The Bible states that after all is said and done, “three things remain; faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love.” If the Apostle Paul were a guitarist, he probably would have added, “the blues.” But that is just conjecture. I’m sure we’ll at least hear it in heaven, since our ears will be finally glorified.
Jay Willie plays a rocking Gibson and a sliding steele as he sings along with Bob Callahan/g-voc, Ted Yakush/ts, Steve Clarke/b, Jason Ricci/harp, Bobby Torello/dr and lead vocalist Malorie Leogrande. Ms. Leogrande has a steamy sound to her delivery as she slithers to the snappy “The Horse” is slinky along “This is the Thanks I Get” gives a hint of Delany and Bonnie on the easy “You Left the Water Running” and gets cozy with Ricci’s harmonica on “The Hunter Captured By The Game.” The team does a steady blues on Al Green’s “Take Me To The River” and the band delivers a vicious “Willie And The Hand Jive” with some ominous guitar riffs here and the chiming “21.” The blues get rocked here.
Sugar Ray Norcia delivers a knockout punch with his wailing harmonica and gravel-for-breakfast voice on this album with Monster Mike Welch/g, Anthony Geraci/p-B3, Michael Mudcat Ward/b and Neil Gouvin/dr. Harp and voice both growl on Chicago-styled hot dogs like “ Sweet Baby” while “Misses Blues” takes you to the rural back roads in a pickup truck. Norcia likes to tell a story, and with Geraci on piano he spins a good one on “Keep On Sailing” while the two get tasty on “Not Me.” Heavy guitar work and boogying is never far away as on “Blind Date” and “Noontime Bell.” I gotta see these guys in concert so I can believe!
The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been cruising for decades and still sound as sharp as ’61 chrome fins. Kim Wilson still blows hot smoke on the harmonica and growls like a trapped bear on the rough and ready Motown classic “(I Know) I’m Losing You” along with Roosevelt Collier’s steel guitar and Wes Watkins’ snapping drums. The horn team of Kenny Rittenhouse-Joe Donegan/ts, Antonio Orta/ts-fl and Bill Holmes/tb get funky on the chunky “Somebody’s Getting It” while Kevin Anker’s B3 oozes during “Drowning on Dry Land.” The band of Johnny Moeller/g, Kevin Anker/key, Steve Gomes/b and Robb Stupka/dr get STAXY on “I’ve Never Found A Girl” and set an irresistible groove on pieces like “Smooth.” A V8 special on 92 octane.
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