Artist: Wayne Baker Brooks
Album: Mystery
Rating: ✩✩✩✩
Release Date: Oct 26, 2004
Label: Blues Island
Genre: Blues
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Modern Electric Chicago Blues
Chicago Blues
By the time Wayne Baker Brooks released his debut album, he had played
the blues in Lonnie Brooks' band for almost 15 years, served as a roadie for
two years before that, and led his own band for seven years (in addition to
still playing with his dad). Clearly, he did not rush into a recording career.
Instead, he paid his dues and took the time to find his own voice: a course a
less savvy bluesman might not have made, especially considering Brooks'
family legacy. It was a wise decision, because Mystery is not just a strong
debut, it's a fully formed new vision that updates the sound of the blues
without falling into the same tired blues-rock clichés. Instead, Brooks adds
some soul, funk, and even a little hip-hop to his solid blues foundation and
comes up with a great set of all-original tunes.
Right from the opening title cut, you know this isn't your standard blues
album. It opens with a tremoloed Fender Rhodes vamp with an acoustic
rhythm guitar doing one thing in one ear and an electric doing something
else in the other. And, are those turntables in the mix?! Yep, but it's a subtle
touch like so many others throughout the album (and they're judiciously used
on just two cuts). Brooks is a strong, soulful singer; he's got a big, meaty
Gibson tone; and his solos often don't go where you're expecting them to.
The production is crisp without being slick, and it's got a nice open mix.
Brooks knew what he wanted from the tunes, and his arrangements are
impressive. Hammond here, Clavinet there, horns on a couple tracks, some
tasty slide, and well-done backing vocals all add variety, but Brooks' singing
and guitar playing are always the focus. He's equally at home on uptempo
numbers ("Sooner or Later," "It Don't Work Like That") as he is on the slower
numbers like the soulful "Exiled." He brings a bit of the funk to "Baby Stop,"
and "Nu Kinda Blues" is just what it says with its pumping bass, scratching,
and killer harmonica playing over a ZZ Top-style groove. But despite these
additional influences, Brooks is a bluesman to the core, albeit a very modern
one, and that becomes clear every time he starts playing his guitar (and
check out the exchanges with Lonnie on "It Don't Work Like That").
Mystery is
not just a great album; it marks Wayne Baker Brooks as someone to keep an
eye on as the blues enter the 21st century. As Wayne himself said, "Blues
purists might not get my music but blues has to breathe fresh air sometimes."
Amen to that.
by Sean Westergaard, All Music Guide
✓ 1. Mystery
2. Baby Stop
✓ 3. Exiled
4. Aint That Lovin You
5.She's Dangerous
6. Nu Kinda Blues
7. It Don't Work Like That
8. Your Turn (To Talk To The Blues)
9. Sooner or Later
10. Tell Me
11. You Make It Easy
12. Just Lika A Butterfly
13. Root OF My Soul | Brooks,Jacobs,McCabe
Brooks
Brooks
Brooks,Jacobs
Brooks
Brooks,Brooks,Jacobs
Brooks
Brooks,Krech
Brooks
Brooks,McCabe
Brooks
Brooks
Brooks | 5:02
4:04
4:35
3:49
4:15
5:17
4:21
3:53
4:52
4:02
3:12
3:27
3:31 |
| ✓ Indicates All Music Guide Track Pick |
Blues Revue Magazine
The Following is the review of Wayne Baker Brooks'
Debut CD "Mystery" as it appears in Blues Revue
Magazine
Aug/Sept issue:
"Wayne Baker Brooks and his brother, Ronnie, picked
up the family trade playing alongside their father,
Lonnie Brooks. Wayne has earned stripes both in his
father's band and on his own, and his debut album has
been a long time coming, but it's well worth the wait:
The guitarist and singer arrives a fully developed
talent and a maverick whose distinct brand of blues
incorporates elements of rock, R&B, funk, and even a
trace of hip-hop. Mystery delivers mainstream appeal
without betraying the family legacy. The midtempo
title track establishes Brooks as someone not content
to repeat the same old thing, and though purists might
mistake the slick production as an attempt at being
radio-friendly, what they'd be missing is a song with a
memorable hook and a great, drama-building
midsection. Brooks proves nearly as good a singer as
he is a guitar player, full of grit and soul.
It's hard to imagine rock fans not appreciating the
ballad 'Exiled' or the techno-boogie of 'Nu Kinda
Blues'. The latter track, fueled by guest harmonica
player Ben Ruth, features a guitar riff that recalls ZZ
Top's MTV years. ('Do the Muddy Waters and dance!'
Brooks commands.) In case anyone doubts Brooks'
commitment to his roots, he follows with the more
traditional 'It Don't Work Like That', a tongue-in-cheek
song about the school of hard knocks that features
old-school solos from his father, Ronnie, who
contributes rhythm guitar through most of the disc,
joins the vocal chorus. The elder Brooks seems to
have taught his sons not just how to play, sing and
lead bands, but how to blaze their own trails. Listen to
this Mystery unfold and reveal its secrets."
Goto The Blues Revue Website
BluesWax.com
Blues For Dummies This Ain’t, (02/02/05)
This is a cracking good debut record!
It starts with a crisp, understated title track. A blend of
dense rhythms, elements of contemporary R&B, and
the slightest trace of Hip Hop. The catchy, Family
Stone-inflected Funk workout "Baby Stop" follows -
plenty of snap once again from drummer Matt Walker
and the rest of the crew. "Exiled," the third track on the
CD, is a confidently delivered, touching ballad. All
three bear the mark of a road-toughened pro that
knows what it takes to get a crowd moving.
Wayne Baker Brooks has the résumé. Son of veteran
Chicago Bluesman Lonnie Brooks and co-author of
the Blues entry in the popular For Dummies series of
reference books, Wayne and his brother Ronnie (who
handles rhythm guitar duties on Mystery) soaked up the
Blues at home and in Windy City nightclubs. Later, the
guitar-slinging siblings logged thousands of miles as
members of Lonnie's road band. The elder Brooks
turns up on Mystery, too, trading solos with his son on a
song called "It Don't Work Like That."
But this is Wayne's record. He wrote or co-wrote all
thirteen songs and it's an impressive batch. He writes
lean, modern urban Blues, liberally and boldly mixing
styles and technologies. There are DJ and
programming credits on Mystery, but they don't
overwhelm the music. "Ain't That Lovin' You" sits atop
a smooth wash of synthetic bass, with Brooks' edgy
vocal and Bluesy guitar hooks giving the song bite.
"She's Dangerous" sounds like Robert Palmer writing
for the Stones (a sort of Blues "Addicted To Love").
"Nu Kinda Blues" features the scratching of DJ Ajax,
the Blues harp of Ben Ruth, and hijacked ZZ Top riffs
over programmed rhythm and is aimed straight at the
kid with the baggy jeans who's never heard of the
Blues - referred to here as the hip-sounding "Chicago
Style."
After the rock 'em, sock 'em lead guitar duel with
Lonnie, a pair of great horn-driven songs breathe new
life into the album at a point where, generally, artists
begin to run out of ideas. The firecracker groove of
"You Make It Easy, Baby" is another highlight. Only
"Tell Me" has a throwaway feel to it and should have
landed on the cutting room floor - if only because it
pales next to the stronger material.
Mystery is almost guaranteed not to please purists.
Wayne Baker Brooks may have grown up close to the
mother lode, yet he's mining the musical regions most
Blues artists consider a no-go zone, and doing it well. I
suspect he'll get even better.
Vincent Abbate is a contributing editor at BluesWax
|
"Down and Dirty, from the-gut-blues" --Chicago Tribune
"A Must See" --Chicago Suntimes
"Hip Blues, New Blues whatever kinda Blues you want...
Wayne Baker Brooks has got em...he did a fantastic job at this years 2007 Biscuit
and is the new blues Supernova."
--Jerry Pillow
Music Director
Arkansas Blues & Heritage Festival
"He's got the talent, the energy and
everything else to make it click"
--Queen of the Blues, Koko Taylor
"The future of blues is good hands
& i'll tell you why with 3 words,
Wayne Baker Brooks"
--Tom Marker WXRT 93.1 FM Chicago
"it is heart warming to see Wayne
perform knowing the blues tradition
is in good hands with the next
generation"
--Barry Dolins, Director, Chicago
Blues Fest
"his show was well done and full of
excellent music and guitar from a man
who learned his craft well"
-- Dave Piltz
"Wayne has developed an impressive
guitar style that incorporates the best of
traditional and modern day Chicago
blues"
--Ray Stiles
"Don't be surprised if Wayne gains
greater exposure for the blues and
gathers a better marketplace for it"
--Tim Holek, Blues Critic
Wayne Baker Brooks set at The Pocono Blues Festival was electrifying....His set
jumpstarted the 1st day of this 3 day National Blues Festival and set the tone for the
weekend....Wayne is a must for all venues large & small and for any talent buyer that
takes their music seriously.
--Michael Cloeren, Founder & Producer Pocono Blues festival
"Wayne Baker Brooks takes what Chris Thomas King and Chuck D. started
to a higher ground"
--Tim Holek, Blues Critic
"At the 2005 Naperville Last Fling, it was a no-brainer picking Wayne
Baker Brooks to open for Big Head Todd & The Monsters. The BHT camp loved the
choice and Wayne set a fabulous tone for a wonderful night of chunky, bluesy guitar riffing!"
--Fred Brrennan, Music Director, Talent Buyer, Chicago Special Events
"Incredible show for our Mardi Gras Bash, the reviews from the guests were great. Perfect show!!!"
--Chuck Pine, Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe
|