Travis Colby was the featured artist at the Wantu Blues Jam yesterday afternoon, and he treated the audience to his skills on piano, vocals, guitar, bass, and even saxophone. He tapped out a barroom barrelhouse version of Ray Charles’ “I Love Her So” and his piano work was warmly supported by bassist Dave Guilmette, drummer Bob Pratte, and guitarist Chris Noyes.Guitarist David Papa came up later to play a little bit of an edgier rock guitar phrase which was an unusual but workable blend with Colby, who was really owning his rapid 16th notes, and Noyes, who peeled off a melodic line full of sharply picked spiky notes.
Papa unleashed his rendition of Kenny Loggins’ “Your Daddy Don’t Rock And Roll” which is always a crowd pleaser for him. The gave Colby a chance to play more modern rock piano, which he did with a sense of fun. Colby got into more serious Louisiana blues territory with Professor Longhair’s “Tipitina.” Here, Colby played with busier hands to keep that swinging Big Easy feel in his very fluid melodic lie. Noyes expanded on the theme with his greasy fried southern flavored lead guitar. The jam’s host “Slutty Pete” Zona blew his harmonica notes in the same lilting pattern that made you feel like you were strolling down Lafayette Street on a warm summer Sunday afternoon.
Noyes went into “Ruby” at a take-your-time tempo that gave him space to pick off low broiling lead guitar lines as Colby played a smoky organ melody, swirling his chords around coolly. Papa came in with an edgy, fiery phrase around the rhythm section’s sneaky, suspicious groove. The boys made the listeners feel the mischief in the tune, and that was the most important thing.
Guitarist Rick Amidon played a Kid Pinky And The Knights’ song written by Steve Prisby, a rollicking number that gave Colby a chance to display his lead guitar talents. Colby pressed out a wiry lead guitar solo that was as impressive as his piano skills. Amidon sang a second song, “Serious Dog,” that he wrote about a longtime canine companion who passed away two months ago. It was a jumping, jiving number with funky rhythmic underpinnings.
Colby sang “In The Evening,” a brokenhearted tale of lonely restless nights. Pianist David Moore chimed in with sweet tenderness coming from his keys before Colby and saxophone player Tim Hooker played cool, old school barroom blues colors and tones.
Eventually, the audience was introduced to, or reintroduced to, a sexy willowy redheaded wildflower lead vocalist named Kendal Bush, no relation to the former first family. Bush sang with a rangy belty approach on “Gimme One Reason” that showed she can move the lyrics rather than just follow them. She also reflected a strong rhythmic sense on Sam Cooke’s “That’s It. I Quit. I’m Moving On.” Bush’s best moments, though, came when she belted Candye Kane’s “White Trash Girl,” an assertive number that the band had to learn on the spot to accommodate her.Bush was hardly alone in creating her finer moments. Guitarist Scot Gibbs walked his lead guitar phrase around the block on “Gimme One Reason,” expanding the song, making it feel more open. Colby kept an organ line whirling around the groove, and the rhythm section of bassist Dave Guilmette and drummer Buddy Stewart slammed it home. Acoustic guitarist John Erlman played some seriously good stuff during Bush’s set too.
Erlman too gave one of the stronger vocal performances yesterday on “Unchain My Heart.” His husky, powerful voice was full of expression. Colby and Gibbs gave him able backing, helping to a layer a soulful groove under his voice.
Soon, Bush came back up to sing “Love Me Like A Man, a slow burner that showcased her hefty, husky drawl over tasty blues licks from Gibbs, seductive sax from Hooker, and lounge piano tinkling from Colby. Gibbs, it should be noted, made his guitar cry out the notes like tears of sorrow. It’s amazing how that guy can make his guitar sing what the song is feeling.
The next lineup featured guitarists-vocalists Jerry Ray Basnar and Brian Ducharme. The two, backed by Hooker on sax, Amidon on harmonica, David Moore on piano, and Colby on bass(can’t that boy decide what he wants to be when he grows up?), played “Down Home Blues,” “Big Boss Man,” and “Anything It Takes.” The guitars, lead and rhythm, were in fine form and they got that warm, thick backing sound from harmonica, sax, and keyboards. “Sweet Home Chicago” found Basnar applying his husky, raspy voice while Colby was, by that point, blowing saxophone(further proof that he’s fickle and cannot find his true calling).
Basnar sang “Sweet Home Alabama” in his more guttural voice, sounding serious and southern in tone. Papa added an additional guitar phrase to make a thicker mesh and Hooker, uniquely, added a soulful twist on saxophone. Bass player Ray Soucy too helped make this big beautiful familiar song come to three-dimensional life. Even at informal jams, “Sweet Home Alabama” continues, after all these years, to move people to sing along and feel that all too familiar longing for home. If all that ain’t enough to make you feel all warm and fuzzy about Basnar, he eventually played a big, badass Texas blue guitar phrase on Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “The Sky Is Crying.”
It was another fun Wantu Blues Jam, full of surprises, experimental twists, and a great vibe conjured by local blues musicians letting their talents loose. Having Colby as the featured artist was a stroke of brilliance. He brings numerous piano styling to a jam that doesn’t always have a keyboard player. He is also a multi-instrumentalist who can fill in on numerous instruments, giving other people a chance to sing and or also switch instruments. While some might jokingly tease Colby about his multi-instrumentalist preferences, saying that he can’t make up his mind what he wants to be when he grows up, he is actually more like a boy genius experimenting with his own rangy talents. A musician doesn’t have to be a person who only play a musical instrument. As most of us know, a musician is someone feels and thinks music and only needs to find any vehicle to put his or her soul across to whoever is listening.