Authentic Blues, Soul and R&B
In 2009, Jimmy Voegeli, the Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) 2011 Keyboardist of the Year, put together a "Who's Who" of monster musicians to tour and perform his original music. Naturally, he named the band The Jimmys!
The album features all original tunes performed by the band, with help from world renowned guests including Dan Baird of The Georgia Satellites, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick, Kyle Henderson of The Producers, Warner Hodges of Jason & The Scorchers, Richard Wiegel of The Midwesterners, and Chicago's own 2010 Grammy-winning guitarist Billy Flynn.
The Jimmys headlined the Byron Crossroads Blues Festival this past weekend and happened to open for Bryan Lee. The legendary blues artist, nicknamed "Braille Blues Daddy", was originally born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, but became a blues singer/guitarists a Bourbon Street fixture in New Orleans, Louisiana since the 1980's.
Bryan Lee was so moved by our performance that he generously offerred to write an introduction for our new album. While we didn't have enough space to include his entire text, but we are honored to be able to post his inspired introduction here in its entirety:
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
Are you ready for some new music? Yes, I know some of it is old music, but it is done up in a wonderful way. The horn section is killer. Many times when you hear a band with a good horn section, the rhythm section sucks. Not this rhythm section. This rhythm section has heart and soul. The heart comes from the drummer, who was born in Brazil. Mauro has the beat, no doubt about it.
The soul of the band is our man on the keys, Jimmy, who by the way, got an "F" in his high school band class. Perhaps that "F" was for "Funky". He does most of the singing and the arranging. This band is his dream. And guess what....it would be my dream, too. When you can get as many nice people and absolute great players together? That IS a dream.
The guitar and bass players, they lay it down, they got the grease. Where there is a swing, shuffle, funk, rock, mambo or ballad groove. This is a great rhythm section!
Then you take these three horn players, trumpet, alto sax, and tenor/baritone sax, and let me say, I have always been weary about trumpet players, weather or not they can hold up the high end on the section parts. Well, guess what... these three gentlemen play as one voice. Each one of them also has solo power. They way they play on the ballads is just beautiful.
Now, you would think that I am done, but I'm not. They got some magic spice. And that is the harmonica. And as I like to say baby, he's a "goodin!"
Groups like this come along and they want to be 'Tower of Power' or they want to be 'Chicago'.Well, guess what kids, they ain't 'Tower of Power',and they ain't 'Chicago'. They are just a GREAT band that plays blues and all kinds of other stuff, and you know I'm a stone soul bluesman. But I would take them into the studio and record with them anytime. So get ready for The Jimmy's!
Bryan Lee
Read more...