JAMES SUPRA BLUES BAND “JSSB LIVE” CD
Review by Michael McKenna 4/19/11

Hailing from the Lehigh Valley, The James Supra Blues Band is one of the areas favorite acts. With music that can only be described as ‘High-Energy Harmonica Driven Rock-n-Blues’, they bring it every time they take the stage. The bands members include 12-Time LVMA Award Winner James Supra (Harmonica, Lead Vocals), the incomparable Dana Gaynor (Lead Guitar), Ray Grimmer (Bass, Rhythm) and Al Wanamaker (Drums, Percussions). Together these multi-talented musicians, who have eons of experience behind them, belt out some of the hottest jams in the blues/rock genre that make people want to go back for more!

Influenced by some of the masters including The Allman Brothers, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, BB King and a host of others, it’s easy to see where they get their unique style and musical direction. The members have played with so many notables in the business that the list would encompass this entire page. Their reputations are known worldwide and are widely respected by their peers.
Their latest CD, JSSB Live, has ten tracks which were recorded at The Mixx in Allentown and was produced and mastered by Dana Gaynor. “I’m Ready” opens with a jam that features Dana’s pickin and James mouth organ which transition into strong vocals with some really cool lyrics. The solos are outstanding! ‘Well I’m ready, ready as anybody can be….’ “Me and My Baby” reminds me of an old swing number with some retro guitar work and simple percussions that come together nicely. The vocals and laid back bottom add that special flavor to make this song a dance floor monster. One of the best tracks on this CD! “Leavin Trunk” is in the traditional blues fashion with its funky get-down mid-tempo feel and that Chicago type blues sound.

“Help Me” features Ray Grimmer’s slamming bass riffs and that ever present harmonica that morph into one of those grooving blues lines with accents on Dana’s awesome guitar work and James catchy vocals that capture your imagination with those suggestive lyrics. WAY COOL! “I Wonder Who” is the Mckinley Morganfield aka Muddy Waters classic that is done to perfection. The JSBB captures the essence of this great master with a spot on performance and adds their own signature sound and feel. The harmonica wails and the accompaniment is crisp and tight! “Messin’ With The Kid” is a Junior Wells track that takes the energy level up a few notches and you work up a sweat just listening to this kicking jam. James is up in your face with that mouth organ and those vox!

“Snatch It Back” is a track from Junior Wells classic LP “Hoodoo Man Blues” that grabs your attention from the first note thru the ascending rhythms. All the solos are totally off the wall and whet your appetite wanting more..more..more! This track is performed flawlessly! “Summer Jam” is one of those infectious tunes that captures ones ear from the beginning. Flowing from one instrument to another, the vocals kick it up with a sassy blues feeling and the guitar accentuates it nicely. “Walkin Thru the Park” is a high energy, up-tempo, kick ass monster! The ease at which the players walk thru this tune is way cool! The hooks, vocal inflections and accompaniment meld together perfectly. The final track “Room to Move” has a Mississippi Delta sound that gives me visions of players on paddleboats jamming on the river as patrons dance their ass off in the southern heat and the sweat rolls off their glistening bodies. I can just imagine an old man on a stool in his late 70’s jamming on the harmonica and the boys singing “I’m ready, I’m ready as anybody can be..”

What an awesome piece of work! The polished talents of this quartet reveals itself in each track as the individual musicians all take turns at shining brightly and kicking some real ass. This effort is a MUST LISTEN! I would give this CD 2 Thumbs Up, but it deserves better. I give this CD a STANDING OVATION!!

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