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LOOK SHARP, PLAY SHARP- In a Blues world loaded with so many fantastic guitarists and
harmonica players as front men in bands, it was so refreshing
to the soul to see my long time friend, who is one of the very
few great keyboard players anywhere, multi music award winner
Kenny 'Blues Boss’ Wayne thrill the crowd with his
mastery of the instrument at the Silver Dollar Room on
Saturday night, November 29th. Originally from Spokane,
Washington USA then raised in San Francisco Kenny 'Blues
Boss' Wayne (a.k.a. Kenneth Wayne
Spruell) now resides in Vancouver B.C. His own modern
style of piano Blues and boogie woogie, he admits with pride,
was influenced by some of the traditional legends of New
Orleans like Fats Domino and Professor Longhair and
from other great Blues artists like Amos Milburn,
Jay McShann, Pete Johnson and
Charles Brown. |
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If that ZZ Top
hit “Sharp Dressed Man” was meant to describe anyone, it’s Kenny.
Even the famous Don Cherry can’t compete. In a wardrobe
of a wide lapel double-breasted red jacket, black suspender held
double pleated black pants, black and white two tone shoes, a
multi-coloured silver sparkled shirt that glistened in the
spotlights and it was all topped off with a jet black fedora. Yes, a
man after my own heart, he is the best dressed man in the Blues.
It’s one thing to look sharp but in Kenny’s case I know he feels
sharp and it definitely makes him play sharp. Whenever Kenny is in
our area he is always backed at his gigs by of the finest and
tightest bands around, Pikaba - social shopping The Maureen Brown Band, with Maureen
on drums, Mike 'Pepe' Francis, on guitar, John Dymond,
on bass, all adding the right rhythm to support Kenny’s tranquil and
historically influenced vocals and those hands that glide across the
88’s like precession lightning.
Maureen’s band opened up both sets with her singing a few of her
favourite tunes, 'Let’s Go Jumpin’', 'C.C. Rider”'and
'Can You Stand It' and then they turned over the stage to the
'Blues Boss' to let him roll. He pounded out and sang some
hot R&B and Blues from his latest CD on Electro-Fi Records
titled '88th & Jump Street' including his original
compositions 'My Nadine', 'Laughing Stock' and
obviously a crowd favourite 'Whiskey Heaven', which brought
forth a glass of whiskey from the thrilled crowd. He also did a
version of the classic Fat’s tune 'Josephine' to stir and
delight the audience that were getting more excited with every song
he performed. Even when there was a small technical problem with the
sound, a low squeal, with a smile on his face he took it all in
stride with his humour coming through, telling everyone that it was
just another member of the band and then touching the black and
whites again he rocked into another number. Kenny has been working
on a new CD for Electro-Fi Records and part of the recording
will be done here in Toronto at Alec Fraser’s Liquid studio.
The release date is scheduled for the summer of 2004. Get
ready for it as it will be enhanced with some incredible talent like
Wil Crosby and Jeff Healey on guitars, Russell
Jackson on bass, Dave 'Hurricane' Hoerl on
harmonica, Pat Carey on saxophone and Cousin Henry Avery
on drums. What an enjoyable night it was of Blues and
boogie-woogie from our own internationally known talent Kenny
'Blues Boss' Wayne. He will be back, that’s one thing you can
guarantee. If you weren’t there on Saturday keep your eyes and ears
open for his return very soon and it will be a night you will not
want to miss or ever forget. Yes, you can still give me all those
guitars, harmonicas and singers, but those piano Blues sure know how
to soothe the Blues in my heart.
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Eddy B -above photo taken by Eddy B -November 29, 2003
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