Vince Junior Band – Refreshingly Soulful Blues
www.vincejunior.com
self release
11 songs time-34:27
If you’re looking for some blues music you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re looking for some good music you’ve come to the right place. The music put down by Vince Junior Band owes more to cool jazz, light funk and even a bit of country coloring. There are touches of blues in some guitar solos, but blues aren’t the main thrust of this music. Vince’s husky and warm voice over the soothing cool jazz vibe of the band comforts you like an old friend. Vince handles the guitar with a light touch. Noah Pitts is a wiz on Fender Rhodes electric piano, supplying jazzy goodness to the songs. Steve Frankel’s steady hand on the bass along with David Cohen’s on the money drumming give a solid foundation to the songs. These guys do it all without any outside musicians helping out. Vince wrote all but two of the songs with an eye for original subject matter and thoughtful lyrics.
There is nothing to not like here, refreshing is the word that comes to my mind. Whatever label you choose to give to this music it will have to be preceded by good. This Asheville, North Carolina outfit follows their own muse.
The band just kind of breezes right into things with the jazzy “Empty Nesting”, an ode to the relief of the kids “flying the coop”, all set to an easy rolling groove. “Small Ghosts” is a bouncy country-ish tune that lopes along quite nicely. The guys get funky on “Step Sister”. It features some country meets funk guitar styling’s by the boss. The narrator pines for the girl and her car in the way cool and smooth “Camaro Sue”.
The tempo picks back up on the jaunty “Tight Tonight”. Noah lays down some really tasty piano here, as he does through out the proceedings. This is a song about “the horizontal mambo”…nudge, nudge, wink, wink…say no more. Their instrumental version of Jimi Hendrix’ “Little Wing” bares little resemblance to the original, but it is a lovely tune. “Shake Your Rig” is dedicated to the writer’s fondness for big woman and their skill on the dance floor. “If you’re kinda big, come and shake your rig”.
Bluesy-jazzy guitar informs “This Is The Way”. “Never Got Grey” mourns the passing of young musical stars, pondering on what their future music might of sounded like. The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” is given a reggae beat with a lovely guitar solo along with prominent bass playing from Steve Frankel.
Here ya have it folks. Although the title is a misnomer, there is plenty of good music within. It’s a nice change of pace. Nice to see a band apply their own unique vision to their music. And what’s more-It works!
