PETER V BLUES TRAIN
SHAKEN BUT NOT DETERRED
DON’T WANNA LEAVE MEMPHIS–BLUE MONDAY–BY THE RIVER–FOR ALL WE KNOW–IN DEMAND–T BONE SHUFFLE–ALIBI–DON’T CHEAT ON MY LADY–RODEO (NO BS)–GETTING CLOSER NOW–BEEN SO LONG–SHAKEN BUT NOT DETERRED–BONUS TRACK—WORRIED LIFE BLUES (LIVE)
Long-time vets of the New York and New Jersey blues scene, the Peter V Blues Train offer up their second (!) full-length album of 2018 with a clever play on the old 007 theme, “Shaken But Not Deterred,” thirteen cuts of their trademark blues, er, shaken with flourishes of jazz and funk mixed in to create a highly-contagious fusion of grooves for the contemporary listener. “Peter V” Veteska is on vocals and guitar, and is a native of the “roughneck,” (as my dear departed auntie used to say), projects of Bushwick, Brooklyn. Alex D’Agnese is on drums, Gravey Graverson is on bass, Alan Gornish is on keys, Danny Walsh on sax, and Jeff Levine is on B-3 to fatten up the overall sound.
The Train pulls outta the station with a boogie-blues number serving as a huge shout-out to the Three Kings, and the blues’ most famous street, “Don’t Wanna Leave Memphis!” Peter’s jazz roots show thru with a nice B-3, sax, and guitar slow jam entitled “For All We Know,” describing a dreamy love affair as “the ripples in a stream.” “In Demand” has the horns funked-up to ten, as our hero begs a lover to “give me some of your time.” Wanna dance? Cue up the roadhouse boogie and Little Richard pace of “Don’t Cheat On My Lady,” and just keep on struttin’ thru the uber-funk of the title cut, as our hero vows his “voice will still be heard,” “Shaken But Not Deterred,” with undertones of the blues-rock of fellow Noo Yawker, Popa Chubby. Peter closes the set with a brilliant unplugged read of Big Maceo’s “Worried Life Blues,” this one featuring only Pete’s vocal and guitar, and Danny’s sax.
People get ready, there’s a train a-comin’–well, maybe not THAT one, but, with a powerful set such as “Shaken But Not Deterred,” the Peter V Blues Train is determined to spread the word of the blues everywhere he goes! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues And Roots Alliance.
