“Slutty” Pete Zona has been hosting the Wantu Blues Jams at The Village Trestle in Goffstown, New Hampshire for over a decade now. Zona, who has the whole hosting, sound engineering thing down pat, is a much liked, well-respected presence in that venue and on the area blues scene. Each year, the Village Trestle shows its love for Zona by having him host his own annual birthday blues jam bash. This draws in talent from miles away, and it always results in at least five hours of fun and high quality music for the audience.
As usual, “Slutty” Pete’s 10th Annual Birthday Jam was packed with special guest musicians, regulars, newcomers, locals, and a few Massachusetts invasion jammers who kept an exciting momentum going for five hours straight. The jammers kept the crowd on the edge of their seats with the enormous driving sense that something huge and crazy was about to happen, and if often did. There were many fine moments and highlights.
The house band began with guitarist Chris Noyes singing lead vocals on “As Soon As I Get Paid,” a down and dirty blues song that also featured keyboardist Travis Colby tinkling the keys, drummer Rick King smacking the skins, Bob Pratte pressing out blues licks on second guitar, including a lean, mean solo. Noyes sang with a mighty husky rasp on “My Turn To Suffer.” Whenever he went into a chorus, be brought forth a whiskey soaked voice that makes blues sound real. Meanwhile, Colby got deeper into the groove with his meat and potatoes approach to blues organ, offering up a lot of deep, sustained chords. When Colby stopped sustaining, he made his chords slide around, greasy and free. Colby eventually sang lead vocal from his keyboard, using his whispery, smooth voice before tapping out a fine barrelhouse line. Those piano notes sounded especially sweet next to Gary Calderone’s harmonica line. Next song, Colby lead the house band with jazzy organ chords. This inspired and called forth loosey goosey drumming from King and freestyle guitar from Bob Pratte. Colby called for bass and drum solos which Mr. King and bassist Dave Guilmette humbly obliged him. They made the number speedy, energetic, and hard hitting.
Utility man Bob Pratte moved over to the drum set to back up a very special performer. Junie Vaillancourt sang Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” with guitarist Jerry “Ray” Basnar supporting her with his southern fried country licks. Basnar knew what he was doing, adding his brittle, snappy, notes. A county groove was undeniable, deep, and involving, thanks to Ray Soucy playing a smooth low end. Vaillancourt sang with plenty of pluck on the rockabilly numbers “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and “Money Honey.’
The Tony Soul Project, and friends, went up next to do their groove thing. Mr. Soul’s voice sounded like it was designed by nature to sing material by James Brown, Sly Stone, and others from that funk-soul genre. He belted with regal authority on “Thank You (Falettinme be Mice Elf Agin).” Horn shots, frenetic guitar phrasing, and a heavy, chunky, funky groove were the order for his set. Tony Soul and company blasted “Back Door Man” by Willie Dixon like it was always meant to be a heavy funk number. Guitars and saxophone were screaming out the melodic lines.
Manchester band Twilight Gypsy went up next and played a lively, soulful set. Their rendition of “Soulshine” moved forward with a self-restrained energy, only letting as much power pour forth as was appropriate, moving up and down the peaks and valleys of this song. Their guitarist played with a fluid energy, the kind that makes you wish his guitar phrase could last forever. Twilight Gypsy played their original song, “We’ve Got The Cure,” offering a wiry guitar phrase, organ muscle, and an unusually smooth groove because their bass notes were coming form the left hand keys. Another original from Twilight Gypsy, “The Real Thing,” was a raw, crawling, down-tempo blues that called numerous couples to the floor, impressing with their sinuous groove. Their lead singer belted it out with power in each verse, getting even greater intensity with her fierce sustains. Saxophonist Steve Roberge blew out the main melodic phrase, with saucy emission that just spoke emotion to the audience.
A multi-genre cover band, Off Duty Angels, were the next full band to have an opportunity to present themselves. They jumped out the gate with the “Sweet Home Alabama” parody “All Summer Long” by Kid Rock, pulling dancers onto the floor with their first meter. Off Duty Angels had themselves a blast with “Country Girl (Shake It For Me) by Luke Bryan. Driving, tight, and highly infectious, danceable, with a snappy finish from their front man on rhythm guitar. ODA moved into hard rock territory with Candle box’s “Far Behind,” capturing the nuances of the song, fleshing them out with every note. Boy, did they play this song with a nice flow.
Lee Hawkins assumed microphone duty to play Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” backed by thumping bass action from Kurt Colon, flexible drumming from Bob Pratte, and organ funk from Colby. Hawkins has a way of pulling mad funk out the treble clef notes and he did a fine job of it yesterday, especially on the Wonder classic. Hawkins soon lead his trio into the blues staple “Before You ‘Cuse Me,” a number that let Colby showcase some boogie woogie piano chops. Feisty exchanges of guitar phrases and organ blips gave something new to this rendition, reinventing this blues classic just like it gets reinvented each time an artist with ideas and pluck gets his hands on it. The Allman Brothers’ “Soulshine” gave Hawkins a chance to strut his stuff with some quick licks, ones he played in tight unison with his makeshift rhythm section. Also, Colby got classy here, slapping out notes both bluesy and elegant, showing much polish in his chops.
The next lineup could best be called The Bill Ingalls Band. Including guitarist Scot Gibbs, sax man Steve Roberge, guitarist Chris Noyes, harmonica man Rick Amidon, and drummer Rick King, all very familiar faces at the Village Trestle and Wantu Blues Jams, these boys had fun with “Feelin’ All Right,” “Use Me,” and “On The Road Again.” They gave these classy numbers plenty of shine, subtle nuances in tact, because they’ve been playing together for so long they can sound like a rehearsed band ready to play a three set night. Ingalls, a low key presence impersonally, transforms into an engaging front man when he gets in front of that microphone.
Blues belter Stephen Clarke, of The Installers fame, got his turn at the microphone and shook the rafters with his hearty, husky vocal strength. He brought the jam back toward blues. He and his makeshift band went to town, providing some hard-charging zest. Clark and keyboardist Colby remained on stage as a duo, eventually joined by Roberge, for some New Orleans flavored blues. That brief ditty felt as good as a walk through park with a nice summer breeze.
Right after, guitarist John Mann, of Roxanne And The Voodoo Rockers, with Otis Doncaster, of Otis And The Elevators continued the blues flavor. “Let Me Love You, Baby,“ benefited by call and response between Mann and his bass player, some sharp guitar from Basnar, harp lines from Doncaster, and a solid timekeeper on drums. This kind of blues made people stay in their seats and listen up. Otis Doncaster, during Big Bill Broonzy’s “Bye Bye Baby Blues,” was a force to be reckoned with on harmonica, playing lines so fine, so full of feeling, moving around easefully, like they were greased. Doncaster murdered, in a good way, “Snatch It Back And Hold It,” pulling back on the song’s rhythmic muscle, replacing its snap with a stretched out, soulful version.
Nothing can ever prepare a blues jam audience for what Lisa Marie might do. Keeping things in a blues vein, she sang with a gospel choir force and passion, using her throaty roar to great effect, making her chorus come alive like a bonfire. It didn’t hurt that she had bass player Lenny Bradford laying it down, deep and meaningful, behind her. Switching gears to a 1970s classic rock number by Bad Company showed flexibility, and cleverness, as Paul Rogers is one of the most soulful singers in any genre, and hence, fits unexpectedly into this blues jam format. Meanwhile, Bob Pratte and Reid Tre sounded really cool on guitar, and, Tre, a song later, sang some blues material like it was second nature to him.
Nearing the end, the charming, sophisticated, international businessman turned roots rock front man, Bobby Livingston, sang his original “You Came Alive.” Boy, did that guy have a lot of personality at the microphone. He infused his song with a lot of dark possibilities. There was a lot of life in his “High And Away.” Enough energy to make it suddenly combust, his expressions on vocals and acoustic guitar were full of grit. Hearing Livingston turn The Doors’ “Soul Kitchen” into a soulful, blues-rock croon was another treat for the ears. There is nothing quite like what Bobby Livingston can do. Fans can listen to him work his magic when he has his Bobby Livingston Band CD Release Party at Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, New Hampshire on November 5th. Hopefully, he’ll bring along the same drummer from last night, Mike Dupont, a skin smacker who brings a special twist to the groove.
North shore’s Dave Hines and Lee Hawkins went up and got into some seriously rocking material. Hines’ smooth, emotive vocal flowed out over his and Hawkins’ hard charging guitars on “Whipping Post.” Hines and Hawkins played with such passion, spark, then fire and brimstone intensity that they made listeners feel, as well as listen to, their music. Bob Segar’s “Turn The Page,” which Hines has down pat and always does well, felt beautifully moving, full of forlorn emotions. Hawkins subbed his guitar for the saxophone, and it worked well, like something bright, sharp, stabbing into the dark of night.
Speaking of north shore, Danvers own Gardner Trask sang like an old blues man on The Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues, and he rocked right out on Steppenwolf’s Born To Be Wild.” Closing out the jam was the Manchester artist known as Dennis The Menace. Usually solo acoustic, The Menace was supported by a full band, ending with Stone Temple Pilot’s “Plush,” giving it a grunge-lite feel, appropriately fuzzy. The Menace offers more of this for music fans and jammers at his Manchester Wednesday night open mic.
“Slutty” Pete’s 10th annual blues jam birthday bash was another fun Sunday afternoon at The Village Trestle. This jam was among their finest in the last five years, offering something for everyone with the artists who lined up to play. There was excitement in the air all day, and each lineup delivered on the promise of that energy.
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