Reviews | steviezeepage

Wail Review by Larry Toering Stevie Zee is one amazing singing, songwriting and guitar playing talent, and this set of songs showcases his skills and lays it all out on the table with a fearless performance. This is the kind of thing you don’t buy and listen to a few times and shelf for a rainy day. It’s massively infectious and even mood friendly. He really is some kind of master who swings between blues, rock, funk and a bit of pop flair and a slight southern feel as well. I was introduced to this fine artist through John Gregos, a local record sales pioneer and general music man who was happy to pass his friend in my direction and it has stayed with me for years. There will be more to come at MSJ from this great virtuoso, this is just a look at an older release from 1995 which has been more recently re-issued. There is not one bad track on Wail, to my ears, and it just gets better every time I hear it.

Track by Track Review

The Light

A shuffle to start things properly, this is awesome. There’s no messing around as things get instantly sizzling hot. The vocals are excellent with some fantastic sonic quality, and that is the absolute topper of this guitar master’s skills. This is just killer!

Guitar Man

This starts with some guitar and vocal scat and right away to garner some attention. The “Guitar Man: is one hot brother, and by now one hears how well the sound is actually mixed and how it makes Zee shine. The back to back solos with a bit of that scat between them really adds just the right classy touch. This is more great stuff.

Burned

Getting hotter seems to be the idea, and a good one it is. This is right up my alley, and at this point the whole band is just beating down the door with sheer amazement. I love this, that is all there is to it. Everyone is cooking like madmen on yet another storming number.

Wail

The title doesn’t mislead, it’s off the guitar charts with equal vocal passion to top it off. Zee proves here just how magnificent he really is, and this contains some of the most insane guitar work to be found on this great collection of hot material. He just soars here like no other, with a super raunchy vibe of the barbeque variety. It has some killer blues shouting, or wailing as it appears, on both counts, backed by equal parts of greatness by all.

Mesmerise

This is a snappy funky tune with a very kicking groove, and a perfect change up in the tempo, as things turn out to be fantastically arranged. There is actually some pure funk going on here, with a killer slapping bass line and some outrageous guitar-ing. Once again it would be awfully hard for any good music lover not to like this, with a rhyming vocal that instantly grows on you. "Mesmerizing" is putting it rather mildly, as Zee and company proceed to do some paint removal with this one.

My Little Girl

There is a really lovely intro to this before it gets mildly rocking in a very Doobies way, losing no blues, just rocking a bit more. This is a quality contemporary blues rock number with a fair amount of country going for it to be honest, and it suits them very well. It’s just so easy to relate to and enjoy, from the first time you hear it. What a sweet tune this is.My Little Girl

Dark Eyes

A slow blues with an acoustic motif begins and from there it goes into this instrumental ballad. It’s just a perfect time to slow it down, as this really is one piece of beautiful music, and I’m not sold that easily, but this whole recording is first class.

Hi-Tail Woman

This one is a more traditional bar number with a saloon feel to it on the piano. It includes some hot slide guitar, and once again this is an impressive jamming romp.

Hard

Another very funky one with a wah wah solo, this is a freaky one, indeed. The funk sounds good on Zee, and I find it to be one of his best approaches. They all really do get down on these type cuts.

Roller Coaster

This is another great shuffle with some lightning fast licks. It’s another fine instrumental with just a mutter or two here and there from Zee, adding just the right touch. Rockabilly could easily be thought of here, among other ways to describe what’s going on. It is hot hot hot!

Cold Turkey

Traditional blues takes over in the shape of another finely crafted tune and tight performance. That’s all that’s needed to help get the humorous point across, and still mean business. The singing here is a lot of fun as well. Good heaven above, this is great!

Body Count

Big guitar grooves are all over this one. Zee moves in and out of a great slide mode he moves in with finesse and style. This is another killer song. What a vibe this has!

Crazy Train

This is another awesome one with a super-sonic touch, which gets a second appearance concerning cool effects, which pop up in just the right spaces.

Caballero Review by Larry Toering

This is what you would call one long awaited follow up, as the incomparable Stevie Zee went from his debut Wail in 1995, (although later reissued with a different sleeve) until into the twenty first century, before recording this equally fine follow up. Once again he recorded a world class set of high energy, contemporary rocking blues arrangements that stay onrepeat all night. Recorded in Spain, this time the band consists of Zee himself on guitar and vocals, along with Luca Frasca on Hammond organ and piano, Moises Sanchez on piano, Naco Goñi on harmonica, Phil Grijuela on backing vocals, Paco Benitez on bass and Antonio Jurado on drums and percussion. All turn in outstanding performances on the great Caballero. I'm so glad I've been given to opportunity to enjoy and help expose such an artist, as they simply don't get any better.

Track by Track Review

The Sky Is Crying It's kind of hard not to compare this to the popular Stevie Ray Vaughn rendition. Of course, Zee calls to mind the spirit of SRV even without this connection. It's not just the blues factor either, it's an overall similar approach they have. It's just right up Zee's alley to record such a number, and he cooks as usual here. It's really the perfect cover zone for him. His playing is off the charts already, but there is so much more to go.

Highway 61 This is a delightful treat to say the least. This has a radio microphone effect, so the vocals add an interesting take on the Sunnyland Slim classic. It is simply fantastic in every way.

Bright Lights Big City Another tune I've always had a soft spot for, this version is akin to the original without direct copying. Zee gets down to the real nitty gritty here and then some, and he's surrounded by more harp, along with some great organ work to spice it up. The slide work at this point can't be ignored, and it's just a blast of a version.

Painted Angel (Stevie Zee)This is one of three numbers penned by Zee himself, and it's a masterstroke! There is just no denying this man's gift. What a fine number this is. Of course he keeps one foot in the blues, but this has so many other qualities that it's just crazy. I count this as one of his coolest compositions. It's a sheer thing of beauty. And I must not fail to mention the entire band cooks on this as much as anywhere on both Zee CDs. This rivals his best recorded work.

Red House A song like this can be so forgiving to anyone who has a crack at it, but it tends to be tougher to transform into something all your own. Zee manages the task. He goes from hot to cold and back again with ease, at one point getting so quiet you can feel the spirit. Still, it doesn't break out until he pulls out a solo of his best variety. I love how he playfully skats over himself throughout this fabulous rendition, complete with some fine Hammond and harp blowing to boot.

T-Bone Shuffle An album of such standards wouldn't be complete without some T-Bone Walker, and this just kicks. It comes complete with some fine intricate playing from Zee and some fantastic organ fills. Everything moves freely along as they blend exceptionally well, before a brief harp, guitar and organ shuffle builds and they take it down the last stretch. This is another example of the song choices helping, but it's really the red hot band that drives these vehicles.

Can You See The Light This is another bold choice for a cover, as it's impossible to go wrong with Jeff Healey when you're good enough to take him on. Like with SRV, he nails it just right and stamps the Zee signature upon it. As I listen to this I have visions of watching Healey burn through this, it's that respectfully covered. There’s a great bass solo and overall mid-section breakdown. Everybody gets a chance to play off one another by the time it's over, and Zee is all over the arrangement in the process. There’s some amazing improvisation and guitar meets keyboards interplay.

If You Love Me This is a Little Johnny Taylor tune that sees the band stretching out quite a bit and Zee displaying some ultra fine leads. In addition, Phil Grijuela provides spot on backing vocals. The piano parts are all on target as well, as they perfectly accompany the arrangement.

Stone Cold Valentine Speaking of improvising, this is another Zee number, although it's a collaboration with N. Garcia, who isn't included on the disc. This is another smoking hot number where Zee purely sizzles on guitar throughout. There is no lack of consistency on this record. As things wind down there proves to be no room for anything but an even keel.

Sorry Some Day At the end of the day, Mr. Zee still wants to play. And play like a man possessed he does on this final tune penned by the man of cool himself. All I want to do when I hear him play, is keep hearing him play. He's just so musically right in a world of major uncertainty.