God bless those hipster jive cats Roomful of Blues, but contrary to what some trendy mindsets may think, they don’t have a monopoly on swing/jump blues. Though George Whitesell may not as famous as his Beantown contemporaries, from the sounds of it, he has a pretty fair franchise out Rocky Mountain way. Most of this record is a real shack shaker-zippity-split tempos, boppin’, honkin’ saxes and rompin’ keyboards with several songs recalling the ghost of Big Joe turner. On three numbers, legendary blues guitarist/guest Bob Margolin adds a little gas to an already stoked fire with some greasy, raw riffs. As a vocalist, Whitesell not only sounds gritty and rightfully out of his mind, he also draws the listener into various story lines like “ I Wonder in Whose Arms” that make the listener wonder if the overly smug protagonist has really moved on. While co-vocalist Jill Watkins’ calling card is in her natural hair-parting pipes, her versatility shines best on the sultry “Why Don’t You Do Right.” 
Here, she starts off uncharacteristically soft, tosses in a little chilly vibrato and gradually builds to a stunning anxiety-ridden finish. The song selection is clever, not just another rehash of standards and overly familiar covers but stuff that’s a little more under the floorboards. Overall, cool stuff.
Dan Wilging
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George Whitesell has been a mainstay on the Colorado Blues scene for quite some time. His dedication to the blues as a musical art form has been reflected in both performance and recordings. “All Stars” is appropriate as George has assembled a stellar lineup of musicians. “Skat” reflects a true professionalism on the part of all the musicians involved in this project and it rivals nationally released material. The band presents a fully rounded sound throughout the entire recording. It is very apparent that these artists not only know how to play but have a solid feeling for the way Blues should be played—with feeling! Whitesell provides some great guitar work and handles some of the vocals. A powerful horn section of two tenors and a baritone sax help by delivering well-rounded drive and punch missing on many contemporary recordings. John Stilwagen is a great keyboard player showing great perfection as an artist. A solid bottom end is prevalent throughout as well, and Jill Watkins’ prowess as a vocalist is exceptional—she truly is a diva, showing that she really knows how to sing Blues. She brings new vision to her performance on these recordings.
Ken Saydak—musician, writer, singer and producer—has been a major part of the Chicago Blues scene for years, having worked with such notables as Lonnie Brooks and Johnny Winter as well as many other notable Blues Musicians. Ken was brought in as producer for the project. Saydak also has his own fine releases as an artist. His experience and understanding of the way the Blues should be played and heard---along with Whitesell and the band’s vision---help take this recording to a higher plateau. Saydak also sat down at the piano for a guest spot on one track. Guest artist Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin also lends his guitar prowess on three tracks.

The songs performed on this fine recording are all covers of well know (and not so well known) material originally recorded by some top-notch Blues and R&B artists. This in no way means the band is imitating the original recordings. Rather, they present fresh, new and exciting arrangements with a unique approach to already existing songs.

“Skat” is well layered and features exemplary musicianship and extremely high production content: Whitesell and his group can put a feather in their caps for this one. 

a five star recording. These recordings show that Blues, swing and R&B can still be presented in an authentic and exciting way and are not dead or vague covers like so many of the releases that turn up these days. The overall professionalism on this release definitely make it a fine recording and one that can be listened to and enjoyed for a very long time. Whitesell and his group can put a feather in their caps for this one.

Holler
Colorado Blues Society
Brian Elliott
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Colorado’s George Whitesell & His All Stars Featuring Jill Watkins turn a jump blues configuration to good advantage --- especially on the smoking title track to Skat (Circle 504 Records  0701) --- balancing Whitesell’s guitar with frequent solo’s from saxists Brad Eastin, Kenny Johnston, and Chris Wojtecki, and rounding out the sound with John Stilwagen’s strong piano. Covering “Fannie Mae” and drawing on lesser-known tunes from the likes of Little Richard was a smart move. Whitesell is no match for Big Joe turner on three covers from his catalog, but Watkins acquits herself admirably on “Fever”, “Why Don’t you Do Right?” and “Tell Mama”. Bob Margolin contributes wonderfully wobbly slide guitar to Sugar Pie Desanto’s “I Want To Know”.
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Get ready for the most accomplished horn-dominated jump blues/R&B band on the Colorado blues scene, as 60-year old George Whitesell & His All Stars featuring Jill Watkins take you back to those glorious days of the traveling rhythm and blues circuit tours that were all the rage in the late‘40s and early‘50s. This is R&B-influenced jump and party blues of the highest order, as Whitesell (weaned on the likes of Big Joe Turner, Little Richard, Roy Brown, Johnny Otis, Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson and others) put together this ensemble of Colorado’s finest blues and jazz musicians including, Chris Wojtecki on Bari, Kenny Johnston and Brad Eastin on Tenor sax, Dave Deason on drums, Santi Guarnera on bass and jumpin' John Stillwagen handling the keys. Produced by well-known Chicago Blues pianist Ken Saydak, Skat contains 12 classics that features one of the finest horn and rhythm sections that I’ve heard in quite some time and they’re white hot throughout this fine album.

Whitesell’s an accomplished singer who can pull off classics like Big Joe Turner’s “The Chicken and the Hawk,” “Hide and Seek,” and “Oke She Moke She Pop” with absolute conviction and ease. Check out his scat singing on the title track. This accomplished veteran knows how to deliver the goods. Featured vocalist Jill Watkins reveals herself to be an exceptional singer, sassy and sly but with a welcome tendency toward restraint. She's also got a keen eye for songs, investing the old Peggy Lee standard "Why Don’t You Do Right" with enough relish to make it sound fresh and turning Little Willie John’s “Fever” into a sultry, after hours delight. From the rollicking boogie-woogie of Little Richard’s "Baby” and Chas & Dave’s “I Wonder In Whose Arms”(featuring a great piano solo from Stillwagen) to Buster Brown’s "Fannie Mae,” and a brilliant cover of Freddy King’s I’m Tore Down” that ironically finds Watkins tearing it up, this is an unpretentious, timeless-sounding set. Whitesell displays some fine guitar work throughout and his short succinct solos stab between the horns and vocals. Former Muddy Waters Band guitarist Bob Margolin guests on three cuts, “Baby,” “Fannie Mae” and the 1960 Sugar Pie DeSanto hit “I Want To Know,” displaying a refreshing side to his playing, and he’s in top form here.

Overall, Skat is a disc with enough exciting moments to interest blues and jazz fans alike. It’s creative, fun, and thoroughly entertaining. Longtime R&B and jump blues fans will gobble this up. The music is accessible, jumping, and swinging with passion and precision throughout. Don’t miss it. 

Rob Lehrian/Supporting the Blues
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