Laura Tate Live From El Paso

Laura Tate
Live From El Paso
811 Gold Records LLC

A career as an actor and singer, performing on stage and television, and directing music videos and documentaries, Laura Tate has this new album recorded in her present hometown of El Paso. Tate recruited a fine band for this live recording, that was a benefit concert. The band's foundation was pianist Jeff Paris on piano, Doug Hamblin on guitar, Terry Wilson on bass, and Tony Braunagel on drums. Also present is a horn section of Lee Thornburg on trombone, Darrell Leonard on trumpet, and Joe Sublett on saxophone. Teresa James adds backing vocals.

One shouldn't be surprised by Tate's singing. Her smooth, fluid phrasing, clean intonation, and ability to shade and build a performance's intensity are notable. There is a quality to these performances, including the striking backing she receives. Her songs transverse a range of material opening with Mel Harker's "No Place to Hide," that strikes these ears as a sophisticated performance that would have been at home on a 1960s pop recording of a Brill Building song. Then there is her updating of Thin Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back In Town."

Starting wistfully, the tempo kicks it up a notch into a swinging rocker that showcases her deft singing. Darrell Leonard's searing trumpet and Doug Hamblin's biting guitar complements her sultry Peggy Lee sounding vocal on "I Need a Man." Allen Toussaint's "Hittin' on Nothin" has a groove reminiscent of Don Covay's "See Saw." With Jeff Paris emulating Toussaint's Crescent City piano, Tate solidly interprets the Irma Thomas recording with strong solo breaks by Sublett and Hamblin. There is a touch of vinegar to her vocal on the reflective "Still Got the Blues," followed by the swamp-soul flavor of "Nobody Gets Hurt." Also standing out is her dreamy vocal on "Cowboy Jazz," and the buoyant jump blues, "Big Top Hat."

The sweet soul of "If That Ain't Love" is the final track on this splendid recording covering a range of musical modes. Tate, as indicated, is a top-flight singer who is splendidly supported on this excellent recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here she sings "Still Got the Blues."

Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps Is Bonafide

Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps
Bonafide
Jesi-Lu Productions

Roots-blues singer Teresa James will be familiar with many from her association with Delbert McClinton (she's a regular on his cruises), as well as from festival appearances and club dates. Born in Houston and now based in Los Angeles, her band the Rhythm Tramps includes bassist Terry Wilson (who wrote most of the songs here as well as plays guitar and produced and engineered this recording); guitarist Billy Watts, drummer Herman Matthews, trumpeter Lee Thornburg and saxophonist Ron Dziuba. While they all appear on this, only Wilson and Watts are featured on most of this with the likes of drummer Tony Braunagel and keyboardist Mike Finnigan of The Phantom Blues Band adding there talents to a number of selections, along with Teresa herself on piano and Wurlitzer Piano.

Starting with the cover of a Five Royales song, "I Like It Like That," one gets impressed by James with a slight bit of sandpaper in her voice that adds to its grit and character. She is a singer, not a shouter, as she ably demonstrates on this rocker with the somewhat skeletal backing of the title track as well as with fuller backing on the soulful "The Power of Need." This latter track is a standout track with nice horns in the backing and Watts taking a crisp guitar break as she sings of yearning of the power of wanting to love someone. "Hollywood Way," has a funky groove with Wilson playing an effective simple organ riff and wah wah guitar riff as she sings in an understated manner about games being played and all our heroes never fade away.

"My God Is Better Than Yours" is an gospel-tinged song about religious hypocrisy, followed by another soulful ballad celebrating her lover, "You Always Pick Me Up." "What Happens In Vegas" has a New Orleans groove (think Huey "Piano' Smith and the Clowns) and takes the advertising slogan as what stays in Vegas to include one's money and one's honey. "Funny Like That" is an attractive ballad with a island groove while "No Regrets" finds her reflecting about having "no regrets about you" although she doesn't make things easy for her man. She delivers a marvelous closing vocal on John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me," as she pleads for her man to give her loving arms a try and have a little faith in her. She plays piano here, while the spare, uncluttered, backing provides a cushion for her heartfelt singing. It is the close on this first-rate album of roots, blues and soul performances.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review originally appeared in the March-April Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 371). Here is a video of Teresa James and the Rhythm Tramps performing John Hiatt's "Have a Little Faith in Me."

Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Horns Back to the Shack

Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Horns
Back to the Shack

Jack Mack & the Heart Attack Horns are veterans of the LA scene with a classic Memphis-Muscle Shoals soul sound. with New Orleans native Mark Campbell handling the vocals, on this new recording the backing includes Tony Braunagel on drums, Andrew Kastner on guitars, Bruce Atkinson on bass guitar, and Carlos Murguia on keyboards with an impressive horn section that includes Les Lovitt on trumpet, Bill Bergman on saxophones. Special guest Lee Thornburg arranges the horns and is on trumpet and trombone on 'Aint No Way" while Mike Finnigan adds his Hammond B-3 and vocal to “Somethin’ In The Water.” Nine of the ten tracks are originals with the exception being Carolyn Franklin's “Ain’t No Way,” that Aretha originally waxed for her "Lady Soul" album.

Andrew Kastner, an original Jack Mack member plays the hard-edged, screaming guitar on the opening track “Standin’ Before The King,” a tribute to the B.B. King with an impassioned vocal from Campbell with Melanie Taylor adding her voice. "Something in the Water" is a funky number with Finnigan adding his voice to enhance Campbell's lead. The medium tempo easy rocker "Don't Let Her Go," is some soulful advice with punchy horns and Bergman's strong booting sax solo. The driving groove of the bluesy "Never Too Late," is followed by a lovely bluesy ballad "Somebody To Trust," with Finnigan again guesting on Hammond B-3 while Campbell displays his range as his voice soars here.

"Serves Me Right" is a terrific number that evokes Muscles Shoals in the backing and horns, while the funky JB's feel of "Bad Habit," should get listeners up and dancing. The lilting ballad, "Change My Ways," which opens with Bergman's sax, like "Never Too Late," exhibits the warmth in which Campbell can put forth a lyric and then after this Memphis sounding gem, we get another gem with his heartfelt delivery of the Franklin song. The closing rocker, "Let Me In," is a bit frenzied perhaps, but the backing is tight and the breakneck tempo doesn't phase Campbell's singing.

Mark Campbell is a terrific singer that suggests Otis Redding, Joe Tex and Wilson Pickett but places his own stamp on the songs here. The backing is terrific and the recording is excellent. This is an impressive album full of soulful music.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a video of Jack Mack & The Heart Attack Horns.