Sauce Boss – With Extra Sauce
Swampside Records
10 songs time – 32:54
Bill “Sauce Boss” Wharton, aside from being a singer-songwriter-guitarist, is known for cooking a pot of gumbo during his shows and his Liquid Summer Hot Sauce. The Florida based performer returns for more of his blues-based music with Neal Goree on guitar, Kendrick Jacobs on bass, Brett Crook on drums and a string section on two songs. He provides slide guitar and rough-hewn vocals. Eight of the ten songs are from his pen.
Sauce Boss compliments the rhythm of the short “Burn It Up” with his three-string frying pan guitar. An energized introduction to the recording. Neal Gore’s wah-wah guitar sputters nicely all around “I Wouldn’t Mind It”. “Ce Soir C’est Bon” is a rather lame attempt at a Cajun song. A string quartet is a good touch, but sometimes it is better to stick to what you know. The strings actually save it from mediocrity. The traditional “Mama Don’t Allow” features Sauce Boss on National Steel Guitar. The upright bass plunks along, adding authenticity along with Mr. Goree’s rockabilly inflected guitar.
“Try This” is funky as a monkey, with electric slide guitar and Family Stone thumping bass. It features a bit of an old man’s rap. A string section frames solo acoustic guitar and the Sauce Boss’s dramatic vocalization on the poignant “Smile In A Basket”. The traditional gospel blues “Don’t Let The Devil Ride” has The Boss on his ’33 vintage National Steel sparring with Neal’s electric guitar.
“Snugglin With My Baby” mentions Christmas, but it is hardly a Christmas song. It comes off more as filler. A good solo by Neal saves it from uselessness. Aside from the slide guitar, we’ve heard better odes to “BBQ”. Kendrick Jacobs quotes “We Got A Groovy Thing Going Baby” on his bass, a nice touch. They close out as they begun with a brief song in “Next Time You Leave”, vocal and acoustic guitar.
A few flaws, but all in all a good effort of blues and Americana inflected music. A very competent band supports Sauce Boss and his musical vision.
