Blue Dot Records artist: Wee Willie Walker - and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - Not In My Lifetime - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Not In My Lifetime, from Wee Willie Walker and the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra and I really like it! Opening with R&B track, Don't Let Me Get In Your Way Wee Willie Walker is strutting up front with the mic, backed by Anthony Paule on guitar, Tony Lufrano on keys, Endre Tarczy on bass, Kevin Hayes on drums, Bill Ortiz on trumpet, Charles Mcneal on tenor sax, Rob Sudduth on bari sax, Derek James on trombone and terrific backing vocals by Larry Batiste, Sandy Griffith and Omega Rae on backing vocals. Shifting into soul, Over and Over is one of my favorite tracks on the release with excellent vocal phrasing and warm vocal  backing. Another sweet soul tune is Darling Mine with great feeling and strong guitar solo phrasing by Paule. With a high strut, Jon Thomas' Heartbreak really kicks in with the horns and organ blazing. Ortiz lays out a really nice trumpet solo giving this track a real kick but of course it's Walker's vocals that really set sail. Slow blues, Suffering With The Blues has a great feel with warm horns and light jazz like guitar underpinning. Paule gets a real chance to shine here and his guitar feel is spot on. This is definitely one of the bluesy highlights of the release with excellent tone and phrasing. Wrapping the release is cool shuffle, 'Til You've Walked In My Shoes and Walker directing a great closer. His vocals are strong and with stylistic guitar work by Paule, punchy horn work by Ortiz, McNeal, Sudduth and James, this track is a really tight closer. Excellent! 

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Blue Dot Records artist: Wee Willie Walker and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - After A While - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, After A While, from Wee Willie Walker and The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra and it's really strong. Opening with Second Chance, a cool R&B track featuring Walker on lead vocal, backed by Anthony Paule on guitar, Paul Olguin on bass, Tony Lufrano on keys, Derrick "D'Mar" Martin on drums and vibes, Tom Poole on trumpet, Derek James on trombone, Charles McNeal on tenor sax, Johnnie Bamont on bari sax and flute, and featuring Loralee Christensen, Larry Batiste and Glenn Walters on backing vocals. Title track, After A While is a particularly soulful track and Walker really digs in vocally. Of particular note is the warmth of the horn section especially the rich tenor work of McNeal and the throaty bari work by Bamont. Slick, R&B track, I Don't Want To Take A Chance, has solid radio potential with Walkers effortless lead and nicely presented backing vocals. Thanks For The Dance has a Tex Mex feel with cool "south of the border" guitar styling by Paule. It's all about the bass groove on If Only with it's effect on your feet (and your seat). Another standout track is Look What You've Done To Me with rumbling tom toms by D'Mar and a slick muted trumpet solo by Poole. Easy paced, I Don't Want To Know, has great vocal posture and Paule's laid back guitar riffs add just the right amount of zip. Funky, The Willie Walk is my favorite track on the release with a great bass line, full horn compliment, featuring a great solos on trombone from James, on trumpet by Poole, on sax byBamont and on organ by Lufrano. Excellent! Wrapping the release is the soulful, Your Good Thing (Is About To End). Walker's vocals are rich with soul, backed by gospel like vocals by Christiansen, Baptiste and Walters and soaked in rich blues guitar riffs by Paule. This is an excellent closer for a really solid release. 

  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”

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Blue Dot Records artist: Jackie Payne - I Saw The Blues - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, I Saw The Blues, from Jackie Payne and it's a funky blues party! Opening with Back To Normal, a soulful ballad with a nice walking bass line from Endre Tarczy and with horn backing from Ed Early (trombone), Jeff Lewis (trumpet) and Frankie Ramos (sax). Kid Andersen lays in a scorching bluesy guitar solo nicely complimenting Payne's vocals. Next up is title track, I Saw The Blues, R&B track with a rural feel. Lorenzo Farrell does a real nice job on organ on this track and Anthony Paule gives the rhythm a funky feel on guitar. Aki Kumar adds his always tight harp work. Very nice! Anthony Paule rips it open on Full Moon Blues with rich slide guitar work. Derek D'Mar martin on drums and Farrell on organ are joined by Bob Welsh on piano and Paynes vocals are real nice. Full blown swing blues When The Blues Comes Knockin', features Payne leading the way with really strong vocals and solid horn reinforcement. Kid Andersen really takes a nice walk on the fretboard on this track making it one of my favorites on the release. Basic R&B styled Wife, Woman, Hootchie stays the basic line sounding like it could have been performed during the prime R&B days with particularly nice backing vocals and punchy guitar riffs. Paynes vocals are particularly strong on this track. On Kicking Back With The Blues, Anthony Paule selects just the right spots to insert stinging blues guitar riffs nicely accenting Paynes' vocals. Ed Early steps up with a killer trombone solo. Piano boogie, Feel Like Doing My Thing features Bob Welsh on piano and he really rolls. Payne's vocals are perfect for this mix and Farrell lays down a nice organ line punctuated by Early, Lewis (with a nice muted trumpet solo) and Eric Spaulding on horns making this a great track. Slowing it down and getting it dirty, Six Million Dollar Man plays it right down the blues highway. Andersen rips it a new one with a hot, heart felt guitar solo, and the horns are strong but this track is all about the vocal and Payne really has a take no prisoners attack. Excellent! Another funky track, I Get Off On It, gives Tarcyz the chance to step up with a great seriously funky bass line. With a lot of the swagger and Kid Andersen working the wah wah and vocoder, this track really gets you moving. Easing off the pedal with a T-Bone Walker style track, Rock Me With A Steady Roll, Payne shows the more sensitive side of his voice. Bob Welsh rolls out a cool piano line giving Lewis a nice opportunity for a tight trumpet solo followed by a really hot sax solo from Frankie Ramos. Oh yeah, Andersen slips in some hot riffs of his own on guitar! Little Johnny Taylor's Somewhere Down The Line has a great feel. Payne hits it running and Ramos tears it up on sax...really! Kumar, Lewis ans Welsh each get a few really nice riffs off but don't miss the great bass work of Tarcz. Wrapping the release is Ollie Nightingale's I'll Drink Your Bathwater Baby. Yeah, I haven't met that one, but it is a great track to close a really powerful release. Payne never eases up and Andersen rips another great guitar solo on this track. Check it out!

  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”