ADRIANNA MARIE AND HER GROOVECUTTERS
DOUBLE CROSSING BLUES
MIDNIGHT OWL RECORDS
I WANT A TALL SKINNY PAPA–I AIN’T IN THE MOOD–IS YOU IS OR IS YOU AIN’T MY BABY–CHERRY WINE–SUGAR–HANDS OFF–DOUBLE CROSSING BLUES–THAT’S A PRETTY GOOD LOVE–I WON’T SELL MY LOVE–HE MAY BE YOUR MAN–SAD NIGHT OWL
Her parents were part of the Sixties’ folk group known as the Carolee Singers, and Adrianna Marie has been exposed to all types of music virtually her whole life. By the age of ten she was singing in summer stock productions throughout New England, but left for the greener pastures of California at seventeen.
Her voice is a beautiful instrument unto itself, hearkening back to the days of the elegant female blues and jazz singers such as Little Esther, Dinah Washington, and Helen Humes, backed by swinging big bands with arrangements to fit the material. And, the songs popular during that era make up her latest release, “Double Crossing Blues,” eleven cuts full of swingin’ jump blues and torchy ballads straight out of a 40’s or 50’s supper club. Adrianna’s musical training serves her well on these cuts, and she is backed by guitarist LA Jones, whose fat tones effectively re-create the sounds of the era, and saxman Ron Dzuibla, among other fine sidemen, to complete the big-band ensemble.
She starts the party with the sassy “I Want A Tall Skinny Papa,” one who’ll “do as he’s told and bring Mama the gold,” with cool call-and-response from the fellows. Suspicions mount and she finally confronts her lover and begs the question, “Is You Is Or Is You Ain’t My Baby,” a jazzy, minor-key classic from Louis Jordan. She rocks the joint with a spirited read of Helen Humes’ “He May Be Your Man but he comes to see me sometimes,” and gets in a spunky slow-blues, love-hate “duel” of sorts with Jones in the title cut. The set closes with a sweet, after-hours-ish instrumental, “Sad Night Owl.”
We had two favorites, too. Ron’s sax gives that vintage feel to the rhumba-fied tale of a man who prefers alcohol to lovin’, and is given the ultimatum, “it’s me or that Cherry Wine!” And, another song associated with Helen Humes is the slow-blues of “I Ain’t In The Mood,” done up in vintage Chess combo-style, with Larry David Cohen on the harp.
Adrianna Marie And Her Groovecutters have been nominated for a Blues Award for Best New Artist Debut on the strength of “Double Crossing Blues. She is a natural talent surrounded by players who know the material, and everyone has a great time while bringing it to us fans!! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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