Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne Go, Just Do It!

Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne
Go, Just Do It!
Stony Plain Records

"Go, Just Do It!" is the latest album by the veteran blues and boogie-woogie pianist, Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne. Backing the keyboardist, who was inducted into the Boogie Woogie Hall of Fame in 2017, are former B.B. King bassist Russell Jackson, guitarist Yuji Ihara, drummer Joey Dimarco, and horn players Jerry Cook and Vince Maie. There are also appearances by Sherman Doucette on harmonica, and vocalists Dawn 'Tyler' Watson, Julie Masi, and Diane Schuur. Wayne's son SeQuel — Cory Spruell — infuses rap cadence and a fresh verse on one tune. There are ten originals from the Blues Boss and three covers.

Musically, this is a mixed bag. Wayne is an affable singer who is heard best in a relaxed boogie and blues approach like Fats Domino and Amos Milburn. There are tunes such as the relaxed boogie shuffle "You Did a Number On Me," where his voice seems to show a bit of wear. His piano shows little diminishment of his skills. His duets with Dawn 'Tyler' Watson, including the title track, are stronger performances that do benefit from her presence.

Arguably the finest selection is Percy Mayfield's "You're In For a Big Surprise," a duet with Diane Schuur, who has a vocal authority that matches Ray Charles and Johnny Adams, among the best interpreters of this song. Other stand-out performances include the brassy blues shuffle, "Motor Mouth Woman." Then there is the rocking Chicago-styled blues, "They Call Me the Breeze," with Doucette's saucy harmonica, in addition to the Blues Boss' piano. "Bumpin' Down the Highway," is a relaxed instrumental that allows Cook and Maie to stretch out before Wayne plays a sterling piano solo. Then there is a boogie train blues, "T & P Train 400," and the rollicking closing number, 'Let the Rock, Roll," with some Amos Milburn style boogie-woogie piano.

Given that this an election year, one can't be surprised that someone would cover the Percy Mayfield-Johnny 'Guitar' Watson song, "I Don't Want to Be President." But that song came out of the post-Watergate era, and Wayne's amiable vocal doesn't convey the wry, sport-spoken quality of Mayfield's recording nor the street-savvy wisdom of Watson's. SeQuel's rap on this track adds a fresh gloss on the performance. It is not a poor performance, just not outstanding.

I have been a fan of Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne since his first album came out in 1998. This album may not be one of his best recordings, such as 2018's "Inspired By The Blues." That said, I doubt anyone buying this recording would be disappointed by the good times Kenny' Blues Boss' Wayne provides.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is "That's The Way She Is" from this CD.

 

Diane Schuur Running on Faith

Diane Schuur
Running on Faith
Jazzheads

Grammy-Award winning vocalist and Diane Schuur has her first album in six years. She co-produced this recording with saxophonist Ernie Watts. Besides Schurr and Watts, the backing band includes Key Palmer on trumpet and flugelhorn, Thom Rotella on guitar, Bruce Lett on bass and Kendall Kay on drums. In her album notes, Schuur observes that she elected the tunes, which "offered the opportunity to reflect on this place in time, my place in time." And the songs selected include some of her musical heroes from "Miles Davis to Carole King to Paul Simon to Percy Mayfield."

There is a sophisticated, understated approach to two Percy Mayfield songs that open this album, "Walking on a Tightrope" and "The Danger Zone." Guitarist Rotella provides an organ-like accompaniment on the former number while Palmer lays down a middle-range trumpet solo. On the latter song, Rotella lays down a stinging guitar solo, followed by Watts' robust tenor sax. There is charm into Schuur's mix of spoken and sung vocals. However, her performances don't reach the level of those by Mayfield or the late Johnny Adams, arguably the greatest Mayfield interpreter. Schuur's horn-like phrasing provides authority to her rendition of Miles Davis' "All Blues," which includes a stunning trumpet solo by Palmer.

There are deft interpretations of Paul Simon's "Something So Right" and the Beatles' ''Let It Be." Both receive light, sympathetic backing. With Watts' rousing tenor sax opening and some boisterous piano, Schuur sings with spirit on Paul Thorn's "Everybody Looks Good at the Starting Line." Her vocal brings to the fore the lyrics of the Doc Pomus-Kenny Hirsch song "There Is Always One More Time." Then she pays tribute to Jaco Pastorious with her horn-like scatting on Pee Wee Ellis' "Chicken." This tune also showcases Palmer's fiery trumpet, Watts gutbucket tenor sax, and drummer Kay.

The closing performance is the traditional spiritual, 'Swing Low, Swing Chariot," where Schuur is accompanied solely by her piano. "Running on Faith" may not overpower a listener as much as entice one with its intimate, charming performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. here is a performance of Diane singing "Everyday I Have the Blues."