Kenny Wayne may be nicknamed the Blues Boss, but a more apt title would be the King of Boogie-Woogie. The pianist/singer was born in Spokane, grew up in San Francisco, and honed his chops in the juke joints of Los Angeles, where he played Latin, pop, rock, and R&B. Since the '80s he's been based in Vancouver, British Columbia, where his combination of boogie-woogie, blues, old-time R&B, and New Orleans fonk have made him a major attraction. Wayne's a playful vocalist with a warm, witty style that echoes the work of
Ray Charles,
Louis Jordan,
Fats Domino,
Aaron Neville, and
Johnny Otis. On this, his sixth album, he's in fine voice and backed by his usual cohorts
Russell Jackson, bass; Johnny Ferreira, sax; Dave "Hurricane" Hoerl, harmonica; and Theo Brown, drums. The album's vibe can be summed up in the title of one of the set's bounciest tracks, "Let's Have Some Fun." You can feel Wayne's smile as he sings the tune's hook and rocks the piano with a syncopated second-line feel accented by a funky horn section. "You Can Pack Your Suitcase," an obscure
Fats Domino track written by
Dave Bartholomew, is a driving shuffle highlighted by Wayne's light twinkling right-hand fills and Ferreira's nasty sax. "Don't Cry" is a vivid slice of barrelhouse boogie, again with a bit of Crescent City syncopation that recalls
Allen Toussaint's work with
Lee Dorsey. "Tangueray" is a late-night saloon song with Wayne delivering a smooth, seductive vocal to sing the praises of his favorite libation. The band joins in on backing vocals while guest player Rich McDonough adds a mellow guitar solo. "Boogie Woogie Mama" shows off Wayne's strong left hand and exuberant vocals and Hoerl's fine harmonica. Wayne's solo makes the keys on his 88 dance off the piano. "My Sweet Little Peach" gives listeners a slightly more up-to-date take on the blues. Wayne's clavinet playing brings to mind
Stevie Wonder and his spoken introduction plays a winking homage to
Barry White. Wayne's son Cory Spruell drops a lively rap midway through the track to give the kids something to groove to. There's not a weak track here, and Wayne's engaging vocals and masterful playing will have you grinning long after the music's over. ~ j. poet