Willie J. Laws, Diane Blue
Yesterday saw an amazing display of love and talent at JJ’s Sports Bar in Northboro, Massachusetts. A benefit held there for the hugely popular and well liked Johnny “Blue Horn” Moriconi brought together a tremendous bulk of talent while an appreciate, supportive audience created one of the most beautiful vibes to found in a local music venue. The house’s sound man, Jim Kalil, kept all of the bands sounding fantastic throughout the day long event and all but one were large ensembles. I hope JJ’s pays him well.
The fundraiser was organized by singer Diane Blue and Mission Of Blues guitarist Paul Spagnolia to compensate Moriconi for lost income while recovering from radiosurgery to remove a benign tumor from his brainstem. I arrived in time to catch opening band Back Seat Boogie doing their hard driving rock and roll thing. They slammed out “You Got No Right” like nobody’s business, and boy could lead singer Jeanne Collins hold a note.
Next up was Ed Scheer with his All Star Blues Band. Scheer lead the talent he had rounded up into a classy ensemble. Bobby Breeze nailed down a jazzy melodic line with his trombone, a melody that came from a simpler, more beautiful time in American music. Keyboardist Anthony Geraci tinkled out another layer of class that likely transported the audience back in time to a 1920s speakeasy. Then, Myanna chimed in with a pretty string of high notes on her tenor sax before Big Jack Ward offered his own mellifluous take on the melodic line with his fine electric guitar work.
Ward vocalized “Big Boss Man” with his hearty, soulful rasp, a vocal effort that required the others to put a thumpy groove beneath his hefty delivery. Ward also pressed out some flinty guitar licks on a version of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” altered to favor “Johnny Blue Horn.” With a rhythm section driving it home and a feisty piano workout behind him, Mr. Blue Horn himself proved he still has it, blowing out a full, vibrant line with his trademark blue sepia colored trumpet.
Big Jack Ward
Some New Orleans flavored blues added a gumbo vibe to the sounds in the large venue, with John Juxo’s accordion filling in the open spaces nicely and Scheer’s turn of the century washboard making the rhythm feel right. A special featured singer, Ms. Toni Lynn Washington, made “Every Day I Have The Blues” her own, her svelte vocal, honed by decades of experience, practically rolled right out and over the instrumental support like a fine instrument itself. Bobby Breeze helped push this number along, blowing a full, bossy trombone line. Ms. Washington, again, went to town singing lead vocals on “Diamonds And Pearls” from Anthony Geraci’s latest All Star blues CD. A classy blues number, she delivered the goods with her natural, understated aplomb. Ms. Washington even managed to finesse a hopped up, knobby groove version of Ben E. King’s “Stand By Me,” cruising over the groove and crooning in the open spaces at just the right time.
Now the thing about Ed Scheer is that nobody knows or could ever guess what the wild and crazy guy is going to do next. He had Johnny Blue Horn, John Juxo, and himself playing the French romantic ballad “La Vie En Rose,” conjuring the scene of American blues musicians playing a Parisian favorite, sweet, old time, exotic according notes wafting up toward the ceiling after a tender trumpet line brought everyone to another century on another continent.
John Juxo lead the All Stars into an old, fancy number called “Life Is A One Way Ticket” that brought out the best in everyone. Juxo found the right vibe with his wildly beautiful keyboard work. Willie J. Laws took a solo and brought his melodic line into some cool places, blues, funk, and maybe even outer space, his phrase danced sweet and pretty around a funky groove.
Diane Blue, her vocal silky smooth and perfect, grasped the saucy self-pity of “Heard It Through The Grapevine” before Juxo tapped a funk fest out of the keyboards. Meanwhile, Jimmy “Two Suits” went to town, riffing on a lean, mean sax phrase.
Myanna, Molly Rose, Bobby Breeze
Oldies, classy, smooth, and charming are just a few of the words that came to mind when Tony Parente took over the stage with his Tony Soul Project, replete with additional horns and backing vocalists, building enough sound power to create the proverbial “wall of sound” so well associated with early Motown recordings. Parente and company’s take on “Tossing And Turning” was a golden oldies beauty. “Take Me To The River” got a melodic blast from a plethora of horn players while the keyboards were offering some cool riffs, a nice balance between party vibe high notes and darker, low end left hand notes. A sly groove and considerate vocal build up made a down tempo version of “Can’t Get Next To You” an auditory treat, so much texture so quaintly utilized. Tony Soul Project also offered a peppy version of Junior Walker’s “Shotgun” before that horn section rolled forward on “Gimme Some Lovin,’” riding the dynamics like a big, funky cool bus traveling through hill country. “Unchain My Heart” was performed like a beautifully cool wall of sound before the Joe Cocker arrangement of “With A Little Help From My Friends,” an ambitious undertaking which they came fairly close to pulling off, especially their mounds of swelling horns and a tuft of sultry backing vocals.
Johnny Blue Horn’s former blues band Mission Of Blues were on hand to play a set of their own. They summoned Moriconi to the stage so he could lead his old band through their original “Time Payments.” He fit right into the lineup, as if he never left, his vocals, matched with current singer Scott Bronnes’s harmonica work, succeeded, blended like peanut butter and chocolate. Bronnes regained his microphone to deliver his own deeply felt blues vocal on “It’s My Soul.” He called up a feeling from somewhere deep inside for that number before sliding into “Phone Booth” with his hip swagger. The MOB players pressed some electrifying guitar phrases out of their axes while their rhythm section pushed things along with nimble persistence.
Michelle Willson
Worcester area band Wilbur And The Dukes came on strong during their own white hot set. Commencing with an exciting instrumental, one horn player would make you think he was damn good right before another blared his way into the number with another high flying, sky rocketing flight of fancy. Their lead guitarist kicked some serious ass with a long, unwieldy but eloquent, expressive melodic phrase. Their high powered take on “Shaky Ground” pied pipered a good size chunk of the audience onto the dance floor, owing to the bulbous groove coming from the rhythm section. Wilbur’s lead singer was very entertaining and he displayed one of the most powerful vocals this local reviewer has ever heard. Wilbur And The Dukes had a lot of fun with B.B. King’s “Help The Poor.” It was a fun ensemble to watch and listen to, especially whenever guitarist Jim Perry unleashed a biting, stinging series of notes that rang out with purpose and clarity.
The finale ensemble of the evening was Ricky “King” Russell And The Boston Blues All Stars. Not only did Russell go to town with his own frenetic guitar playing, he brought along sax man Scott Shetler and guitarist Jim Perry for the ride and they all dovetailed into something fine and fiery. With burning hot guitar licks abounding behind her, Michelle Willson served up a keen vocal take on “Slow Time Blues.” Willson and Blue rocked a duet version of “Hit The Road, Jack” before the legendary Philip Pemberton jumped up on stage to croon “Yeah-Yeah.” Juxtaposing Pemberton’s vocals with those guitar volcanoes was an idea born in heaven. Pemberton has a way of paying respect to the old school singers while putting his own personal stamp on a number. His presentation of “Cadillac” showcased his natural vocal tone and timbre, sharp and clear and loaded with feeling.
Everyone in attendance seem quite pleased to be there and the enthusiasm for the music ran high. If anybody who could not make it to the benefit would like to help out, please visit:
https://www.youcaring.com/john-and-julia-504715
