The Devil May Care
Self-produced
Based in the Quad Cities of Iowa and Illinois along the Mississippi River, the Avey Grouws Band has developed quite a following since vocalist Jeni Grouws, and guitarist and vocalist Chris Avey met at a Blue Jam. The band has competed in 2018 and 2020 at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, and both times made it to the semi-finals round. Grouws and Avey are joined by Bryan West on drums, Randy Leasman on bass, and Nick Vasquez on keyboards.
"The Devil May Care" is the band's first album, and Avey and Grouws wrote all ten songs which include some straight blues as well as bluesy rock with some roots touches. Several things stand out about this band and recording. First of all, Jeni Grouws catches one's attention with her unforced, grainy, expressive singing. Avey is a firsthand-rate guitarist who displays restraint as well as imagination. The rhythm section also stands out with crisp, tight backing. Finally, there is a nice variety of originals from deep blues to some light-hearted party blues that showcase their talents.
There is the boogaloo funk of the opening "Come and Get This Love" and the title track with Grouws singing about how her lover's touch makes her sanctified. "Rise Up" is a call to action to make things right set against a groove this writer finds evocative of the Neville Brothers. "Long Road" has a southern rock feel while "Let Me Sing My Blues," is a nice blues-rocker where she tells someone to let her take care of her own problems. it is played and sung at a relaxed, walking tempo with a nice piano solo. "Dirty Little Secret" has a melodic line that evokes "Who's Been Talkin'," and "Black Magic Woman." Grouws pours everything into her vocal while Avey's solo displays his effective use of tone as well as his skill in building a solo. It is followed by a solid slab of rock and roll, "Dig What You Do," Grouws shares vocal with Avey, who takes a concise, crisply played solo.
Horns are added to the jazzy "Two Days Off (and a Little Bit of Liquor)," with a sly lead vocal and nimble, jazz-tinged guitar as Grouws sings about having a couple of days off from work with a little bit of liquor to help pass the time. It is the closing selection on a most entertaining blues and blues-rock CD.
I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2020 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 389). Here the Avey Grouws Band perform "The Devil May Care."
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