Wayne, Kenny "Blues Boss"88th & Jump Street2002Electro-Fi RecordsElectro-Fi 3371

Wayne, Kenny "Blues Boss" - 88th & Jump Street - 2002 - Electro-Fi Records - Electro-Fi 3371

Written by Tim Holek

The 2002 Ottawa Bluesfest's surprise smash was Vancouver-based pianist Kenny "Blues Boss" Wayne. His traditional blues and boogie-woogie come heavily influenced via Kansas City and New Orleans.

Wayne has one of those 1950s rock-and-roll voices which rumbles much the same way he plays piano. Oddly, this 46-minute, ostentatious, self-produced disc does not feature extended solos from any of its veteran musicians.

My Nadine is rolling and boogieing and is reminiscent of Chuck Berry in his prime. On the tune, Jeff Healey plays like a bona fide blues guitar master while shuffle queen Maureen Brown scuffles the drum skins. Wayne scrolls up and down the 88s like a painter on a ladder. This provides plenty of energy, and believe it or not, the song is even more of a powerhouse when experienced live.

Whiskey Heaven has a divine rhythm and sinfully-tempting lyrics making the song suitable for any Las Vegas showband's act. Laughing Stock is old-style blues, which comes as no surprise given the guests who perform on it (Mel Brown, Bob Stroger, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, David "Hurricane" Hoerl). On My New Gal, Wayne walks down an all-too-familiar blues highway - the one filled with bad relationships. However, he makes the most of his journey with a jaunty melody and light-hearted lyrics including, "I'm gonna' forget about the past because the past didn't last."

For a taste of New Orleans, bite into Going Down South. Here, Wayne's savoury work on the keys are at the feast's core. A full brass section fills the gaps and adds extra oomph on this tune, as well as the track entitled Don't Knock On My Door.

Wayne's superlative musicianship is demonstrated on every track, and especially on the disc's final two numbers, featuring his voice and keyboard, and accompanied only by a guitar. With These Hands is a great play on words. The "Blues Boss" proclaims his hands will reach out, make plans, and fulfill, while all along they tickle the ivories. It is a wonderful R&B tune capturing the sounds from the heyday of Fortune or King Records. Do they really still make records like this? Yes, and here is living proof! Karen Krystal and Pamela Patmon provide sweet, harmonized backing vocals on this number, as well as the boppy River Of No Return.

Wayne is joined by Mississippi, Chicago, and west-coast blues masters on several numbers. Mel Brown's jazzy guitar, Bob Stroger's omnipresent bass, Willie Smith's spanking drums, and David Hoerl's echoing harp provide potent support while Wayne burns the ebonies and ivories into a blue flame. Most tracks feature Russell Jackson's acoustic bass and Mitchell Lewis' electric guitar.

One glance at the CD cover and you will know the style of music that this "Boss" plays. The back cover refers to him as "the new king of 21st century boogie-woogie piano". Each of the disc's 12 flamboyant tracks (11 are originals) validate that statement.

It is difficult to consistently deliver the enthusiasm and natural energy from Wayne's live shows and there are moments when the CD sounds a little restrained. His piano work occasionally competes with the other players. Still, that didn't stop Canada's blues community from voting him as the keyboard player of the year at the 2002 Maple Blues Awards.

Copyright 2003. Review by Tim Holek.

< Prev

[ Back ]

WHAT'S NEW

Sponsored Links

SPONSORED LINKS

POLLS

SYNDICATE