While I don't agree with, apparently, a whole lot of people concerning the multi-award-winning vocal style of Mark Dufresne, especially when it takes on that whiny, ball-crushing edge I found so distracting, he is credited with songwriting collaborations on two of the more appealing tracks on the CD - "Blues Attitude" and "Real Gone Love" (with Eric Wilcox and Dr. Isaacson on drums and percussion on the latter track).
There is certainly no doubt that Billy Stapleton is as equally talented in his songwriting abilities as he is when playing electric, steel and slide guitar, particularly on "Got to be a Love", "No One Leads the Blind" and "Mack Attack", on which he plays a 1958 Flying V through a Magnatone. He has also amassed a knock-out team with Eric Manigold on drums, Kevin Fallon and Jimmy Thomas on alternating Fender bass, Mark Ross on piano and Hammond B3 organ, Dewey Marley on baritone sax, Mike Edwards on tenor sax and Jerry Warden and Ernie Langone on trumpet. Other contributors to the CD include Brad Thomas (Hammond organ), Bobby Vega and Kelly Leifer (Fender bass). The back-up vocals were arranged by Lucia Francine Wiggins, who also sings on the CD, along with Carole Crowder, Cheryl Smith, Jacquie Berg and Crystal Whitney. Dewey Marler did the horn charts for the tracks.
My personal favourite tracks on the CD were the instrumental ditty "Turkey in the Mayonnaise" (a collaboration among Billy Stapleton, Bobby Vega and Michael Lindner) and "Build Me Up" (co-written, like "Love of My Life", by Billy Stapleton and Lenny Laks).
Mark's vocals and the compositions themselves were at times highly reminiscent of Robert Cray (but in a slightly higher pitch), and I would love to compare versions of these songs covered by Robert, both vocally and instrumentally.
The only track on which Mr. Stapleton has no songwriting credit is the classic "Steppin' Out" (attributed variously to James Bracken, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Calvin Frazier), but Billy nevertheless reinvents this jamming masterpiece with Mark Ross on B3, Allan Isaacson on drums, Kelly Leifer on bass, and the brass section of Dewey, Mike, Jerry and Ernie - very well done!
It's always nice to see acknowledgements being offered and this CD is no exception. It is dedicated to Billy's friend, Leo Maliarias, his parents, Jerry and Dorothy, and his wife, Roni, and his gratitude is extended to a great many people, including two fellow Washington guitarists whose wonderful music I'm familiar with - Henry Cooper and John Stephan. |
