Kenny Wayne is the Blues Boss of Boogie Woogie

Andy Grigg, publisher of Real Blues, has become a champion of pianist-vocalist Kenny ‘Blues Boss’ Wayne. Wayne, a San Francisco native, has been a Vancouver resident and is laying some of the toughest boogie woogie and jump blues since the late Amos Milburn passed.

Grigg has just put out on his Real Blues label, Blues Boss Boogie, which showcases Wayne’s piano and urbane vocal stylings. Milburn is clearly the dominant influence on Wayne, although one might suggest a dose of the boogie woogie trio of Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson, and Meade Lux Lewis, as well as Fats Domino. Wayne is heard on 16 originals for over an hour of jump blues and boogie woogie backed by The Twisters, A top Canadian jump blues band, saxophonist Johnny Ferreira and guitarist Shuggie Otis on three tracks adding his distinctive twang.

Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne on the Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise. Photo © Ron Weinstock

Wayne's piano, a joy throughout, is to the fore on the instrumental Burrard St. Boogie. He adapts, and speeds up slightly, Milburn‘s One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer melody for the spirited You‘re a Hit, which also sports some tasty harmonica playing from Dave Hoerl in support of Wayne‘s vocal and piano. A highlight has to be the ballad, True Blue, while his sincerity prevents Apple of My Eye from coming across as corny. When he rocks on Blues Boss Boogie, one knows that the Blues Boss he‘s singing about is himself.

Wayne shifts from the piano to the Hammond B-3 as Shuggie Otis joins on guitar for the amusing Pig Feet, and the closing late-night instrumental, West Coast Blues, where Shuggie lays down some very tasty T-Bone-Walker styled guitar to go with Wayne‘s deep-fried organ . Lovers of boogie woogie and jump blues should not miss this. It may be hard to find so you may want to contact Real Blues, 302-655 Herald Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8W 3L6 or call (250) 384-2088, and you might want to ask about this publication as well.

I received my review copy from the label. This may be very difficult to find and fortunately the Blues Boss continues to be active today and released several fine albums in the years since I write this in 1998. Here is a video of him performing.

The Twisters - Nice Blues Suprise from Western Canada

The following review was published in the August 2009 (issue 319) Jazz & Blues Report (the whole issue can be downloaded as a pdf file at www.jazz-blues.com). This band was completely unknown to me and as indicated, this was more than a pleasant surprise.

Its a pleasure to put on something from a band that one had not previously been familiar with, and take notice.The new album by The Twisters, “Come Out Swingin’” (Northern Blues), produced that reaction. Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia and White Horse, Yukon, this quartet has developed a reputation as a first rate jump and swing blues band. On “Come Out Swingin’,” they add elements of rockabilly, reggae and gospel to this jump blues foundation. The Twisters consists of harmonica player Dave Hoerl, guitarist Brandon Isaak, bassist Keith Picot and drummer Lonnie Powell, with Matt Pease on drums for 3 of the 12 tracks, and Dave Haddock on fender bass for one with Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne added on keyboards and Jerry Cook on saxophones and horn arrangements.The members of the band wrote all of the songs here and Hoerl and Isaak share the vocals between them.

Things sure start off strong with the opening “I’ll Make It Up To You,” with a melodic line evoking the twenties classic “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone,” with some jazz-laced fretwork from Isaak (evocative of Bill Jennings, Tiny Grimes and Al Casey) and superlative chromatic playing by Hoerl with some unusual voicings behind Isaak’s vocal and guitar solo, and that doesn’t take into account Wayne’s piano. Hoerl takes the vocal on “Something’s Got to Give,” with a 60s R&B groove, some nice saxophones from Cook and the rhythm section just hits the groove with a nice topical lyric followed by “Long Overdue,” with an insistent beat as Isaak sings about waiting on his baby and pacing the floor because she is long overdue with Cook’s driving sax solo followed by Hoerl, again on chromatic displaying his strong tone and drive. Bassist Picot’s slap bass along with Isaak’s Tennessee Two styled guitar spark the rockabilly flavored “Doghouse” with Hoerl delivering the lyric and its followed by a modern blues shuffle, “Guess That I Was Wrong,” with Hoerl adding some remarkable harmonica accompaniment and solo here. I could continue with a comment on each track, but this superb recording deserves praise as does the band. Not simply having command of their instruments, Isaak and Hoerl add imaginative and distinctive touches throughout and the band is tight as two embracing lovers. The Twisters are simply a terrific band that deserves to be heard.

New Twist on Swing/Jump Blues

Its a pleasure to put on something from a band that one had not previously been familiar with, and take notice.The new album by The Twisters, “Come Out Swingin’” (Northern Blues), produced that reaction. Based out of Vancouver, British Columbia and White Horse, Yukon, this quartet has developed a reputation as a first rate jump and swing blues band. On “Come Out Swingin’,” they add elements of rockabilly, reggae and gospel to this jump blues foundation. The Twisters consists of harmonica player Dave Hoerl, guitarist Brandon Isaak, bassist Keith Picot and drummer Lonnie Powell, with Matt Pease on drums for 3 of the 12 tracks, and Dave Haddock on fender bass for one with Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne added on keyboards and Jerry Cook on saxophones and horn arrangements.The members of the band wrote all of the songs here and Hoerl and Isaak share the vocals between them.

Things sure start off strong with the opening “I’ll Make It Up To You,” with a melodic line evoking the twenties classic “Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone,” with some jazz-laced fretwork from Isaak (evocative of Bill Jennings, Tiny Grimes and Al Casey) and superlative chromatic playing by Hoerl with some unusual voicings behind Isaak’s vocal and guitar solo, and that doesn’t take into account Wayne’s piano. Hoerl takes the vocal on “Something’s Got to Give,” with a 60s R&B groove, some nice saxophones from Cook and the rhythm section just hits the groove with a nice topical lyric followed by “Long Overdue,” with an insistent beat as Isaak sings about waiting on his baby and pacing the floor because she is long overdue with Cook’s driving sax solo followed by Hoerl, again on chromatic displaying his strong tone and drive. Bassist Picot’s slap bass along with Isaak’s Tennessee Two styled guitar spark the rockabilly flavored “Doghouse” with Hoerl delivering the lyric and its followed by a modern blues shuffle, “Guess That I Was Wrong,” with Hoerl adding some remarkable harmonica accompaniment and solo here. I could continue with a comment on each track, but this superb recording deserves praise as does the band. Not simply having command of their instruments, Isaak and Hoerl add imaginative and distinctive touches throughout and the band is tight as two embracing lovers. The Twisters are simply a terrific band that deserves to be heard.