memphis Minnie interpretation from Stony Plain's Memphis Minnie tribute album; and the late King Biscuit Boy's Louis Jordan cover. There are also acoustic blues interpretations from Rory Block and Big Dave McLean on this.

The third disc contains "Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material" starting with a couple of Duke Robillard numbers including a Smiley Lewis cover; two tracks from Eric Bibb including a hauntingly beautiful "Wayfaring Stranger"; live performances by Maria Muldaur of songs from Memphis Minnie and Reverend Gary Davis; a lively acoustic guitar instrumental blues by David Wilcox; Colin Linden and Doc MacLean backing the legendary Sam Chatmon on two songs from the long defunct Flying Fish catalog; two Bob Carpenter's two folk numbers and a closing instrumental by Shakey 'Walter' Horton backed by Hot Cottage. The inclusion of these rare selections enhance the already considerable value of compilations such as this one.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367).

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne is Jumpin' and Boppin'

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne
Jumpin' and Boppin'
Stony Plain

Blues and boogie woogie pianist and vocalist, Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne has a new recording, his tenth album, and third for Stony Plain, "Jumpin' and Boppin'." It is certainly another album that will enthrall fans of jump blues in the vein of Amos Milburn, Little Willie Littlefield, early Ray Charles, Johnnie Johnson and Fats Domino. Duke Robillard is a special guest and spices up a number of tracks here. Others supporting Wayne here include Russell Jackson on bass, Charlie Jacobson on guitar, Joey Dimarco on drums, Sherman Doucette on harmonica, and Dave Babcock on saxophone.

With the exception of "You Don't Know Me," best known from Ray Charles rendition (which Wayne covers) the songs are Wayne originals. Highlights include the rollicking Amos Milburn flavored "Jumpin' & Boppin' With Joy," the Johnnie Johnson flavored wry "Ciao, Ciao Baby," the rollicking "Look Out! There's a Train Coming," with hints of Fats Domino and MIlburn, the Ray Charles flavored topical blues "Bankrupted Blues," the late night blues of "Back To Square One," and the hot rock and roll of "Rock, Rock Little Girl," where he shouts out if you don't known how to rock, you don't know how to roll.

The rhythm section is terrific throughout, Robillard is superb where featured and Babcock's saxophone playing is spot on where adding punchy honking on "Blues Stew," or ripping out supportive rifts. Along with choice, idiomatic original songs and Wayne's two-fisted piano and solid singing, this release (produced by Wayne himself) will have listeners "Jumpin' and Boppin'" with joy.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 267). Here is the Blues Boss performing.

Kenny Wayne is the Blues Boss of Boogie Woogie

Andy Grigg, publisher of Real Blues, has become a champion of pianist-vocalist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne. Wayne, a San Francisco native, has been a Vancouver resident and is laying some of the toughest boogie woogie and jump blues since the late Amos Milburn passed.

Grigg has just put out on his Real Blues label, Blues Boss Boogie, which showcases Wayne’s piano and urbane vocal stylings. Milburn is clearly the dominant influence on Wayne, although one might suggest a dose of the boogie woogie trio of Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis, as well as Fats Domino. Wayne is heard on 16 originals for over an hour of jump blues and boogie woogie backed by The Twisters, A top Canadian jump blues band, saxophonist Johnny Ferreira and guitarist Shuggie Otis on three tracks adding his distinctive twang.

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. Photo © Ron Weinstock

Wayne's piano, a joy throughout, is to the fore on the instrumental Burrard St. Boogie. He adapts, and speeds up slightly, Milburn‘s One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer melody for the spirited You‘re a Hit, which also sports some tasty harmonica playing from Dave Hoerl in support of Wayne‘s vocal and piano. A highlight has to be the ballad, True Blue, while his sincerity prevents Apple of My Eye from coming across as corny. When he rocks on Blues Boss Boogie, one knows that the Blues Boss he‘s singing about is himself.

Wayne shifts from the piano to the Hammond B-3 as Shuggie Otis joins on guitar for the amusing Pig Feet, and the closing late-night instrumental, West Coast Blues, where Shuggie lays down some very tasty T-Bone-Walker styled guitar to go with Wayne‘s deep-fried organ . Lovers of boogie woogie and jump blues should not miss this. It may be hard to find so you may want to contact Real Blues, 302-655 Herald Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8W 3L6 or call (250) 384-2088, and you might want to ask about this publication as well.

I received my review copy from the label. This may be very difficult to find and fortunately the Blues Boss continues to be active today and released several fine albums in the years since I write this in 1998. Here is a video of him performing.