The Jimmys Gotta Have It

The Jimmys
Gotta Have It
Brown Cow Productions

I wrote, reviewing the last album by The Jimmy's "Live From Transylvania." "Led by keyboardist and vocalist (as well as one who helps on his family's 1500 acre Dairy farm), Jimmy Voegeli, The Jimmys, is one of the hottest blues bands out of Wisconsin with its mix of modern and jump blues." Mr. Voegeli and the group have returned with a new album. It is produced by Tony Braunagel, who also plays drums on it. Besides Voegeli, The Jimmys consists of Chris Sandoval, drums; John Wartenweiler, bass; Perry Weber, guitar and vocals; Pete Ross, saxophone; Mike Boman, trumpet; and Joe Goltz, trombone. Braunagel replaces Sandoval on this recording, and Kyle Samuelson and/or Kevan Feyzi are on trombone instead of Goltz. Al Falaschi on baritone sax and Kat Shipe fill out the horns on the recording. Marcia Ball does a duet with Voegeli and provides background vocals along with Melodye Perry and Mike Finnigan, while Wally Ingram adds percussion.

Voegeli and Weber contributed to most of the songs here, and both take lead vocals with Voegeli being the stronger singer, while Weber has a bit coarser delivery. Both are standout players as well.  Voegeli is a rollicking jump blues rooted pianist and a sterling organist. Weber is a terrific idiomatic guitarist, whether channeling gulf coast swamp-blues guitar or B.B. King single note playing. The rhythm section is superb, and the horns add a strong supporting presence.

Things kick off with the rock and roll of Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," with Weber's enthusiastic singing and Voegeli's rollicking piano. "Write a Hit" is a terrific vocal duet by Voegeli and Marcia Ball. Set against a New Orleans to Gulf Coast groove, they trade lines about their relationship breaking up. Voegeli regrets losing his house, car, and especially the dog to which Ball responds he blew it, and the dog was her and comes back when she calls the dog's name. Then there is a relaxed rocking blues, Voegeli's "She's Gotta Have It," followed by Weber's "Starting Up Again." The latter number is a talking blues in the musical vein of Slim Harpo's "Scratch My Back," with some apt trebly guitar.

"Hotel Stebbins" is a rocking boogie-woogie party song with a superb piano break, while Weber's "Drinkin''" is a straight blues by Weber about getting into trouble when he starts drinking. The is a Little Feat feel to Voegeli's "When You Got Love," with Weber's crying slide guitar adding to the mood. Gary Nicholson and Kevin McKendree wrote "Always a Woman," whose melody evokes Billy Boy Arnold's "I Wish You Would." There is some greasy organ and Ross' honking sax on this track. Jim Liban's "Someday Baby" is reminiscent of Freddie King's "Someday After Awhile." with Weber adding some excellent guitar to go with his brawny singing.

An instrumental "Jose," that sounds like a contrafact to "Ode to Billie Joe," closes another sterling recording by this terrific band with excellent songs and first-rate performances.

I received a review copy from a publicist. here is a video of The Jimmys in performance from 2019.