Richard Lee Wendel: Press/Reviews

Superb!
Wow-great song, through and through. Unmistakingly one of the best jazz pieces I've heard on this site. Congrats. Lead vocalist is fabulous-great tone, strong dynamic, expressive, articulate voice.

There has obviously been a great deal of work on this piece, as exemplified in the tremendous arrangement.

Overall excellent. Great song, great mood established, superb performance, wonderful production.
Reviewed by: MoodIndigoJazz from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

Yeaa!!
This live recording starts off with an enjoyable bass guitar solo while the crowd is heard in the background having a good time yelling and hand-clapping their support. Then, just when you think all the instruments have joined in by the 2 1/2 minute mark, an ultra-soothing trumpet accompanies the band. Soon followed by an unexpected but strong female vocalist, the song is well under way and jammin! Very nice beginning build up, fellas! Continuing on it's clear that every musician is pulling their own weight - it all sounds great; very competent and non-amateur. Quick yet full bass hits fill the low end while the horns fill up the top end. Nice reverb type of effect on that trumpet around the 7 minute mark. The electric guitar(?) is next to get some shine. Then it's drum time! Real solid solo drumming for what seems to be a few minutes. Great job utilising all the members! The jam session is then rounded off by bringing everyone back full circle into the track (vocalist included). I don't have a single complaint about this song. It's damn good!
Reviewed by: FullDuplexMusic from Chicago, Illinois

You must check this band out!
Everyone should check this track out. The long bass solo intro shows off this players superb chops. Sounds like a live recording at a gig. I like the synth/keys work on this track. The trumpet solo has a lot of effects on it - almost thought it was a synth guitar a la Metheny at first. Good trumpet solo, good vocalist, good rhytm and percussion -- all in all, very good musicianship and a very grooving band. It's a long track but worth the time. You heard a lot of this kind of stuff back in the 70's -- I love it!
Reviewed by: tpt1 from New York City, New York

Hi Richard,

Great show last night, totally off the hook, 2 drummers really blew my mind. Every time I see Guy I appreaciate him more and more, he has hang and timing paterns that are very different, he also uses the cymbals as an instrument not just as "punctuation", he really is a extreamly funky drummer! 2 Guitars... The rest of the band super as always, Tanya is a mind blower, she lets it just flow in all styles, on hitters and ballards. The new Bass player was super too.

I love the way you started the set with the Bass player just jammin to the turntable then one by one everybody walked on and joined in the jam. I have seen this before (Eddie Harris 1970's) many years ago and its still a sweet move.

Most importantantly you looked GREAT, and more importantantly I'm happy your healthy and going to me around for a long time! After my divorce, I want to loose weight and get healthy too so I won't feel & look so old at the gigs I go to.

I will unload the camera this weekend if I can and start looking for good images for you.

Also I ran into little Luca the guitar player from Blue Number Nine. He's leaving them and looking for more work as well as my friend Stefanie at Blue Number Nine is looking for a new replacement guitar player if you know of any. Her band is on the road all summer doing outdoor venues etc. I meet here when she opened for Average White Band here in Stamford at the outdoor Summer Series. She's great people!

As always... Keep on Funkin!

Mercy please!!
Wow, what a great sounding jazz funk tune. The trumpet playing is smoking. It's got a terrific opening with just trumpet playing some cool bebop licks with I think some kind of harmonizer effect on it. Then the vocals come in with a bang and the song really takes off. The vocals are powerful and soulful and I love the "Flintstones" vamp in the lyrics. The vocal vamp sets up an absolutely feroucious organ solo with lots of punchy horn riffs spicing up the mix. There is a very adventorous approach to the arrangement that adds intensity and energy to every beat. The musicianship is excellent and all the keyboard solos soar. Man the drum solo is kickin and doesn't let up on energy. I love the break when the band gives the drummer some lovin. This song is so much fun to listen to. The funky rhtymn guitar sets up a briilliant red hot guitar solo that takes the tune even higher which I didn't think was possible. This song hits the listener like a ton of funky bricks and doesn't let up from beginning to end. The excitement and energy here is absolutely incredible. Oh please stop! It's all too much! Mercy please!!
Reviewed by: duaneanz from New York

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