my mind that Pearl’s album is one of the finest releases of 2018. It would take a mira- cle to displace this one from my top albums of the year. It is outstanding, writing, singing and music. A sheer joy.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Bruce Katz Band Get Your Groove (American Show- place)
Bruce Katz
has gained quite a reputation as key- board man for the Gregg Allman Band, Delbert McClinton,
Jaimoe’s Jassz Band, John Hammond and many others. His keyboard work runs the gamut from smoking blues to jam-rock, su- perfly soul, Americana and good ol’ rock and roll. He is equally adept at handling piano and B-3 organ, and nowhere is this more evi- dent than on his latest Bruce Katz Band album, Get Your Groove where he teams up with fellow bandmates Chris Vitarello on gui- tar, Ray Hangen on drums and Matt Ray- mond on bass along with the legendary Jaimoe on drums. Shining on B-3 on minute and piano
the next, the Bruce leads this group of stellar musicians through an eleven-song set that in- cludes space jams, blues, funk and more. “Freight Train” is obviously a tip of the hat to his old friend Butch Trucks, an instrumental with a very Allman Brothers vibe, at times leaning into a Stevie Ray thing. it’s pretty rocking. Chris plays some melodic jamming guitar riffs while Jaimoe and Ray keep the fa- miliar double drum sound going and Bruce channels Gregg Allman. Nice. The title track, “Get Your Groove,”
tosses some jazzy New Orleans vibe into the mix to get your toes to tappin, and “Beef
Boyer & Talton Live at the Nut- thouse (Crazy Chester) I have been a
fan of Tommy Tal- ton and Scott Boyer since their days in Cowboy back in the
early 1970’s, and have always enjoyed Cow- boy’s music in any way, shape, or form, whether it be a whole band, Tommy or Scott solo, or the two of them playing an acoustic duet, like the show captured here called Boyer & Talton – Live at the Nutt House. Truth be told, this one isn’t a duet but a trio, as the guys are joined by N.C. Thurman (Tony Joe White, The Decoys) on piano and backing vocals. The album was recorded live in the Nutthouse Recording Studio on September 15, 2015 in front of a live audience. Tommy and Scott pretty much take
turns singing their own compositions, and the first five out of the chute are five of the best Cowboy songs ever, in my humble opinion. From Talton’s “A Patch and a Pain Killer” to the classic Boyer-Pilmore tune “Livin’ in the Country” from Cowboy’s very first LP, Reach for the Sky, the excellent vocals and har- monies pair with great playing to make a highly enjoyable album. The 12-song disc is
Jerky” (Mmmm, beef jerky!) is jam up and jelly tight. The traditional blues tune, “Hesi- tation Blues,” shuffles along with an infec- tious vibe, great guitar work and of course, top flight organ. Get your Groove is a jamming CD start
to finish, displaying the apt talents of its mu- sicians. This is the good stuff, fellow babies. Don’t miss the boat. Get it. And catch the Bruce Katz Band on tour this summer. Do yourself a solid.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
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