THE INSOMNIACS "AT LEAST I'M NOT WITH YOU" Source: Vintage Guitar Date: 06/2009 Writer: RA

Do these boys have what it takes to make genuine blues? With the high stepping “Broke and Lonely” and Little Richard’s “Directly From My Heart To You” among this sophomore release’s many strong points, the answer is firmly affirmative.

Guitarist/singer/songwriter Vyasa Dodson has a voice a little like Peter Wolf and a little like Dr. John (“Maybe Sometime Later,” “Hoodoo Man Blues”), and he gets his point across. What he can really do is play guitar with obvious Albert and Freddie King influences, as well as Otis Rush and Freddie Green. Dodson says the veil came off when he moved beyond Clapton and Stevie Ray to their heroes – Charlie Christian, Tiny Grimes (Art Tatum) – and started taking cues from the jump blues of Little Charlie Baty and his Nightcaps and others. That’s “jump” as in Count Basie’s “One O’ Clock Jump” an archetype of the Kansas City blues style. Contemporary bands who flirt with it often sound like novelty acts more interested in cool threads and affecting jazzbo personae.

The Insomniacs’ influences are upfront, but they play with unabashed respect and chops that distinguish between emulation and derivation.