Steve Morgan And The Kingfish have been gaining more attention this past year in greater-Boston/New England blues scene. After winning a Cape Cod talent contest and winning the Boston Blues Society’s Blues Challenge , Morgan and his Kingfish earned larger press coverage as well as the opening slots at major area blues festivals. Their 2013 CD Blues In Paradise gives a taste of what local blues fans have been missing from Cape Cod’s best kept secret.
Opening track “I Sure Need You” has the snap, crackle, and pop of modern electric blues. Morgan jumps right in with a nimble electric lead line that skips around the beat with as much enthusiasm as his vocal assertions of love. Morgan’s raspy voice and his snappy guitar parts bring the sting while the Kingfish smack this song forward with a peppy vigor.
“Trouble” has a mischievous air. Horn swagger, guitar riffing, and Morgan’s breezy vocal approach create a feeling of something is going on and it ain’t good. His matter of fact delivery about silence and screams conjures an even more intense air of “trouble.” Morgan’s guitar is feisty and a horn with attitude sounds off, all making this song something we can feel as well as listen to.
Morgan gets into more island vibe territory on “I Look For The Words,” a flute laced tune that feels as fresh as an ocean breeze hitting one’s face along a shoreline. It’s easy to get pulled into the easy going groove of this piece as the guitar, lead vocal, and flute flourishes soothe the listener, bringing him into this peaceful vibe. There is actually a lot of moving parts in this work, but they all take their sweet time unfurling their musical themes, and it becomes clear exactly how large a song this is by its end, and you‘ll just want to get lost in it.
“You Know I Had The Blues” is a peppy, jazzy, breezy affair that gets its strength from how well Morgan And The Kingfish keep it flowing smoothly. Morgan’s voice is an easeful charmer and his guitar phrasing remains emotive, personal, almost like a second voice singing this song. Horns are vibrant without becoming fulsome. This tune certainly meets a warning description on the CD jacket that informs purists that they will be hearing non blues elements. Yet, the compromise is worth it for the non diehard as the jazzy excursions turn this blues into as much a soothing, soulful experience as much as anything in the genre.
Shifting gears, Morgan and his Kingfish move into a blues subgenre with “She’s Gone Back To St. Louis.” Injecting a touch of New Orleans blues in the groove and horn phrasing, the band keep this one cool and worldly. Its sly motions and smooth vocalizing lull the ear deeper into its spry melodies and those horns borrow just enough of yesterday’s New Orleans sound to keep things interesting.
Morgan and his Kingfish jump right back into jumping, jiving blues with “You’re Driving Me Crazy.”
Here, the band shows more of their ability to drive the blues with their pedal on the floor, take sharp corners on two wheels, and going airborne with flashing blue lights in their rear view. They hit their jumpy groove with aggressive smacks while Morgan’s plays speedy riffs and searing phrases on his axe.
Morgan and his boys shift gears again, taking things down tempo for his “Bluesy Café.” This mellow, easy shuffling tune is peppered by handsome harmony vocals that remind of the old doo-wop bands while everything else is out of blues yesteryear. Guitar phrasing here is compact like it would sound on an old record and the rhythm section punctuate it all with their timing and tasteful applications.
Title track “Blues In Paradise” is a somber look at the high, emotional cost of independence. Morgan’s laid back vocal expresses the pain of this theme without seeming to try. His voice is an anguished cry as his guitar tenderly peals back the emotions.
Morgan is originally from St. Louis and the city remains near and dear to his heart. So, he pours heart and soul into this feisty blues jive number. His greasy guitar phrase is tasty as hell and the horns swell just enough to tug the listener’s homesick, nostalgic heartstrings.
Morgan is an old hand at the blues, so he knows all the different ways to put it across. “I Have No Friends” is a purer form of blues. Simple acoustic blues guitar picking, gentle harmony vocals, and a lilting rhythm section conjure the feeling of Sunday morning front porch blues. This is what it might have sounded like when all those cotton pickers came home from church, gathered on a neighbor’s porch, picked up their instruments and played whatever came to mind.
Segue into a mariachi band expression for “South Of The Border” and Morgan and his Kingfish take you into a world of Latin rhythms and Spanish flavored guitar picking. It’s one of those big, glorious dance numbers meant to keep a large number of people on the dance floor, and it probably does.
“Who Ya Gonna Blame It On” is another slow grooving blues with tender guitar playing and soulful, emotive vocals. Yet, this one incorporates a flute which makes a fine second melody as Morgan’s guitar line tickles the eardrum with its perky expression.
Morgan leads his Kingfish back into danceable waters with a tune modeled on older, elegant blues. “You Keep Complaining” has the horns doing a lot of the talking as Morgan continually picks a flinty phrase on his electric. The song talks to the listener with its promise of fun, good times, and a nice party. A trumpet blows a thick line of exuberance, enthusiasm, making clear that a good party is one of the essential necessities of life.
Morgan closes out with a curious number. He has rearranged the old Berry Gordon-Smokey Robinson-William Robinson Jr. number “Money(That’s What I Want)” as a light, breezy, jazzy piece. Its changes are cleverly, smoothly handled here. Morgan’s voice is also at its smoothest. He practically glides over the musical proceedings and makes a sweet musical statement. It’s a pleasant album closer and one that’s totally unexpected.
Morgan’s mix of originals and original arrangement add up to one big, fine blues oriented album. This is one of those salad bar albums with a variety of songs, each crying out to be sampled, tasted, enjoyed. Blues In Paradise might not be a “pure” blues album, if there ever was such a thing, but it has a lot to offer and it deserves a lot of recognition. The Kingfish include drummer Ed Wanamaker, percussionist-singer Bryant Edwards, Bassist James Petcoff, trombonist John Wolf, and several other guest musicians though out the work. Each player provides valuable assistance as Morgan fleshes out his musical vision in each piece.
