JACKIE PAYNE STEVE EDMONSON BAND "OVERNIGHT SENSATION" Source: MUSIC CITY BLUES Date: 06/2008 Writer: Dan Crow

The title of this CD is clever, indeed, for the "Overnight Sensation" of the Jackie Payne\Steve Edmonson Band has been some four decades in the making.  And, on this, their sophomore release for the Delta Groove label, they continue to bring the funk, blues and soul that made their debut CD, "Master Of The Game," a 2007 Blues Award nominee.

     Jackie Payne got the blues bug as a young man in Houston, immersing himself in the sounds of Gatemouth Brown, T-Bone Walker, and Albert Collins, to name a few.  Steve Edmonson was literally born into the blues.  His father, Travis, was a traveling folk artist from the Sixties, one-half of the Bud and Travis duo.  This exposed young Steve to the likes of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Josh White.  Their musical paths crossed as members of San Fran's premier R & B group The Dynatones, and decided to start a band of their own to play the music they loved.  It's an infusion of delta and Chicago blues with some old-school soul thrown into the mix that owes as much to Stax and Hi Records as it does to the Chess catalog.  Jackie's got that soulful growl and shout down pat, as one can hear in the classic "kiss-off" song, "Your Good Thing Is About To Come To An End."  His gospel roots show, too, on the passionate set-closer, "Feel like Going Home."  Steve's funky guitar lines complement the horn section on the tale of a man who's so in love that all he can think of is "Can I Hit It Again?"  Carl Green and Lech Wierzynski get off cool sax and trumpet solos, too, during the break.  A topic on every man's mind during these troubled economic times is the theme of "No Money, No Honey."  Steve's searing slow-blues guitar leads the way in a smokin' tale of a "threesome" that just ain't gonna work, "Mother-In-Law Blues!!" 

     We had two favorites, too.  The leadoff title cut is autobiographical for Jackie, and is full of the fire and funk the fellows are noted for, while Jackie namedrops all his mentors and idols.  Labelmate Mitch Kashmar adds some sweet harp to Jackie's ode to the Windy City and the most "straight-ahead blues" cut on the set, "I Got A Mind To Go To Chicago." 

   Jackie Payne is one of the best "old-school soul" shouters on the scene today, and Steve Edmonson can wail blues guitar with the best of 'em.  Put them together, and you have a dynamite combination, and "Overnight Sensation" is a fun listen, for sure!!!   Until next time....Sheryl and don Crow.