Solitaire Miles continues Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas’ forward momentum with the driving new album Blue Train, often forgoing their familiar western-swing persona for a potent dose of jazz, blues and rock.
The band behind Miles’ classic yet wholly authentic voice delivers song after powerful song. They include long-time member Neal Alger on guitar, along with bassist Chris Bernhardt and drummer Phil Greatteau as well as Hammond B3 player Don Stille, pianist Tom Hope, and sax player Eric Schneider. Additionally, special guest Dominic Halpin provides duet vocals on the song “Forever Yours,” while Chicago-land icon Howard Levy (an original member of Bela Fleck and the Flecktones) sprinkles additional spice to the mix.
The opening notes of “I Wanna Rock” set the pace. Solitaire Miles’ vocals and the guitars provide a mesmerizing blend. Add in Schneider’s enticing tenor solos and Alger’s clear and direct guitar work, and Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas are off on a rollicking journey. “Sweet Baby of Mine” touches on blues and jazz equally. Vocally, Miles holds her reins tight, creating anticipation that the song’s lyrics feed on. The old Ruth Brown song is further boosted by a brief solo from Howard Levy and Schneider.
“Forever Yours,” Miles’ lonesome duet with Dominic Halpin, returns to the band’s more traditional western feel. The intertwined vocals of Halpin and Miles recall a time gone by when ballads of this sort were in fashion. Written by Carl Perkins, the song transports the listener to another era in the hands of these two vocal magicians. Again, guitarist Halpin turns in an excellent performance matched by Levy’s harmonica solo.
“Love and Kisses” chugs along atop the rhythm section’s bouncy interaction and the carefree soloing of Schneider and Alger on sax and guitar, respectively. Jen Zias and Mike Harvey (of Steely Dan lore) provide nonchalant backing vocals too. “Hummin’ to Myself” is bluesy and angst-filled. Miles’ version of the Fain/Siegel/Siegel tune evokes all the loneliness expected from this 1930s-era song. Her powerful delivery conveys a woman in control of herself, and a heavier guitar sound enhances it.
The title track of Blue Train continues the rock feel. The vocals are urgent and convincing. Add in the swagger of Alger’s growling guitar and the rolling Levy harmonica, and you have the most hard-charging song on the album. “She’ll Be Gone” offers intriguing contrasts. The call-and-response vocals by Zias and Harvey works nicely against Miles’ powerful lead vocal. Alger rises again to the challenge laid down by Miles. The tidy arrangement highlights her singing prowess, too.
“One Way Ticket to the Blues” effectively utilizes the train theme with its muscular Hammond organ and vibrato guitar. Miles and the backing vocalists create imagery which is clear, and highly entertaining. Blue Train, which has 16 songs, effectively and effortlessly shifts moods and themes. Solitaire Miles’ bluesy and laid-back delivery on “How Could I Help But Love You” differs from yet also compliments the rockabilly feel of songs like “Give Up That Honey.”
The album-closer, a stunning telling of “The Peter Gunn Theme,” is an excellent coda to this moving collection of songs. Susie Blue and the Lonesome Fellas effectively transport the listener to another time and place on Blue Train a collection of beautiful songs driven by the heart, passion and skill of Solitaire Miles.
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