On 'Lit Up,' Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots take you on a joyous aural journey from the back porches of the Georgia hills to the bayous of Louisiana with stopovers in the jazz clubs of New Orleans, the R&B clubs of Memphis & Chicago and juke joints throughout the world.
Steven Dees on bass, acoustic guitar, percussion (and writing credits on 11 of the 14 songs) and Billy Dean on drums are the rich soil from which Greg Gumpel's guitars and Wainwright's keys can blossom.
Also included in the Wildroots are Patricia Ann Dees on tenor sax and backing vocals and Ray Guiser on tenor sax and clarinet and they skillfully help set the different moods displayed throughout this gem. Greg Gumpel proves a New York boy can play the blues with his electric guitar and Resonator guitar-work throughout 'Lit Up.'
What you get from Victor Wainwright is ever single atom of his soul. With 'Lit Up,' Wainwright proves he deserves to be in the same sentence with the great blues-boogie piano players of today. Victor also shows the range of vocal-stylings he has mastered; leading juke joint call and repeats, channeling the great soul singers of all time and growling the blues.
'Lit Up' is going to take Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots straight up."
Vinny Bond Marini
www.musiconthecouch.com
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
RootsTime Reviews "Lit Up!"
In their new album, Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots mix an almost perfect amount of latent humor, vitality, untamed fun with some hints of sadness in between with songs like the sublime 'Our Last-Goodbye'. After their acclaimed debut, "Beale Street To The Bayou", you could already predict that we wouldn't have to wait too long for more because, music is obviously in their blood.
They've added a new drummer, Billy Dean, but the rest of the band remain an unchanged enthusiastic bunch with Greg Gumpel on resonator and electric guitar, and bassist/acoustic guitarist/percussionist Stephen Dees in the starring role of co-writer and producer. Patricia Ann Dees and Ray Guiser on tenor saxophones, were also incorporated into the WildRoots. Additional guest musicians add to their engaging "power-house Blues sound.
Victor's piano is the key, to what makes 'Lit Up' so special. Underneath those rolling piano keys we also hear a generous portion of New Orleans in the mix with the Blues and Memphis soul. The lyrics encompass breakup, agricultural, urban and philosophical themes. Cheerfulness is mixed with melancholy. From the swinging 'Little Ole' Shack's sinful pleasure, to the delightful and enchanting, "Weeds," with Ray Guiser's and Charlie DeChant's clarinet and saxcello, you think of depicting a harvest scene from Jean-Francois Millet.
You can hear influences of Hound Dog Taylor, Professor Longhair, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Perkins and - why not - Leon Redbone, and Randy Newman, in the last track the intimate "Let It Be The Same". In terms of a favorite, it is difficult to choose between 'Subliminal Criminal' and the irresistible 'Lit Up'. Or even the repentant "Pile Of Blues". In "Our Last Goodbye," he sings in a yearning aching voice in which the pain is still glowing with the guitar and seems to cry. Yet the pride of top place goes to "Dixie Highway" and not just because of the Resonator Guitar. It's like Wainwright's, soulful and authentic singing voice, just lingers in that kind of retro Delta/Mississippi blues history.
Boogie-woogie and soul alternate with each other and the dynamics are equal to anything recorded at Sun Records [Memphis], or St Cosimo Recording Studios [New Orleans]. This "Lit Up!" Album at the same time gives back atmosphere typical of the better barrelhouse establishments, where Big Mamacita's running the business, and the music guides are marked with four stars.
They've added a new drummer, Billy Dean, but the rest of the band remain an unchanged enthusiastic bunch with Greg Gumpel on resonator and electric guitar, and bassist/acoustic guitarist/percussionist Stephen Dees in the starring role of co-writer and producer. Patricia Ann Dees and Ray Guiser on tenor saxophones, were also incorporated into the WildRoots. Additional guest musicians add to their engaging "power-house Blues sound.
Victor's piano is the key, to what makes 'Lit Up' so special. Underneath those rolling piano keys we also hear a generous portion of New Orleans in the mix with the Blues and Memphis soul. The lyrics encompass breakup, agricultural, urban and philosophical themes. Cheerfulness is mixed with melancholy. From the swinging 'Little Ole' Shack's sinful pleasure, to the delightful and enchanting, "Weeds," with Ray Guiser's and Charlie DeChant's clarinet and saxcello, you think of depicting a harvest scene from Jean-Francois Millet.
You can hear influences of Hound Dog Taylor, Professor Longhair, Albert Ammons, Pinetop Perkins and - why not - Leon Redbone, and Randy Newman, in the last track the intimate "Let It Be The Same". In terms of a favorite, it is difficult to choose between 'Subliminal Criminal' and the irresistible 'Lit Up'. Or even the repentant "Pile Of Blues". In "Our Last Goodbye," he sings in a yearning aching voice in which the pain is still glowing with the guitar and seems to cry. Yet the pride of top place goes to "Dixie Highway" and not just because of the Resonator Guitar. It's like Wainwright's, soulful and authentic singing voice, just lingers in that kind of retro Delta/Mississippi blues history.
Boogie-woogie and soul alternate with each other and the dynamics are equal to anything recorded at Sun Records [Memphis], or St Cosimo Recording Studios [New Orleans]. This "Lit Up!" Album at the same time gives back atmosphere typical of the better barrelhouse establishments, where Big Mamacita's running the business, and the music guides are marked with four stars.
Marcie
WWW.ROOTSTIME.BE
"Lit Up!" Reviewed by the ToledoBlade
LIT UP Victor Wainwright & The WildRoots (WildRoots Records)
"Lit Up" will light up your senses with 14 original numbers and more than 53 minutes of powerful Memphis blues, heavy on the rock and soul. The sound and approach are both fresh throughout, featuring Wainwright playing some hot piano alongside an earnest, slightly gruff voice born to sing the blues.
The five core members of the band are tight, whether doing backup vocals or stretching their talents on bass, guitar, saxophones, and percussion. They get a boost on some tracks by guest musicians on sax, harmonica, organ, clarinet, trombone, and trumpet.
From the jump blues strains of the opening "Big Dog's Runnin' This Town" to the loping, soulful, clarinet-backed "Dixie Highway," the rocking beat of "Little Ole Shack," the mournful Delta strains of "Pile of Blues," among others, Wainwright and the crew offer something new and exciting in every number.
Wainwright wrote or co-wrote nine of these gems; producer/writer Stephen Dees gets creative credit on 12. These fellows make a great team when it comes to being innovative in a genre that too often sounds repetitive. "Lit Up" is a knockout album that runs the gamut of blues styles with no weaknesses.
-- KEN ROSENBAUM
Cascade Blues Association Reviews "Lit Up!"
Do you love blues and you want a CD that is going to satisfy your tastes in a variety of styles? Well let’s just say that your expectations will probably be met with this new recording from Victor Wainwright & The Wildroots. For Victor’s fourth release, he has explored several options and approaches; and they all work very nicely here, giving good reason to verify the thoughts of many who consider Wainwright to be one of the most promising young performers out there today.
A former Floridian now calling Memphis his home, Wainwright is a ferocious pianist with a voice that easily rises above a full band. He can boogie the house down or lead the pack in a Louis Jordan-inspired number with horns, or raise the hairs on your neck with a low-down blues. His versatility cannot be overlooked.
Fourteen tracks, all of them originals, most written by Wainwright, his bass player Stephen Dees, or a combination of the two. The song “Coin Operated Woman” was co-written with Wainwright’s longtime guitarist Greg Gumpel, and even old friend Billy C. Wirtz adds a hand in the writing of the song “Honky Tonk Heaven.” And I have to add that not a number on this disc lets down the musical quality and flow at any time; they’re all really terrific and performed by The Wildroots with outright perfection.
There is a lot to really like here. The song “Weeds” comes across as a Tom Waits number; “Little Ole’ Shack” has a Louis Jordan feel; “Big Dog’s Runnin’ This Town” is pure and simply a boogie piece that kicks a lot of fun and will have toes tappin’ in no time. “Dixie Highway” is an acoustic song that finds Gumpel on a resonator guitar and droning harmonica from guest Mark “Muddyharp” Hodgson; and it contains a gentle Delta flavored pace. The piano and horn interplay on “Subliminal Criminal” may sound a lot like something you’d hear from Dr. John, then act like a big band in the slow-churning “Walk Away My Blues” while Wainwright tickles the keys. But as much as they may remind you of others, this is all Victor Wainwright and his presence will hook you as well. Just give it a listen and pretty soon you’ll discover that you’ve stepped into a big pile of blues. You will be pleasantly thrilled with this one.
Total Time: 53:18
Big Dog’s Runnin’ This Town / Ting Tang Bang / Subliminal Criminal / Walk Away My Blues / Dixie Highway / Weeds / Little Ole’ Shack / Lit Up! / Our Last Goodbye / Don’t Doubt It ‘ce est bon’ / Coin Operated Woman / Pile Of Blues / Honky Tonk Heaven / Let It Be The Same
Reviewed by Greg Johnson
A former Floridian now calling Memphis his home, Wainwright is a ferocious pianist with a voice that easily rises above a full band. He can boogie the house down or lead the pack in a Louis Jordan-inspired number with horns, or raise the hairs on your neck with a low-down blues. His versatility cannot be overlooked.
Fourteen tracks, all of them originals, most written by Wainwright, his bass player Stephen Dees, or a combination of the two. The song “Coin Operated Woman” was co-written with Wainwright’s longtime guitarist Greg Gumpel, and even old friend Billy C. Wirtz adds a hand in the writing of the song “Honky Tonk Heaven.” And I have to add that not a number on this disc lets down the musical quality and flow at any time; they’re all really terrific and performed by The Wildroots with outright perfection.
There is a lot to really like here. The song “Weeds” comes across as a Tom Waits number; “Little Ole’ Shack” has a Louis Jordan feel; “Big Dog’s Runnin’ This Town” is pure and simply a boogie piece that kicks a lot of fun and will have toes tappin’ in no time. “Dixie Highway” is an acoustic song that finds Gumpel on a resonator guitar and droning harmonica from guest Mark “Muddyharp” Hodgson; and it contains a gentle Delta flavored pace. The piano and horn interplay on “Subliminal Criminal” may sound a lot like something you’d hear from Dr. John, then act like a big band in the slow-churning “Walk Away My Blues” while Wainwright tickles the keys. But as much as they may remind you of others, this is all Victor Wainwright and his presence will hook you as well. Just give it a listen and pretty soon you’ll discover that you’ve stepped into a big pile of blues. You will be pleasantly thrilled with this one.
Total Time: 53:18
Big Dog’s Runnin’ This Town / Ting Tang Bang / Subliminal Criminal / Walk Away My Blues / Dixie Highway / Weeds / Little Ole’ Shack / Lit Up! / Our Last Goodbye / Don’t Doubt It ‘ce est bon’ / Coin Operated Woman / Pile Of Blues / Honky Tonk Heaven / Let It Be The Same
Reviewed by Greg Johnson
FolkWorld Review of "Lit Up!"
The fourth and last album comes from singer and pianist Victor Wainwright and the Wild Roots. I liked his former album a lot,[41] and it’s like this amazing musician continues where the debut album ended. Wainwright amazes me again with an energetic mix of blues, rock, folk, jazz and so many other styles. Where the other two artists I wrote about in this review stay closer to the better known traditional ways of playing, Wainwright gives it full speed and creates, together with his fine band, a full and rich sound that makes me want to move my body and enjoy it with my eyes closed at the same time. You got to love this!
© Eelco Schilder
FolkWorld #45 07/2011
© Eelco Schilder
FolkWorld #45 07/2011
Review of "Lit Up!" by MuzikReviews.com
Look out blues fans! There's a new CD on the shelf of your local music store, and if you really consider yourself a fan of the blues then it needs to be on your shelf too. Lit Up! by Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots will light you up for sure. Each song is well written and executed, and reveals a remarkable variety of styles considering that all of the songs are so 'true blues'.
There is a little something special on nearly every track. The electric guitar on “Our Last Goodbye” screams out the blues as loud and clear as Wainwright's gritty vocals. It's as good a slow blues tune as you'll hear on a new recording this year, I'll wager. The piano work on the title track “Lit Up!” is a fantastic mix of boogie and blues, with lots of tasty licks. The dialogue between the guitar and harmonica on “Pile of Blues” comes across like the musical equivalent of two drinking buddies just laughing their backsides off while Wainwright sings out about his misfortune.
The blues have been around just as long as human misery. The themes are familiar to us all. That means it's hard to write and sing blues music that is fresh, while staying true to the roots of the tradition. Well, the WildRoots and Mr. Wainwright have the Memphis Blues sounding better that it has in a good little while, so don't miss out on it!
Key Tracks- Lit Up!, Our Last Goodbye, Pile Of Blues
Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 7th Marks the Day!!
June 7th, 2011 marks the official release of my new album "Lit Up!" The WildRoots and I are very proud of this album, and hope that all of you enjoy it. You can now go to www.wildrootsrecords.com to order a copy. Here are just a few reviews we've already received from notable critics.
Lit Up
American Blues News
(Memphis, Tennessee) One of the most talented musicians to come onto the Blues scene in the past few years is Victor Wainwright. His Lit Up CD does not disappoint if you like Blues and boogie-woogie piano matched to a big voice and well executed instrumentation. There are 14 songs on this CD and there is not a bad song on the CD...period. With so much mediocre music being released every year, it is delightfully refreshing to be able to wholeheartedly endorse a new CD. this CD is just terrific... bluesy and cool, well-recorded performances by a host of excellent musicians and full of original songs.
* * * * *
Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots - Lit Up!
The phrase "highly anticipated" can carry some dangerous baggage with it; there's a huge potential for a letdown, and on the overall, precious few albums live up to the moniker. Thankfully, Lit Up from Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots not only meets those expectations but exceeds them.
The follow-up to Wainwright's critical success "Beale Street to The Bayou" builds on all the good juju from that release and actually manages to improve on every level. From any aspect you care to view this disc - songwriting, recording quality, and of course performance - this disc is an absolute winner. For starters, there's no chance a blues fan can get bored with this disc. Stylistically, Lit Up exhibits an understanding of a wide range of blues, from the flat out boogie of the album-opening "Big Dog's Runnin' This Town," straight through the heart of New Orleans with "Subliminal Criminal;" from a fine and comfortable Delta country feel with "Dixie Highway," through a superbly aching slow blues with "Our Last Goodbye;" for all of it, Wainwright and Company (Stephen Dees, Greg Gumpel, Patricia Ann Dees, Billy Dean and Ray Guiser) show themselves as consummate wizened pros. Folks... this is seriously good blues!
Oh, and don't be shy about adding "stellar production values" to the list of this album's merits. Producer/Arranger Stephen Dees exhibits superb judgment and taste with every flourish on the disc. Horns are added where they sound fantastic - never for mere effect, and as with all other aspects of the album, never gratuitously. Solos are appropriate, tasteful and skillful, adding to the solidarity of the feel throughout this album of a very, very good band playing together, never against one another. Adding a final perfect touch to the disc, Wainwright plays a proper acoustic piano on the album's entirety; he makes his love for and extreme skill on the instrument exceedingly obvious from start to finish.
Picking a favorite track on this release might be akin to choosing your favorite gem from a perfect necklace... but if my feet were held to the fire, I might go with "Walk Away My Blues." A medium-to-slow aching blues, it gives Wainwright a chance to shine in his two most accomplished arenas; his vocals (which never get enough credit in my book) are pleading and aching, and his piano playing on this track is a microcosm of the entire album; brilliantly presented, never flash for the sake of flash but in possession of every necessary chop in the book... and then some. The horns on this track again add so much to the presentation, lending something between a big band feel and the ambiance of a smokey back-room strip joint. The whole track just blows me away.
In fact, and I'm sure it's obvious by now, the whole album blows me away. Perhaps the simplest and most effective way I can say it is this... I've been living in Memphis for over three years now. I love the city, love the music and the musicians here and I do what I can to bathe myself in as much of our city's music as I can. To these ears, Lit Up is by far the finest recording I've heard from Memphis in my entire time here. Victor Wainwright and the WildRoots have done themselves, Memphis and all of the blues world very proud.
Silver Michaels
_________________________________________________________________________
(Memphis, Tennessee) One of the most talented musicians to come onto the Blues scene in the past few years is Victor Wainwright. His Lit Up CD does not disappoint if you like Blues and boogie-woogie piano matched to a big voice and well executed instrumentation. There are 14 songs on this CD and there is not a bad song on the CD...period. With so much mediocre music being released every year, it is delightfully refreshing to be able to wholeheartedly endorse a new CD. this CD is just terrific... bluesy and cool, well-recorded performances by a host of excellent musicians and full of original songs.
This release is yet another collaboration with Victor's longtime partner Stephen Dees and it delivers a slew of well-written original songs full of interesting and entertaining lyrics along with some great performances from a bigger lineup of talented players. Stephen also plays bass, acoustic guitar and some percussion on this record. Victor has added some good horn arrangements this time around and the effect is legit, foot-stomping Blues music. This is Victor Wainwright's 4th release and the Wildroots second official release.
Victor Wainwright and the Wild Roots come out of the chute with a rollicking jump Blues, "Big Dog's Running this Town." The CD never gets repetitive as Victor and the boys tour the listener through a vast array of Blues styles, from world class boogie woogie, to a Django-esque minor chord based "Weeds" replete with Victor's vocal which occasionally smacks of Louis Armstrong, then departing to "Little Ole Shack which hearkens back to Louis Jordan with it's group vocals and cool horn section. The title track, "Lit Up" adds some harmonica to the mix, Mark "Muddyharp" Hodgson providing the tracks. This CD indeed expands the usual palette of musical flavors and it is a welcome addition to see Victor and company spread their wings. Also welcome is the addition of the author's "musical grandson", Chris Stephenson, on Hammond B-3 on Stephen Dees' Blues ballad "Our Last Goodbye." This song also features some ripping electric guitar which sounds like the work of the most accomplished Greg Gumpel who also contributes some tasty resonator guitar to the CD on the tunes "Dixie Highway" and the all acoustic "Pile of Blues." Greg is Victor's best friend and has traveled many miles of road with the singing piano-playing bluesman.
The use of a great sounding Samick acoustic piano throughout the recording adds to the legitimacy of this recording's old school sound. The recording is well organized and sophisticated and maintains good sonic values from beginning to end without ever coming off as too slick...this is straight-up Blues of the first order. The record would be worth buying for just the jump Blues and boogie woogie alone, but it delivers the goods again and again with superb tips of the porkpie to many Blues styles. This is an entertaining listen from top to bottom and rates 5 stars. If you like the Blues, you should check out this musical offering and hear the future of the Blues for yourself. Victor and the Wildroots have captured the best of the old and infuse it with the energy of youth without sacrificing anything along the trip.
Not only is Victor an accomplished musician and one of the hardest working players that I have countenanced, but he is also a beautiful, kind, human being, sensitive and generous to a fault. This comes out in his music as you can almost see Victor smiling while delivering lyrics and shouting in his trademarked style. Touring constantly and working in situations that require lots of hard travel has not diluted the impact of this man and his band. Along his long road he has played with some of the finest players in the music business and even played loads of shows with the talented and extremely humorous Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, who contributed to the writing of "Honky Tonk Heaven." Victor has a great career ahead of him. He naturally possesses a unique delivery and does not have to imitate or copy anyone else. Moreover, he is always entertaining and madly talented. You will never see Victor play a room and not go over with the crowd in a big way.
Do yourself a favor and buy a copy of this CD here:
RCT Copyright, Robert "Nighthawk" Tooms, 2011
http://www.ameriblues.com/2011/05/16/victor-wainwright-and-the-wild-roots-new-lit-up-cd/
http://www.ameriblues.com/2011/05/16/victor-wainwright-and-the-wild-roots-new-lit-up-cd/
________________________________________________________________________
VICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE WILDROOTS
LIT UP!
WILD ROOTS RECORDS CD 2011
One of the more pleasant surprises on the blues scene not too long ago was the debut release from Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots, entitled "Beale Street To The Bayou," with its infectious rhythms accentuated by the piano and vocal of Victor. He's back in full stride with his latest set, "Lit Up!," which features more of the strong songwriting and general good-time vibe of the debut. On this set, tho, Victor delves into some sweet, Delta-flavored acoustic numbers that make this one a spicy gumbo, indeed!
Victor again is joined by producer-bassist-co-writer Stephen Dees, and they make "Lit Up!" a shot of pure dynamite! The title cut uses a hot horn section to augment Victor's tale of bein' "Lit Up" in love! The rollicking leadoff cut lets you know right away that the "little dogs" need to step aside, cuz' the "Big Dog's Runnin' This Town!" "Subliminal Criminal" combines some cleverly-rhyming lyrics with a piano style reminiscent of Professor Longhair. "Dixie Highway' features a cool Resonator guitar lead from Greg Gumpel and harp from Mark Hodgson to spice up this tale of "giving thanks for making a living" playin' the blues. Victor then uses farm life as a metaphor for life in general, for "without hard work, nothin' grows but Weeds."
We had three favorites, too. Victor laments the fact that he has a "Coin Operated Woman" who not only took all his money, but who's now "tryin' to swipe some of these 88 keys!" On the jumpin' "Little Ole Shack up on the hill," you can find just about any vice you'd care for, from rollin' dice to a "cherry pie sittin' on a window sill!" And, Victor uses another acoustic setting to convey the sadly-humorous tale of a man who imbibed a bit too much, "tripped over the Twelve Steps, and stepped in a big Pile Of Blues!!"
Victor Wainwright and the Wildroots will make you smile, make you dance, and make you a convert to good, ole-fashioned piano-fied blues, and will get you "Lit Up!" in the process!!! Until next time....Sheryl and Don Crow
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)