The Fabulous Thunderbirds Strong Like That Severn Records
Severn has just issued the latest by The Fabulous Thunderbirds, "Strong Like That." While in its earliest incarnation it was as much associated with both pop tunes and classic blues, this new release is rhythm and blues associated with a distinct Memphis-Muscle Shoals flavor starting with the opening rendition of the Temptations classic "(I Know) I'm Losing You" on which Roosevelt Collier adds steel guitar behind Wilson and this edition of the Thunderbirds of Johnny Moeller on guitar, Kevin Anker on keyboards, Steve Gomes on bass and Robb Stupka on bass. Wilson immediately establishes how authoritative a singer he is and while playing harp, Collier's steel guitar dominates the performance as it takes it out while Wilson adds harp.
Paul Kelly's southern soul classic "Don't Burn Me" follows with a guest appearance from Anson Funderburgh with Wilson's very soulful singing caressed by the solid accompaniment and backing vocals along with Funderburgh's guitar break. It is followed by some swampy blues soul with Moeller's effective use of tremolo and Wilson's harp on "You're Gonna Miss Me." Wilson and band provides a fresh arrangement of an Albert King recording, "Drowning On Dry Land," with some harp that evokes Junior Parker on a terrific, and original performance of this number. Wilson's original "Smooth," has a danceable loping groove and nice harp and the title might aptly describe the character of the performances here, smoothly and cleanly executed by also soulful and far from sterile. Nice punchy horns here led and arranged by trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse.
After a solid cheating soul number, "Somebody's Getting It," Wilson opens his original "Meet Me On the Corner," with some tough amplified harp, as he tells his lady to meet him when no one can see. Also among the songs here is a nice rendition of the Eddie Floyd classic "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)." Gomes contributed the closing title track, another strong slice of soul-laced blues with some harp, solid horns behind a fine vocal that closes this fine new recording by the Thunderbirds.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the November-December 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 369). Here is a video of this edition of The Fabulous Thunderbirds from 2016.
Pianist/vocalist Gene Taylor may be best known for his stint in The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but before that he was an important component of that legendary roots rock band, The Blasters. Prior to that he had a stint with James Harman and according to Wikipedia he is currently living in Belgium. That perhaps might explain why the Spanish El Toro label has just issued his new recording Let Me Ride In Your Automobile backed by the Dutch band, CC Jerome’s Jet Setters with Nick Curran make a couple guest appearances.
The recording opens with some rollicking piano on Evangeline Stomp with some ripping tenor sax from Martijn Van Toor and rocking guitar riffs with Taylor’s overdubbed organ adding to the full sound. He follows with some terrific Pete Johnson styled boogie woogie piano and a solid vocal on Rockin’ Little Honey,” with crisp rocking guitar added for a tough performance.” Just a Midnight Girl is a mid-tempo number with a rumba groove (like some of Tampa Red’s latter recordings) and a nice brief harp solo followed by “The Golden Rule,” a rocker with Nick Curran’s stinging guitar has a pointed lyric about he with all the gold makes the rules followed by a strong jump blues rendition of the classic hillbilly boogie, Moon Mullican’s Seven Nights To Rock, with a strong guitar solo from Jeroen Van Gasteren before Taylor’s fluid boogie playing. Never Took the Time, is a driving performance with a lyric about a faltering relationship with strong solos and ensemble playing, whereas The Blues For Me has a low-key, rustic feel in comparison with his lament about aspects of modern life. The Walkout has a bit of rockabilly flavor an insistent beat and is followed by three covers. First up is Big Walter Price’s Shirley Jean, which is a nice swamp pop performance. It is followed by a lively version of Johnny “Guitar’ Watson’s Motorhead Baby, greatly accelerating the tempo from Watson’s original into a rocking jump blues with plenty of boogie woogie blues. Let Me Ride In Your Automobile, which dates back to at least 1940 and Big Bill Broonzy. Taylor’s performance derives from Lowell Fulson’s recording (and Fulson receives the composer credit, and has a fine vocal that effectively highlights the wit of the double-entendre lyrics. Flying With Whitey is a instrumental that closes this recording on a hot jitter-bugging note.
Taylor’s originals are solid and idiomatic, his vocals are unforced and the Jet Setters know the difference between rock and roll and hard rock. I have enjoyed Taylor’s work when I have seen him play, so I am not surprised his has put out such a strong a strong blues and roots rock album. I bought it from bluebeatmusic.com, although it is available from amazon and cdbaby, so should be relatively easy to find.
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