Ron Hendee – Love One Another
RAH Records
10 songs – 46 minutes
Born in Kansas, but based on the West Coast for decades, Ron Hendee is an accomplished trumpet/flugelhorn player, vocalist and arranger who might slip under your radar but who makes some mighty fine, blues-soaked R&B. And he goes all out on this disc, delivering timely messages about the need in the world for more respect, love and understanding.
A professional horn player since age 14, Ron’s sweet notes are present in many of the tunes you’ve grooved along to in the past 50 years or so. And if you’ve sailed on the blues cruise, you’ve probably seen in action as a member of Tommy Castro’s dynamic Legendary Rhythm & Blues Revue, an ensemble that includes a master musician at every seat in the band.
Ron got his start in the Seattle-based band, The Springfield Rifle, which released their debut album in the ’60s, and he’s gone on to work with a who’s who across the blues and jazz spectrum, including Dr. John, Magic Dick, Lee Oskar, Deanna Bogart, Lloyd Jones and others. Now based out of Everett, Wash., he’s a fixture in multiple local bands.
This set was produced by jazz, blues and soul great Larry Batiste (Larry Williams, Anthony Paule, Sista Monica). It’s a mix of blues, gospel, reggae and greasy soul that was recorded at Infinite Studios in Alameda, Calif. The lineup includes Wilton Rabb on guitar and Michael Rogers and Troy Lampkins – Larry Graham’s rhythm section – on drums and bass, and Jimmy McKinney and David Council on keys. Juan Escovedo doubles on percussion along with sax players Charles McNeal and Johnnie Bamont and trombonist Derek James. And Jeanie Tracy, Omega Rae Brooks and Batiste provide backing vocals.
An insistent drumbeat and choral intro drive home the message “you are my sister, you are my brother” to kick off “Love One Another.” It’s a silky-smooth shuffle that gets funkier as it progresses as Hendee describes suffering from a bad case of the blues because of all the turmoil he reads in the news. People may be as different as day and night, he insists, but that’s no reason to fuss and fight.
It flows into “Turned It Over,” which celebrates having found unconditional love along with the ability to live life humbly and honestly giving up control. Ron’s accomplished the feat by ditching the lucky charm he used to get through the day and taken on the responsibility himself. He drives the message home with a brief, upbeat horn solo before an extended final vocal run. Next up, “Grown Ass Man” drives steadily from the open as Hendee announces he’s gotten so fed up of the condescending words emanating from his lady’s mouth that he’s heading permanently for the door.
The tone mellows dramatically but the soul’s on high for the sweet ballad, “Peaceful Voice,” which rejoices in finding a new, soothing companion before yielding to “Bound for Jamaica.” Driven by a reggae one-drop rhythm, the lyrics provide counterpoint as Ron describes being tired of winter’s ice and snow in the Pacific Northwest, something he plans to put in his rear-view mirror to enjoy the warm sun and white beaches of the Caribbean.
An extended drumbeat sets the stage for “Southern Fried Meets East Bay Grease,” a celebration of San Francisco Bay area funk before the keys come to the fore at the open of “I’ll Be Missing You,” a ballad of regret that in which Hendee wishes his lady would be back at his side.
Don’t fret, though. The funk doesn’t stay away too long. “What Will Jesus Say” kicks up the heat to follow as it casts a shade on preachers who live in mansions and suck parishioners dry by soliciting for more money every chance they can. The mood softens as Ron launches into the ballad, “Your Truth,” a promise to walk the right path to heaven, before the disc closes with “Funk Schwei,” a horn-fueled instrumental that will leave you craving more.
If you love blues that resides on the border of jazz and more, this one’s definitely for you. Rock solid throughout.
