Search - Dave Specter, Lenny Lynn, Eric Alexander :: Blues Spoken Here

The swinging side of the Blues

M. Bernocchi | Old Windsor, Berkshire United Kingdom | 03/24/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dave Specter doesn't make any exception to the role. If you are a very good musicians, if you play sincerely the stile of music that you feel and that you like without bothering about the "fashion" of the moment, you can be 100% sure that you will not get all the success that you deserve. After several good albums issued for Delmark Records, on this one he finds a very good counterpart in the deep baritone voice of Lenny Lynn, a veteran of Chicago jazz circuit. The result of their collaboration is absolutely stunning: a fantastic, well balanced blend of traditional blues and jazz sensibilities, however how the title of this CD suggests, the main accent remains on the blues. Dave guitar playing is impeccable throughout the entire album and his style is a rich mix of the great Kenny Burrell and the late equally great Magic Sam. Leeny singing is equally impressive and he shows beyond any doubt that he can sing the blues much better than many other blues shouters. The result of their collaboration sounds very much similar to what you may have expected from Robben Ford and Jimmy Witherspoon playing together. The CD swings from start to finish in an impressive sequence of good songs and it is very difficult to find your favourite one. If I do have to mention one I would go for the over 10 minutes long "Just a Dream" a cover from the repertoire of the great Big Bill Broonzy. I really like this CD, I can't rate it less than 5 stars!"

Come Join the Party!

Samuel Chell | Kenosha,, WI United States | 08/10/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Initially I was somewhat put off by the fade-out endings which the studio engineers employed on the first two cuts of this recording by one of Chicago's leading keepers of the blues flame, Dave Specter. But then I realized that had the tracks been extended to their "real-time" conclusions, nothing less than a 2-CD album could have contained the generous amount of material included in this collection. Moreover, the fade-out contributes to the sense of dropping in on a live session, which includes two tunes recorded "live" at Buddy Guy's blues club. The blues is a style, a tradition, a form. Jazz players who play the blues (and many don't) tend to reference only the latter aspect; "pure" blues players, on the other hand, maintain the form while never deserting the style and tradition. Although this session includes several "jazz" standards--Horace Silver's "Senior Blues," Eddie Harris' "Listen Here," Bobby Timmons' "Moanin'"-- neither the elemental directness and simplicity nor the visceral appeal of the blues is sacrificed for a moment. This is music to kick back and dance to as much as listen carefully to. In fact, some might argue that any analysis of the blues is "over-analysis"; on the other hand, Specter's albums seem to include far more information about the music and musicians than is provided on most jazz and pop albums these days.The album features one of the better-kept secrets on the music scene today--vocalist Lenny Lynn--a veteran of the same Chicago music scene that produced his primary influence, Joe Williams (check out Lynn's work on Charles Brown's "I Stepped in Quicksand" as well as that JW signature tune, Pete Johnson/Joe Turner's "Roll 'Em Pete"). Possessing a rough-edged but highly palatable baritone, Lynn, like Williams, is an effective front man and communicator on behalf of the musicians working behind him.But Lynn's presence on each of the tracks doesn't preclude shining solo contributions by the instrumentalists, especially tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander and B3 phenom, Rob Waters. Unlike many blues tenor players, Alexander doesn't simply strive mightily to produce sound and fury at the expense of melodic invention. His sound is robust but controlled and focused, employing the full arsenal of top tones, alternate fingerings, and rapid articulations. On Bill Broonzy's "Just a Dream" he creates a solo that suggests harmonic complexity without seeming out of place, a masterfully executed statement evoking memories of Chicago legends like Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons.Organist Rob Waters is a major reason the limited key changes and harmonies do not lead to tedium. His creative use of the drawbars, sensitive employment of the volume pedal, and virtuosic solo breaks (practically reminiscent of Jimmy Smith's "The Champ") keep things fresh during his own solos and behind those of the other members. Regarded by some jazz snobs as an unwieldy behemoth, the B-3 in Waters' hands is an extension of his musical imagination, as integral a part of him as the voice is to a singer like Sinatra.Though guitarist Specter's solo statements are hardly remarkable, his presence is the singlemost important defining factor on the date. Whether employing a B.B.-like throbbing vibrato in the upper register, a Muddy Waters twangy-edged middle-register, or a riff-driven R&B accompaniment, he's the man directing traffic throughout the entire recorded proceedings. Most successful parties require an active and enabling host or there's no point throwing them. Thanks to Specter, this is one party well worth attending, especially if, like me, you'd agree that the blues is everybody's business."