feature photo: Lenny Gonzalez
Scott Amendola and Wil Blades formed a musical partnership borne out of a personal friendship and that friendly vibe manifests itself in the groove-heavy music they make primarily from drums and organ. Their project, playfully called “Amendola Vs. Blades,” pairs that camaraderie with serious chops, making this a potent duo that has much more to offer than just feel-good music.
Everybody Wins is their new album, but it’s not the first outing for Amendola Vs. Blades. However, it is their first studio creation as Greatest Hits was all live. This is a cerebrally fun record as before but this time the fun is shared by more participants: there are extensive guest appearances by Skerik (sax, efx), Jeff Parker (guitar), Cyro Batista (percussion) and Rob Burger (keyboards). With this array of instruments attacking the realms funk, jazz, Latin, rock and experimental music, the expanded lineup often impersonates — in a great way — one of Skerik’s bands, Garage Á Trois.
“Hi-Lo” quickly finds a rare groove and it seems it could go like that all song long but the bridge adds another funky element that serves notice that they guys aren’t going to be content to jam for jamming’s sake. And pardon me if I might overuse the term “funky,” an aspect that ends up getting amplified by Blades’ use of that clavinet. He constructs a bass line from it for “Cyroette” (that’s Cyro on percussion, y’all) as Amendola metes out beats that are original and evocative at the same time. And when Blades plays an electric piano, it’s the sound of the original Wurlitzer popularized by Ray Charles in the 60s.
The loosely loping rhythm on “Fess Up (Before Ya Mess Up)” gives Blades plenty of B3 room to romp and like an experienced vet, he lets the groove and harmony get the upper hand over showy chops. A psychedelic intro gives way to an ice-cool vibe of “Metropolitan Hustle,” featuring Skerik on an electrified sax that I can’t help but to draw favorable comparisons to Eddie Harris, and eventually he finds himself sharing lead space with guitarist Jeff Parker. Skerik shows up again for “Wall Town” with a rhythm that starts in Jamaica and ends up in Cuba; Skerik and Parker again get succulent spotlights. “Hambela” sports a muscular groove and though Parker is here, too, Blades takes control and plays his Hammond like a boss until Parker’s time comes in the concluding bridge with Amendola tossing haymakers right behind him.
It’s not until the penultimate title track before the music slows down. “Everybody Wins” is the last of the three cuts that are by Amendola and Blades alone and Blades is perhaps at his best here, modulating and conveying feel that digs deep in the soul to perfection. Dr. Lonnie Smith can do that, Jimmy Smith did that; not too many others can. “Fabulous:Stupendous” rides on a breezy Latin groove but wrapped in ambience and psychedelia thanks to the keyboard contributions of Burger.
The only way to lose with Ameondola Vs. Blades’ new album is if you miss out on putting an ear to it. Everybody Wins is out TODAY (October 11, 2019) from Royal Potato Family.
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