You’re in good company if the boogie and jump material by Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne is your cup of tea. It’s the style that got Sonny Rollins hooked on jazz, and the jump blues a la Louis Jordan is in good form hear. Wayne plays piano, B3 and sings with a 2 pack a day voice along with a team of Duke Robillard/g, Russell Jackson/g, Charlie Jacobson/g, Joey DiMarco/dr, Sherman Doucette/harm and Dave Babcock/ts-bs.
Song’s a la Jordan are in abundance as Babcock’s tenor sways with Wayne’s fingers on “Jumpin’ and Boppin’ with Joy” while Wayne’s gloriously raspy voice tells it like it is on “Bankrupted Blues.” The team saunters on “Ciao, Ciao Baby” and delivers a Memphis Stew on”Look Out! There’s A Train Coming.” Wayne’s B3 jumps on “Blackmail Blues” and the rhythm team swaggers on “Blues Stew.” Wayne really hits it on the sweet spot with a gloriously lonely “You Don’t Know Me” but most of the time he’s shuffling off to Buffalo as on “Boogie to Gloryland.” Styles and fads may come and go, but this stuff has never been improved upon.
Stony Plan Records
www.stonyplainrecords.com