Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne – Ooh Yeah!
Maybe you’re an older music listener looking for a little New Orleans 50s nostalgia. Maybe you’re a younger enthusiast who likes the retro boogie-woogie pop genius of the late Fats Dominio, Professor Longhair & Allen Toussaint. Ah, but they have all gone to the Mardi Gras in the sky & you haven’t been invited yet.
But there is an artist who mines that deep mine with clever lyrics, melodies & a distinctive voice with all the trimmings, rhythm & groove. From the start, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne (piano/keys/vocals) tugs on the Fats Dominio’s heartstrings, but doesn’t imitate; he reinvents. The piano runs smoke, and the backup singers are of a high caliber. It all works with an enthusiastic thrust.
There are 12 original shouts of Ooh Yeah! (Drops Nov 15/Stony Plain-True North/46:06) on this self-produced showcase recorded by Glenn Castilloux in Quebec, ON. Aside from the boogie-woogie, Kenny lays down some soulful ballads (“My Point of View”) & some instrumentals. It’s an entertaining set since he mixes the well-crafted tunes fluently.
The title tracks “Ooh Yeah,” “Whatcha Gonna Do Now” & “Baby, I’m Your Man” are dance-inducing & spirited. Garnished with good times, fun & sprinkles of piano notes that make one want to get engaged with the music.
A Spokane, Washington native the 80-year-old Ontario-based veteran Mr. Wayne-Spruell sews his showcase together with past ingredients from the 50s through the 70s & has only borrowed from what made that music great & emerges with a refreshing sound. As convincing today as it was decades before.
The Allen Toussaint flavors emerge with steam on “Try It Out,” (how old is this man?) loaded with horns, smoking sax solo, rollicking piano, backup vocals & Kenny’s exceptional rocking vocals. The Band & James Brown both would’ve loved to have covered a tune like this.
An all-out exceptional rocker is unwrapped with “Honey, Honey, Honey” which is far & away from what passes for rock n’ roll today. It’s like the difference between polyester & wool-blend – the fabric has to breathe. This will get you dancing & panting in a good way. Don’t give this to The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Kenny’s is hot enough.
Highlights – “Ooh Yeah,” “Whatcha Gonna Do Now,” “Baby, I’m Your Man,” “My Point of View,” “Try It Out,” “Hony, Honey, Honey,” “Blacklist,” “I Wish Things Were Different” & “That Crazy Monkey.”
Musicians – Joey DiMarco, Bucky Burger, Ian McKeown & Adam Warner (drums/percussion), Nick Succi, James Rasmussen (bass), James Anthony (guitar), Jimmy Bowskill (bass/strings/guitar/banjo), Kaven Jalbert (tenor sax), Remi Cormier (trumpet), Mathieu Mousseau (baritone sax) & Salena (vocals/bgv).
Cover image courtesy of Bluescazorla Festival, Cazorla, Spain. Red suit image courtesy of Kenny’s Stony Plain website. Past music samples are available on YouTube.
CD @ Bandcamp + Amazon & https://stonyplainrecords.com/kennybluesbosswayne/
