Nancy Wright Alive & Blue

Nancy Wright
Alive & Blue
Direct Hit Records/VizzTone

It has been almost three years since saxophonist-vocalist Nancy Wright's prior recording "Playdate!" As I commented about that recording, "Listening to Wright's raspy sax (with plenty of vibrato) I am reminded of Junior Walker and Eddie Shaw, which certainly has an appeal." I would through also a mention of King Curtis whose "Soul Serenade" she performs on this live recording from the San Francisco venue, Saloon. The Saloon is where she first played in the mid-80s. While her prior CD had several guest appearances, this one features her and her Rhythm and Roots band: Nancy on sax and vocals, drummer Paul Revelli, Tony Lufrano on keys and background vocals, Jeff Tamelier on guitar and background vocals, and Karl Sevareid on bass. She contributed five of the twelve numbers here.

The album kicks off with a funky instrumental "Bugalu," with her chicken scratching sax ably backed by the band. Organist Lufrano and guitarist Tamelier provide riffs and licks that enhance her playing as well as take their idiomatic solos while Savareid and Revelli lock down the groove. It sets the table for this most entertaining live recording. Wright is a very capable singer with a relaxed, natural delivery. A solid example if her singing on an old Bobby Bland classic "I Don't Want No Man," with blistering solos from her, Lufrano on piano and guitarist Tamelier. Another choice performance is the soulful "In Between Tears," with a groove and guitar riff that evokes in part "Mr. Big Stuff."

Wright's original jazzy instrumental "Jo-Jo" may have her most interesting solo and Lufrano is superb on this. It is followed by a relaxed vocal on her cover of Lazy Lester's recording, "Sugar Coated Love," with Lufrano on an electric piano as well as her booting sax. After a nice original blues-ballad, "Warranty," is some belly rubbing music, "Bernie's Blues," with Temelier particularly superb on this early-morning, after-midnight instrumental. "Keep Your Hands Off of Him," set to the groove of "Got My Moho Workin'," is played with an almost frenzied, high stepping tempo with torrid tenor sax, piano, and chicken scratching guitar solos. Another notable track is the lengthy rendition of King Curtis' classic "Soul Serenade."

Recorded by Robby Yamilov at the Saloon in late 2018 and mixed by Kid Andersen, this very entertaining release certainly will please not only Nancy Wright's fans but also those into blues and classic soul.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review appeared in the July-August 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 385). Here is Nancy performing "Keep Your Hands Off of Him," from 2015.

 

Nancy Wright Playdate!

Nancy Wright
Playdate!
Direct Hit Records/ VizzTone

It was Bob Porter who alerted me to saxophonist Nancy Wright, whose playing on a Blues Cruise deeply impressed him. She has just issued a recording "Playdate!" that was produced by Christoffer 'Kid' Andersen and recorded at his Greaseland Studios. Andersen also contributes guitar with the backing band including Chris Burns on keyboards, Joe Kyle Jr. on bass; J Hansen on drums, Tom Poole on trumpet, and Faris Jarrah on trombone, behind Wright's sax. There are a number of guests here that I will highlight as well, and I take it that Wright takes the uncredited vocals on this.

Listening to Wright's raspy sax (played with plenty of vibrato) I am reminded of Junior Walker and Eddie Shaw, which certainly has an appeal. Certainly, her playing stands out on the rocking reworking of a New Orleans recording 'Why You Wanna Do It," with the fabulous soulful Wee Willie Walker taking the soulful vocal. As a singer, she has a bit of country in her sound but does a solid job of covering Koko Taylor on "I Got What it Takes," which features Tommy Castro on guitar and her own blistering solo. Victor Wainwright adds boogie laced piano to her original rocker "Yes He Do," which she rides out on sax. There is a pretty straight cover Eddie Shaw's "Blues For the Westside" with Joe Louis Walker on guitar while Wright evokes Shaw's heavy vibrato on sax. Lonnie Mack (to who this album is dedicated) was the source of "Been Waiting That Long" that Frank Bey sings, while "Trampled" is a driving Junior Walker-styled instrumental with Jim Pugh on the organ with Andersen taking a terrific Motown inspired guitar solo.

Wright's vocal on the gospel number "Satisfied" has her backed by a gospel choir, while Terry Odabi sings "Warranty," with a choice Wright lyric, followed by a capable vocal on Henry Glover's "Cherry Wine" originally recorded by Esther Phillips for Federal. Elvin Bishop is on guitar for a raspy instrumental take on "There Is Something On Your Mind," that I believe Big Jay would enjoy. Mike Schermer adds guitar to "Back Room Rock," a medium tempo rocker that sports solos from him and Wright and some call and response between them towards the close. "Good Rocking Daddy" is a Wright original, not the Etta James number, and is evocative of some sixties Chicago soul recordings.

Another instrumental, the moody "Soul Blue" with Chris Cain on guitar, closes this album on a strong note. Her sax on this is a bit more nuanced (less vibrato), and the underrated Cain shines as does all the players on this. The musicianship throughout is first-rate, and in addition to the solos, the arrangements are solid and avoid being hackneyed, and the production is up to the high standards expected from Kid Andersen and the Greaseland Studios. There is so much music to enjoy on Wright's "Playdate!"

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review originally appeared in the September-October 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 368), although I have made a few minor corrections to this review. Nancy Wright has a new recording out and I will be reviewing that shortly. Here is a video of Nancy Wright in performance.