Yes, there is still new music out there that is being played for dancing. Wasn’t that why jazz got popular in the first place?
Bassist Michael Pennick is the featured lead instrument on this collection of stomping originals with Rodney Spears-Charlie Crymes/key, Ronald Walker/g, Tim Webb/perc-dr and various guests. Pennick’s bass bounces like a Superball as he sets a groove on the funky “Sunday Night” and guest Ken Witman’s tenor riffs well with Walker’s guitar on “Sunrise.” The grooves sizzle on “Tony Rome” and “Feelin You” and Pennick’s thumb must be covered with blisters as he really hits the strings.
The band Flyjack consists of Buck McKinney/g-voc, Brad Bradburn/b-voc, Andy Rumelt/ky-harp, Jeremy Portwood/dr, Art Dvorin/sax and Michael Shields/tp and along with various guests on horns and percussion sound like a mix of Tower of Power and Sons of Champlin with punchy material like “Funky Fast Bump” and “It’s a New Day.” Rumelt’s B3 is groovin’ high along with McKinney’s guitar and vocals on “Flame Thrower,” “The Worm” and “Gossip” while Shields’ trumpet gets soulful on “Everybody Has Some Dues To Pay.” Soul Train!
The Sextones are comprised of Mark Sexton/voc-g-B3, Alexander Karostinsky/b, Daniel Weiss/dr, Ryan Taylor/key, Eric Johnson/ts, Ben Calazza/tp-fh and some cameo guests for eleven tunes that are oozing with Memphis Stew. Lots of funky guitar riffs and gritty vocals on ‘How Could I Have Known” and “Push On Through,” and some gospel grooves are mixed with growling guitars on “Blame It On My Youth.” Taylor’s B3 oozes on “Moonlight Vision” and the rhythm team lays down incessant rivulets on “The End.” Swampy and irresistible.
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www.thesextonesmusic.com