Reckless Steamy Nights Concert Series
At the Woman’s Club of Red Bank
It has been much too long since Deb Callahan and her band have played our neck of the woods. After a stormy afternoon, a beautiful evening provided a great backdrop for some Philly blues with Deb and her band providing two great sets of original music with a couple of well-chosen covers. First, a big thanks to JSJBF board member John Dammacco for providing his excellent sound system and with the lighting provided by Michael and Jim Murphy, they provided the perfect complement to the intimate setting that is the Anthony Reckless estate.
The night began with the slow blues “Ooh ee baby” and was highlighted by Deb’s impassioned vocals, aided by a languid solo crafted beautifully by guitarist Allen James. Things later picked up with the funky “I Keep Things Running” where the rhythm section of Garry Lee on bass and Tom Walling on drums provided the heartbeat that showcased Deb’s writing skills and the band’s ensemble playing. “Seven States Away” was written after a trip to play one of the last authentic Juke Joints in the southeast, the Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee, Florida. The title refers to the distance in states from Florida to Philly. Having been there, I knew exactly what she was singing about, and the audience could certainly get the vibe. The band previewed two new songs this evening, the first, “Rogue,” was inspired by a gig at the Cat’s Eye Pub in Baltimore. The first set ended with the NOLA funk of “I Been Hoodooded,” which included a nod to “Congo Square” and had the room rocking.
The second set started off with a rollicking version of Ray Charles’ “What’d I Say” with the room joining in on the call and response. “Credit Card Blues” again featured Allen doing a great solo over Deb’s soulful vocals on a song we can all relate to. “Way Down in the Hole” was another New Orleans style number that Deb said was inspired by the Meters. They dialed it back a bit for Deb’s powerful vocals on “Slow as Molasses” with her voice sounding as “sweet as honey.” “Just What the Doctor Ordered” was another new tune which sounded like it was definitely ready to be recorded. The song “Carry Me” featured some interesting drum patterns from Tom Walling, and the closer, “Hip Shake,” left the audience wanting more. We did get them to do an encore, and what a finale it was, a beautiful rendition of John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” that did Bonnie Raitt’s version proud.
It was another great evening of music that would have played well from any stage. Please join us next month when Jazz singer Sandy Sasso and her band will highlight our scholarship awards presentation night.
The Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation featured the music of Deb Callahan on Friday, May 27th at Reckless Steamy Nights, a monthly concert series at the Woman’s Club of Red Bank!
Time: 8:00 – 10:00
Admission: $20 goes towards this year’s Scholarships
Address: 164 Broad St., Red Bank, NJ 07701
For more information call: 732-933-1984
BYOB, Water and some snacks are available