Debra Power Unapologetically Me (Independent)
For those who haven’t come in contact with blues singer and pianist Debra Power, prepare to strap yourself in. If one had to try and define who she is as an artist, the first word that comes to mind is…exuberant! She explodes the blues and, armed with her extreme gifts on piano, her vocals are in your face and then some. Off-putting? Not at all. This is an entertainer whose main joy in life, it seems, is to get behind a keyboard and pour out her emotions and/or views on the world around her. Her lyrics – which she clearly spends a lot of time on – are important and she smartly injects dollops of humour with equal parts passion and heartfelt emotion.
A self-confessed “Barrelhouse Maven of the Blues” she’s anything but apologetic – nor should she be. The fact that she’s been a best-kept secret for so long is mystifying as the woman positively exudes the blues and packages it up in abundant bursts of high energy, devoid of any inhibition whatsoever. Her 4th release, Unapologetically Me, continues to break fresh ground with ten rambunctious originals.
Kicking off with “I Choose to Sing the Blues”, the descriptor ‘rollicking’ doesn’t quite cover this fireball’s approach to her music. The track’s title is clearly her mantra, if not her mission statement. Yet, in this age seemingly dominated by electric blues, Power’s seems hell-bent on reviving the school of colorful acoustic blues, tipping her hat to the likes of Frances Wallace, Sweet Emma Barrett and Louise Johnson. She clearly has no other choice.
“Candy Shop” features a buoyant piano lick and, coupled with Power’s hard-driving, always animated vocals, she delivers on a tale of gambling, hanging out and just celebrating the joys of friendship with the best of like-minded friends. Accompanied by band members, Kelly Kruse (drums) and Chris Brzezicki (bass), Power is saucy. She’s brazen. And she dishes it out with a smile.
The lyrics to “Too Tall” are hilarious – telling the tale of a potential lover not making the grade based on his height. This piano-driven original benefits from her solid rhythm section while the dizzying wordplay is forgiven for the humorous payload it packs.
The soulfulness of Power’s vocals ramps up on “The Architect” as Power pours out her heart on one of the disc’s key tracks. While she spells out some of life’s key lessons, she accompanyies herself on both piano and B3, while Kruse and Brzezicki offer iron-clad support. Co-producer Brother Ray Lemelin adds guitar throughout. The mature perspective of accepting one’s self as one’s destiny goes a long way towards building the self-confidence needed to be true to who you are.
There’s something addictive about “I Got A Secret.” Is it its loping pace, its finger-snapping attitude or the overall tease of the mystery behind the lyric? The added harp of Greg Jr. Demchuk brings more to the table with an added blues edge which works well with Power’s piano on this fun, intriguing song.
The title track is a standout for its autobiographical content, alone. However, it goes the country mile by completely underlining the raison d’etre behind this ballsy boogie and barrelhouse virtuoso. No apologies necessary. “Unapologetically Me” might end up becoming the perfect epitaph.
More witty wordplay as Power goes Mose Allison-like (they share similarities in both their approach with lyrics and all-encompassing instrumental styles) with “Last Night’s Indiscretion” (who else do you know who could rhyme jokin’ with Ibuprofen?). It’s the perfect post-party blues song boasting lyrics which everyone easily identifies with. Between her elastic vocal control and her effervescent keyboard gifts, she blurs the lines between blues and jazz while injecting a modern perspective into each and every topic.
Jump on board for the boisterous “Ya Gotta Like That” – a big-time barrelhouse boogie complete with backup vocals from the Swingin’ Chandelier Party Girls (Kim Watt, Ginette Tremblay) and a bassline that doesn’t quit. Male appreciation at its finest and reason enough to keep looking for the one that fits.
The opening notes of guitarist, Lemelin’s blues guitar, Power’s nimble assault on her 88s and the haunting strains of Greg Jr. Demchuk’s harmonica takes us – quite quickly – to somewhere far removed from the rollicking fun-fest of the first eight songs. The prominent tinkling of Power’s keys is reminiscent of falling tears on “Harpdog’s Lament”– a bittersweet tribute to the much- lamented passing of Canada’s Harpdog Brown. For anyone who knew and loved this vintage bluesman – a larger-than-life, road-weathered character with a old-school heart of gold – this heartfelt, reverent composition will wrench the tears from your eyes.
“Mr. Red Shoes” pays homage to the classic recording studio catch-all – “we’ll fix it in the mix” and is a also a respectful hit on her relationship with this session’s recording engineer. Enter guest Steve Pineo – a major contributor to Power’s ’22 release, I’m Not From Chicago – who adds tasty slide guitar on the track while Cedric Blary’s clarinet – together with Power’s zesty ragtime barrage – helps close the album with an upbeat, if not uproarious, Dixieland feel.
To anyone who’s met Debra Power or experienced the joyful energy she brings to a stage,
Unapologetically Me is an accurate demonstration of her writing, playing and singing talents all wrapped up in ten original compositions. She clearly champions the past while dragging it into the future with lyrics that make you think, make you laugh and make you feel a little better about the world around you. Clearly a work-in-progress for this one-woman-blues-revival who’s barely begun, she’s more than deserving of a larger audience craving a serious good time.
Find more information here on her website: https://www.debrapower.com
Unapologetically Me was recorded live off the floor at Rocky Mountain Studio with minimal overdubs.
It was engineered by Rob Smith, mixed by Debra Power, Brother Ray Lemelin and Kelly Kruse, and produced by Debra Power and Brother Ray Lemelin. Musicians on the album are Debra Power on vocals, piano and B3; Brother Ray Lemelin on guitar; Chris Brzezicki on bass; Kelly Kruse on drums; George Jr Demchuk on harmonica; Steve Pineo on slide guitar on track 10; Cedric Blary on horns and clarinet; and Swinging Chandelier Party Girls on track 8: Kim Watt and Ginette Tremblay.