Drivin’ Blind blues trio rolled into the lounge at the Clarion Inn in Wakefield, Massachusetts last night. It was clear from their first number that Drivin’ Blind are a trio of fine musicians, and they kicked ass all night long with their punchy take on blues and classic rock.
Guitarist Steve Dineen unfurled a loosey goosey guitar phrase on opener “Long Time Gone” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. Dineen also played a beautiful phrase before the song’s break. Dineen’s voice had that 1960s hippie vibe, his flavorful flow unencumbered by flash or pretense. Drummer Sparky Sandler is one of those rare breed of drummers. He offered a generous amount of support in every song without ever getting in the way or without ever over playing it.
Drivin’ Blind turned “Crosscut Saw” into an amicable blues song with a gliding mid-tempo progression. Dineen’s voice was appropriately sandpaper rough here. That Dineen can sing in different timbres and tones is one of Drivin’ Blind’s greatest strengths. His sweetly picked notes and aggressive phrasing filled this number with special texture. He drove his phrase through hairpin twists and turns with a burning timbre inside his notes. The rhythm boys had to put plenty of muscle under Dineen’s magic, and they did.
Drivin’ Blind tackled the Johnny Winter’s song “No More Doggin’” with Dineen’s smoldering phrase and circus barker vocal approach. Blistering guitar, throbbing low end, and rollicking drum were rugged but still flavored with blues. Maybe this explains why Johnny Winter went over so well with hard rock fans while treating them solely to blues.
The trio went into Derek And The Dominos hit “It’s Too Late” that they has all seen on The Johnny Cash TV show years ago. Allouise’s harmony vocal, Dineen’s swaying guitar lines, and Sandle’s bopping beats added to the song’s juicy oldies feel. If you listened carefully, you could hear Dineen’s phrase whistling out of his speakers. The boys brought a breezy tempo to The Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb.” Dineen had his way with the vocal delivery, crafting his own pop sensibility as he went along.
Freddie King’s “Some Day After A While” gave Dineen a chance to press out some ruggedly handsome guitar lines while he caressed the words with his raspiest timbre of the evening. You could feel the blues in this one, especially the torrents of raw emotion in the guitar, fiery picking of one single note.
The trio covered Los Lobos’s version of Willie Dixon’s “I Can’t Understand.” Marked by Allouise’s twangy rumble, the bass man laid out a hearty, busy low end, holding down the bottom and playing other textures too. “Six Days On The Road” was a country blues number inspired by a trucker lifestyle. The trio’s racing, up tempo notes underscored the trucker’s frenetic pace to get home to his family.
One of the best moments came when Drivin’ Blind performed the B. B. King classic “Help The Poor.” It got its heart and soul from the deep, meaningful feeling coming from the rhythm boys. On top of that was Dineen’s plaintive vocal. It had all of that old school blues sound and you could actually picture a struggling man down on his luck. The tender phrase Dineen picked out, one note at a time rapidly played, made you feel the man’s bleeding pain.
The trio got to rock out on some timeless hits from more progressive artists(of their day). Old school R&B played in a shuffling train tempo groove marked this trio’s take on Sam Cooke’s “Ain’t That Good News.” Dineen, more importantly, sang out with a more empowered vocal. Gary Moore’s “Texas Strut” was chockfull of the jump and swing elements of the Lone Star State’s blues style, the trio phrasing and smacking to beat the band. Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “Pride And Joy” had a heavy, thumping groove going on, and Dineen made his guitar sound on fire as the rhythm boys laid out patterns of punchy power. “Freedom” by Colin James got the classic rock treatment, and Dineen was powerful on the chorus. He just belted it out like there was no tomorrow.
Former vocalist for Stone Blue Band and current Black Dog Howl front woman Regina Servizio guest sang with the trio last night. It was a treat to hear Servizio’s charming voice backed by high caliber players. She seems to belong in front of players like these. First, she sang a quiet, pretty ballad that only let her vocal hint at what it was capable of. The self-restraint worked well, too, in that context. Yet, she was shining bright on “Got My Mojo Working.” Servizio brought out her gutsy voice, belty sustains, and unique timbre. She has a one of a kind high-pitched edginess. Most women can only sound pretty with her voice that high up. It was refreshing to hear a woman blues belter who didn’t sound a lot like every other female blues singer. Dineen, meanwhile, paid out feisty guitar licks within his phrase as the rhythm section anchored it substantial thumpiness.
The trio’s take on The Rolling Stones hit “Sympathy For The Devil” found Dineen doing his own version of the guitar phrase. It didn’t sound much like the original, but it was still a lot of fun. The song also provided a good moment to introduce the trio to their Labor Day weekend fans at the Clarion Inn. Of course, a solo came from each of the two guys in the rhythm department. Allouise played a bass solo full of low end twists and turns, and Sparky Sandler loaded his drum solo with bulbous, fulsome smacks and hefty beats.
Drivin’ Blind play an eclectic selection of roots, blues, country blues, oldies, and classic rock. Not only do they offer variety and talent, they make the evening fun with between song banter and off the cuff humor. Look for them at a Roadhouse, drive in restaurant, or neighborhood bar near you.
