REVIEW: John Cowan & Andrea Zonn “The HercuLeons”

John Cowan & Andrea Zonn – The HercuLeons (True Lonesome Records)

The names you likely know. John Cowan first made his name as a singer and as a bassist with the New Grass Revival, despite not having been schooled in a bluegrass background. This didn’t stop him from helping bring huge crossover success to the band when he joined for their second release – a success which continued until they disbanded some 14 years later. A solo release in 1990 took his big voice and applied it – somewhat surprisingly – in a soul direction, entirely reinventing himself again. Likewise, his solo release of 2000, expectations be damned. His intense reluctance to be pigeon-holed has also hampered his career somewhat. Ten solo releases, not including the failed supergroup known as The Sky Kings (through no fault of their own), had this popular singer retreat into playing bass and singing with The Doobie Brothers for a number of years.

Andrea Zonn has earned her reputation a little more tactfully. Raised in a musical family, she left Illinois and headed to Nashville at a young age and was playing with Vince Gill, eventually collaborating with Alison Krauss, Lyle Lovett and Trish Yearwood – each of whom helped twist her classical training on violin into something quite distinctive in the Nashville setting. Her voice followed suit. A pair of solo releases in ’03 and ’15 didn’t burn any houses down but her continuing musical relationships with Gill, James Taylor, Martina McBride, Carole King and others have made her a go-to session player and vocalist of a reliable nature.

Producer Wendy Waldman also comes from a storied career of her own quality recordings as a singer-songwriter and is a respected songwriter and producer. Running with the likes of Karla Bonoff, Andrew Gold, Linda Ronstadt and her own success – plus a later act with Bryndle – offers added context behind the firepower of this release (Waldman also contributes on guitar, dulcimer, keyboards and harmonies throughout).

Together, the eclectic twosome behind The HercuLeons have cherry-picked twelve (mostly cover) tunes, wisely referred to by someone as “a weathered ramble.”

The opening track, “Resurrection Road,” is a beautiful composition written by the late, and largely unheralded, Kenny Edwards. In the hands of The HercuLeons, it’s been funked up nicely, pushed by the driving beat behind Darrell Scott’s propulsive mandola and Zonn’s urgent fiddle strokes, as Cowan’s lead vocal demonstrates his full capability. Given the lyric, The HercuLeons – the album – may well represent a new beginning for both Zonn and Cowan.

 

Originally written and recorded by John Sebastian (with Lowell George) for Tarzana Kid, Cowan and Zonn have dedicated the next song – “Face of Appalachia” – to another late friend, the great Valerie Carter, who recorded it for her debut three years after Sebastian did. Theirs is a lush, delicate treatment led by Zonn’s sweet vocal with soft accompaniment on bass, acoustic and electric guitar. When the two harmonize, it can be almost ‘in the red’ yet it’s a joy to behold as the full band provides some contrast and takes control, bolstered further by Zonn’s mournful fiddle.

“Straight Up” comes out of left field – a tad jarring bouncing off the softer, reflective and sorrowful ‘Appalachia’ – an up-tempo groove driven by fiddle, drums, mandolin and more. Cowan provides an energized lead vocal as Reese Wynans serves up some blistering B3. Zonn accompanies on vocals but is almost eclipsed by the aggressive horn work of Mark Russo and wall of percussion from Marc Quinones on this intense original from Tiny Town, another supergroup that never was.

A delicious instrumental intro precedes Zonn’s beautiful vocal – featuring fiddle, acoustic/electric guitar, and deluxe pedal steel (John McFee) – as Bryndle’s “The Lucky One” gets served up on a note-perfect bed of pop-esque accompaniment at its finest. A truly killer track as Cowan joins Zonn’s lead and the guitars simply glisten in the sun as Cowan’s bass, Scott Babcock’s drums join mandolin and fiddle solos which bite in, deeply.

“Take Me to the Alley” proves a showpiece for Cowan’s lead vocal and kissed, oh-so-gently, by Zonn’s backup vocal. It is Gary Prim’s beautiful piano work which gets a bonus assist on this lovely cover by the great, soul-infused, jazz vocalist, Gregory Porter, from nine years back.

Who would’ve expected a cover from the Vaughan Brothers, “Long Way from Home” from their one and only Family Matters release? Kudos to the brilliant piano work of Bill Payne as guitars (with guest Michael Landau), bass and Greg Morrow’s drums hustle to keep up as Cowan and Zonn mesh their vocals at a near-frantic rate.

“Still I Sing” is a gentle Zonn original as her lead vocal combines with acoustic guitar, fiddle, keyboards and little else as she and Cowan join to sing in celebration of the life (and potential) of a tree. Zonn’s fiddle provides another highlight on this laidback reflection.

“Trying to Survive” is Cowan’s original contribution, written with an eye to Michael McDonald’s involvement – who joins him here on vocals and clavinet. A surprisingly awkward entry, it seems to lack either cohesion or musicality. McDonald makes a minimal appearance but this song flatly refuses to fit the record.

When Cowan can feature the strength of his vocals, as he does on Larry Campbell’s “When I Stop Loving You,” all is right with the world. John Hall provides harmony vocals as Gary Prim’s piano frames the composition in a solid setting, aided by sturdy B3 as the stellar backup vocals of Jonell Mosser and Jody Nardone join Hall for some high-end enhancement. Teresa Williams duets with Campbell on the original (co-penned by William Bell), yet Zonn’s backup – if she’s even present – is comparably subtle. Some uncredited electric guitar nicely accentuates and underlines some of the strong B3 work.

You may recall the pop-lite pens of The Rembrandts (Danny Wylde/Phil Solem), making “Rollin’ Down the Hill” a potentially odd choice, yet this track from their ’92 sophomore release is given fresh life by the Zonn and Cowan team. Its gently- strummed acoustic guitar accompaniment is the perfect foil to their combined vocal and, as the band chimes in, it makes for near-pop perfection (more so than the original).

Singer-songwriter Susan Werner has crafted some superb songs and ”Barbed Wire Boys” provides Cowan with rich material for his wide-ranging and highly elastic vocal skills. While the reading is relatively straight and unadorned, its ‘’part two” instrumental portion (featuring a Celtic feel from Zonn’s fiddle) makes for a lovely ‘second layer’. As Zonn joins in, vocally, the song is transformed into another gem of a track in this record’s lineup.

For those enamored of the second track, a trimmed-down version of “Face Of Appalachia” might be the album’s finest moment, if not a great album closer. While the more commercial version, which features footage from the recent devastation of the beloved area by Hurricane Helene, know that it was created as a fundraiser for its victims. You may enjoy the subtle contrasts between the two.

All in all, The HercuLeons’ debut is somewhat of a mixed bag, which is a surprise given the stature of Waldman’s ability. As press materials promise “a blend of Appalachian, soul, rock and jazz creating a unique blend of Americana with a pop sensibility,” it could be acknowledged that – instead – both artists have merged their collective eclecticism, maintaining a certain consistency with this combined effort. Easily justified, you’ll discover a loving collection of songs, if not themes, which mean something special to both artists. As such, you can savor their wide-ranging expertise, their convergent tastes and a warming application of ‘heart’ in each of their choices. Indeed, a resurrection of sorts.

(For the detail freaks, there’s a reason why the ‘L’ of HercuLeons is capitalized. That’s John Cowan’s little smile of a tribute to the late song master, Leon Russell, while, at the same time, a passing nod to the ‘herculean’ efforts of their live band.)

Find the music here: https://found.ee/0709S

Musicians on The HercuLeons are John Cowan on lead and harmony vocals and bass; Andrea Zonn on lead and harmony vocals, fiddle, violin, and viola; and Wendy Waldman on acoustic guitars, dulcimer, keyboards, harmony vocals, and programming. Additional musicians are Scott Babcock on drums and percussion; Tom Britt on electric guitars; John Hall on harmony vocals; Michael Landau on electric guitars; Michael McDonald on vocals and clavinet; John McFee on electric guitar and pedal steel; Greg Morrow on drums (on all except one song); Jonell Mosser on harmony vocals; Jody Nardone on harmony vocals; Abraham Parker on electric guitars, keyboards, and 6 string bass; Bill Payne on piano and Wurlitzer; Gary Prim on piano; Marc Quinones on percussion; Matt Rollings  on piano; Marc Russo on horns; Darrell Scott on acoustic and electric guitars, bouzouki, and harmony vocals; Mietek Szcześniak on vocals; and Reese Wynans on Hammond B3.

The album was produced by Wendy Waldman with horns arranged by Marc Russo and the Prairie Orchestra on “Barbed Wire Boys” conceived and orchestrated by Wendy Waldman. Strings were arranged by Andrea Zonn. The album was mixed by Robert Hoffman and Wendy Waldman at The Longhouse; and mastered by Robert Hoffman; with the cover art painted by Tom Britt and album photo by Madison Thorn.

Tracks recorded at The Sound Emporium (Nashville, TN) by Steve Marcantonio, assisted by Joe Trentacosti; and at The Longhouse (Los Angeles, CA) by Robert Hoffman and Wendy Waldman.
Additional recording by Andrea Zonn, Josh Emmons, Mark Fain, Michael Landau, John McFee, Abraham Parker, Bill Payne, Marc Quinones, Matt Rollings and Marc Russo.