"jass/blues" - Vince Maccarone's Los Variants - New Release review

I just received the newest release, jass/blues, from Vince Maccarone's Los Variants and it's quite cool. Opening with Percy Mayfield's Stranger In My Own Home Town, drummer Maccarone puts a New Orleans type spin on the track with Latin rhythm and Paul Reddick on vocals and harp taking a nice lead line. Rob Gusevs also takes a really nice piano stretch on this track as well. On Stone Hooker, Claire Doyle has the mic and really adds a hot edge. Sean Pinchin smokes the strings of his resonator for a super display of fluid grease. Christopher Plock also adds some cool bari sax on the bottom. On Charles Brown's Black Night Is Falling, John Mays takes the mic and really lays down a nice track. Nicely articulated guitar work from Mike Branton is icing on the cake of this superbly executed classic also featuring smooth piano work again from Gusevs and horn work from Bill Prouten, Sean o'Conner and Neil Brathwaite. Maccarone pulls out a traditional western theme with Save My Soul, one of my favorites on the release. A simple ballad but really well written. Che Che Toronto, an A.B. groove track has a funky island feel and features Spencer Murray on flute and Lydia Persaud and Kobe Aquaa-Harrison on vocals. Reggae redo of Sunnyside features haunting vocals from Storm Gordon without losing all of it's original feel. Snappy percussion work from Maccarone adds substantially to this track. Another track with roots in New Orleans, Syncofunk is strongly bass (Roger Williams) and drums (Maccarone) with a great horn section of Ania Zarzychi on trumpet, Shamus Currie on trombone, Kyle Woodard on tenor sax and of course featuring a cool piano line from Matt Horner. O Passeio is a cool european sounding track featuring cool guitar work from Bartek Mitczarczyk and Patraick O'Reilly. Marty Bernie adds bottom with synth strings and Yongwon Cho with acoustic bass. BR Transport is a straight forward jazz jam. An intense sax lead from Leland Whitty and an irregular rhythm pattern by Barry Romberg takes this release home.

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”