Deb Ryder Memphis Moonlight

Deb Ryder
Memphis Moonlight
VizzTone

"Memphis Moonlight" is a new release from the husky-voiced blues singer and songwriter Deb Ryder. Like her earlier recordings, it is produced by Tony Braunagel and Ryder's husband Rick while Johnny Lee Schell engineered the session. A core backing group of musicians includes Braunagel on drums, Schell on guitar, bass, and keyboards, Travis Carlton on bass, Mike Finnigan on the Hammond B-3, Peter Van Der Pluijim on harmonica, Joe Sublett on saxophone, and Mark Pender on trumpet. There are guest appearances by guitarists Ronnie Earl, Joey Delgado and Alistair Greene, saxophonist Steve Berlin, and accordionist David Hidalgo. Ryder wrote all 13 songs (two with her husband, Rick).

Deb Ryder's previous releases impressed me with her strong songwriting and her convincing, powerful vocals. Like her prior albums, this new release contains some hard-hitting blues and blues-rock. She sings powerfully but with nuance and an excellent display of vocal dynamics. Ryder never comes off as sounding shrill and emoting. The production and the support are top-notch as well.

Things kick off with the brassy, horn-driven, soulful funk of "I'm Coming Home, where she proclaims she is coming home where she belongs, singing over Sublett's sax. Plujiom's harmonica adds down-home flavor to "Hold On," with Braunagel leading an insistent groove. Alistair Greene adds his slide guitar along with that from Schell on her soulful vocal on a vibrant down-home gospel blues, "These Hands." Then there is "Get Ready," with an echo added to her voice as she urges us to start a revolution of love and speak out against injustice.

The mood shifts on a slow, straight-forward blues, "Love Is Gone," with Finnigan's organ adding atmosphere. This song is one of the two tracks that showcase Ronnie Earl, whose playing is impressive as always. This is a standout track here. Another high point is the title track has her singing supported only by Schell on guitar, bass, and tambourine and backing vocals by her and Finnigan. She sings about feeling good about being in Memphis and regrets letting her lover go in the past. "Just Be Careful" takes us musically to the Mississippi hill country with its infectious groove and memorable lyric with the tagline, "if you can't be good, just be careful," with Schell adding some rollicking slide guitar.

Schell shines on "Jump On In," where Ryder tells her man to let himself go and spend time with her. A jazzy shuffle, "Standing at the Edge," follows with swagger and swing in Ryder's vocal. Finnigan lays down a tough foundation for her vocal as well as taking a greasy solo. The Delgado brothers, Hidalgo and Steve Berlin lend a zydeco flavor to the lively "Second Chances." At times Ryder's tune "Most of All" hints at Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind." Ryder sings magnificently here while Ronnie Earl adds a solo played with such depth of feeling that matches Ryder's superb singing. It closes another excellent recording with outstanding originals, terrific backing, and Deb Ryder's authoritative singing.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. Here is a relatively recent performance from Deb Ryder.

Deb Ryder - Memphis Moonlight

Deb Ryder

Memphis Moonlight

VizzTone

"Memphis Moonlight" is a new release from the husky-voiced blues singer and songwriter Deb Ryder. Like her earlier recordings, it is produced by Tony Braunagel and Ryder's husband Rick while Johnny Lee Schell engineered the session. A core backing group of musicians includes Braunagel on drums, Schell on guitar, bass, and keyboards, Travis Carlton on bass, Mike Finnigan on the Hammond B-3, Peter Van Der Pluijim on harmonica, Joe Sublett on saxophone, and Mark Pender on trumpet. There are guest appearances by guitarists Ronnie Earl, Joey Delgado and Alistair Greene, saxophonist Steve Berlin, and accordionist David Hidalgo. Ryder wrote all 13 songs (two with her husband, Rick).

Deb Ryder's previous releases impressed me with her strong songwriting and her convincing, powerful vocals. Like her prior albums, this new release contains some hard-hitting blues and blues-rock. She sings powerfully but with nuance and an excellent display of vocal dynamics. Ryder never comes off as sounding shrill and emoting. The production and the support are top-notch as well.

Things kick off with the brassy, horn-driven, soulful funk of "I'm Coming Home, where she proclaims she is coming home where she belongs, singing over Sublett's sax. Plujiom's harmonica adds down-home flavor to "Hold On," with Braunagel leading an insistent groove. Alistair Greene adds his slide guitar along with that from Schell on her soulful vocal on a vibrant down-home gospel blues, "These Hands." Then there is "Get Ready," with an echo added to her voice as she urges us to start a revolution of love and speak out against injustice.

The mood shifts on a slow, straight-forward blues, "Love Is Gone," with Finnigan's organ adding atmosphere. This song is one of the two tracks that showcase Ronnie Earl, whose playing is impressive as always. This is a standout track here. Another high point is the title track has her singing supported only by Schell on guitar, bass, and tambourine and backing vocals by her and Finnigan. She sings about feeling good about being in Memphis and regrets letting her lover go in the past. "Just Be Careful" takes us musically to the Mississippi hill country with its infectious groove and memorable lyric with the tagline, "if you can't be good, just be careful," with Schell adding some rollicking slide guitar.

Schell shines on "Jump On In," where Ryder tells her man to let himself go and spend time with her. A jazzy shuffle, "Standing at the Edge," follows with swagger and swing in Ryder's vocal. Finnigan lays down a tough foundation for her vocal as well as taking a greasy solo. The Delgado brothers, Hidalgo and Steve Berlin lend a zydeco flavor to the lively "Second Chances." At times Ryder's tune "Most of All" hints at Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind." Ryder sings magnificently here while Ronnie Earl adds a solo played with such depth of feeling that matches Ryder's superb singing. It closes another excellent recording with outstanding originals, terrific backing, and Deb Ryder's authoritative singing.

I received my review copy from VizzTone.

Groove Legacy

Groove Legacy
Self-Produced

Established as a tribute to soul-jazz such as represented by the legendary Crusaders, The Meters, JB Horns, and Stuff, Groove Legacy is led by established mainstay musicians of the road and studio: Saxophonist Paul Cerra and keys master Bill Steinway, alongside bassist Travis Carlton (Larry’s son). Blues guitar virtuoso Kirk Fletcher, emerging drum star Lemar Carter, rhythm guitarist Sam Meek and trombonist Andrew Lippman join Groove Legacy on stage and record, along with guest appearances from Robben Ford and Larry Carlton. Groove Legacy has not attempted to copy the classic funk and soul-jazz recordings, but rather provides us on the eponymously titled recording with ten originals that evoke this bygone musical era.

The mood is set by the opening "Sweetness (For Walter Payton)" with the twin horn lines of saxophonist Cerra and trombonist Lippman setting the mood over a funky groove with Travis Carlton's bass lines helping set the foundation with soulful tenor sax from Cerra followed by Fletcher's bluesy guitar. Sam Meek's guitar, along with  honking sax by Cerra and some blustery trombone, is featured on "Odd Couple." 

Cerra and Travis Carlton collaborated on the bluesy "Cornell," dedicated to Cornell Dupree, with appearances from Ricky Peterson on Hammond B-3 and Larry Carlton on guitar. Robben Ford's blues-rock guitar, along with Bill Steinway's Fender Rhodes piano and Cerra's tenor sax, is spotlighted on another bluesy number,"The Know It All." Having long been a fan of Kirk Fletcher, it is nice to hear him in the funky, non-blues, context on "Moneybags."

Nothing fancy about the music on this recording. Groove Legacy pretty straight R&B flavored jazz that should  appeal to those that want danceable, funk grooves and the husky solos that propel these performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the July-August Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367), although I have made stylistic changes and corrections to what was run there. Here is Groove Legacy performing "Moneybags."

Kirk Fletcher Takes His Turn

At the relatively young age of 35, Kirk Fletcher certainly has established himself as a blues guitarist. He may be familiar to some from his recent stint with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, or perhaps some know him from his work with Janiva Magness, Charlie Musselwhite or Lynwood Slim, or as a member of The Manish Boys. Originally mentored by Al Blake of the Hollywood Fats Band he also was taken under the wing by veteran guitarist Junior Watson. He debuted on CD on a JSP album foillowed by a 2003 release, “Shades of Blue” that Delta Groove reissued in 2004. Now in 2010, he has a new recording “My Turn,” on Delta Groove’s “Electro Groove,” subsidiary that shows his growth as a guitarist who continues to display a crisp, dazzling attack but who has matured and incorporated more elements into his playing, but the foundation is a blues core.

From the opening rocking “El Medio Stomp,” he and his studio band kick things off and his twangy, twisting lines ride the groove. He sings some here, such as the very amiable take on Jimmy Reed’s “Found Love,” but also saxophonist Paulie Cerra takes the vocal on Jimmie Johnson’s rousing shuffle “Ain’t No Way,” sounding somewhat like Finis Tasby. Travis Carlton, son of guitarist Larry Carlton, plays bass on three tracks, including the funky title track that he penned with Cerra and keyboardist Luke Miller, with Cerra getting things going with some greasy sax before Fletcher takes flight with his guitar. Cerra takes the vocal on Sonny Landreth’s “Congo Square,” which is credited as traditional with Fletcher as arranger. Fletcher does take the tempo down slightly from other renditions, and this again gives him a chance to stretch out. Taylor Carlton joins again on bass for The Crusaders’ “Way Back Home” (Larry Carlton played on the original), that opens with a terrific bit of soul-jazz sax from Cerra, before Fletcher takes his thoughtful solo that fits in with the relaxed groove of the performance. “Blues For Antone,” starts acoustically before Kirk plugs in and is some hot blues guitar in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan and others. Kirk takes a turn at Sly Stone’s “Let Me Have It All,” singing as well as playing tough guitar with a smoldering backing that would have done the Family Stone proud. The Hendrix inspired, somewhat spacey “Continent’s End,” closes this album. Fletcher describes this as “my idea of Hendrix meets Sonic Youth.” Its an intriguing sonic exploration that concludes this latest, impressive sampling of Kirk Fletcher considerable talents.



This review originally appeared in the June 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 326) at page 10 (www.jazz-blues.com).

The review copy was supplied by a publicist for the label.