Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Kenny WAYNE - 88th & Jump Street 2002


Kenny WAYNE - 88th & Jump Street 2002

Blues

I’ve read a lot of good words about this guy (including those from B&R quoted on the sleeve, rating him "superb….an act to watch out for") and on this, my first opportunity to hear him, I have to concur with all those writers who have sung his praises. In this era of hysterical guitar excesses it’s good to hear a good old fashioned blues and boogie piano player. There are not too many ivory ticklers around these days and although not in the first flush of youth. Wayne is (relatively) young compared with most of the opposition.

Although U.S.A. born I believe he is now based in Canada and this is his debut waxing for the Toronto Electro-Fi imprint. The backing crew are a bunch of local players supplemented by guests from over the border: Jeff Healey, ex-Muddy stickman Willie Smith, Bob Stroger and Mel Brown (although Brown is now himself Toronto based).

Apart from the Country tinged "Whiskey Heaven" (which Fats Domino had a go at) all the songs are originals penned by Wayne and only one of them comes in over the four and a half minute mark (and then only by a whisker). "My Nadine" opens proceedings with a boogie woogie meets Chuck Berry groove (with a title like that what else would it be!). Healey thankfully manages to reign in his overblown rock turgidity and produces a solo that St. Louis’ favorite son would have been proud of. "Laughing Stock" slows down proceedings to a mid-tempo stroll and the introduction of David Hoerl’s blues harp brings the late fifties classic Jimmy Rogers band sound to mind.

"Going Down South" takes us to the Big Easy, where piano players ruled the roost, add horns and you have a Longhair pastiche, and what’s wrong with that? "With These Hands" is a smoothie with a back up chorus that nods to Charles Brown, while the smoking instrumental "88th and Jump Street" showcases the work of Mel Brown and David Hoerl, and "Don’t Knock On My Door" is another New Orleans flavoured song this time bringing to mind
Fats Domino.
The instrumental "Smokin’ Boogie" gives Wayne the opportunity to show off his boogie shoes, while Healey proves that he too can get down with the best of them, and the closer "We Love The Blues" (well we do, don’t we?), will surely have Spann, Maceo, and a bunch of others up there giving a nod of approval.
Kenny Wayne has a penchant for flamboyant stage outfits and "88th and Jump Street" is a suitably flamboyant session; it comes recommended to piano blues enthusiasts everywhere.
By Phil Wight.
**
Kenny Wayne grew up in the midst of a sharp musical dichotomy, thanks to parents whose tastes were wildly divergent. His preacher father told him to stay on the straight and narrow path, and at all times to avoid "the Devil's music," a classification that included boogie-woogie. His mom, however, was thoroughly taken with everything about boogie-woogie. As a self-taught musician, it was all she could play. She especially favored Amos Milburn's "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer," while she also exposed her son to songs by Nat "King" Cole, Little Willie John, and Fats Domino. But when Wayne was old enough to start music lessons at age eight, he didn't get to start out playing his mom's music. Instead, the organist who played for his father's San Francisco church services became his first instructor. For a time, Wayne learned about reading music and how to play some classical pieces. It wasn't long, though, before Wayne convinced the organist to teach him how to play the livelier music that his mother knew how to play, and jumpin' notes of boogie-woogie were rolling through the sanctified air above the empty church pews.

The piano player, who was born Kenneth Wayne Spruell, is frequently identified by his nickname, Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. His parents relocated the family from his hometown of Spokane, WA, to San Francisco not long after his birth in the 1940s. They settled in Los Angeles during the following decade, and in the 1960s they headed to Compton, CA. While he was growing up, Wayne drew inspiration from Gene Harris and his jazz ensemble, the Three Sounds. He also favored the works of artists such as George Shearing, Erroll Garner, Cal Tjader, and Mongo Santamaria. Wayne led his own band, an Afro-Cuban and jazz outfit called the Latin Jazz Prophets, during his teen years. More inspiration came from listening to the music of Ray Charles, Charles Brown, Floyd Dixon, Big Joe Turner, and Jimmy Reed, among others. During the 1960s and 1970s in Los Angeles, he frequently provided backup for artists in a variety of genres, including pop and rock. After touring with a Santana-like group, Wayne established an R&B band and went on the road, playing Canada, the mainland U.S., and Hawaii. Thanks to a warm welcome from Canadians during the 1980s, Wayne set down roots in Vancouver, British Columbia. The CD Alive & Loose received a Juno Award nomination in 1997 in the category of Best Blues/Gospel Album. Another nomination came two years later for Blues Boss Boogie in the category of Best Blues Album. Wayne dedicated his debut album, Smile, to the two diverse early influences in his life, his preacher father and his boogie-woogie-lovin' mom. 2002 saw the release of 88th & Jump Street, followed by Blues Carry Me Home in 2003 and Let It Loose in 2005.
By Linda Seida, All Music Guide.
**
Willie "Big Eyes" Smith- Drums
Bob Stroger- Bass
Chris Whiteley- Trumpet
Kenny Wayne- Piano, Main Performer, Mixing, Producer, Vocals
Richard Underhill- Saxophone
Maureen Brown- Drums
Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl- Harmonica
Chris Gale- Saxophone
Mel Brown- Guitar
Russell Jackson- Bass (Acoustic)
Mitchell Lewis- Guitar
Jeff Healey- Guitar
**
01. My Nadine 3:35
02. River of No Return 3:53
03. Laughing Stock 4:10
04. My New Gal 3:28
05. Going Down South 4:09
06. Whiskey Heaven 3:47
07. With These Hands 4:44
08. 88th and Jump Street 3:28
09. Don't Knock on My Door 2:45
10. Where Did My Baby Go? 3:34
11. Smokin' Boogie 4:29
12. We Love the Blues 4:05
**
NoPassword
*
Dlink
*

No comments:

Post a Comment