Blue Lunch – The Blue Lunch Special/ 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition – Rip Cat Records RC1114, 64:11 ****1/2:
(Pete London – harmonica, vocals; Bob Frank – guitars, vocals; Raymond DeForest – bass, vocals; Scott Flowers – drums; Mike Janowitz – drums; Mike Rubin – trumpet; Mike Sands – piano; Bob Michael – trombone; Norman Tischler – tenor saxophone; Keith McKelley – tenor saxophone; Christopher Burge – tenor saxophone; Tony Koussa – tenor saxophone; with special guests Tim Longfellow – piano, organ; Konrad Aukerman – trombone; “Sax” Gordon Beadle – tenor saxophone; Dick Ingersoll – baritone saxophone; Tim Miller – baritone saxophone)
Cleveland may rock like Ian Hunter says, but local heroes Blue Lunch boogie, rattle and blow the roof off. Now celebrating their thirtieth year together, this high-charged ensemble led by Bob Frank on guitar and vocals, has been unleashing their revved up blues sound to the delight of Northeastern Ohio. Franks and front man/harmonica player Pete London handle most of the lead vocals. Mike Sands lends a versatile blues-boogie fluency to help steer the raging bold alchemy of sound. This multi-pronged attack is amplified by multiple saxophonists, keyboards and harmonica. They have recorded six albums and now Rip Cat Records has released a compilation titled The Blue Lunch Special.
The new CD features a 16-track retrospective made up of covers and original compositions. Opening the album is an instrumental that showcases the extensive licks of the band, Frank deliver’s rocking guitar solos with muscular sax accompaniment by Keith McKelley. Soulful vocal harmonies and boogie-woogie piano licks (Mike Sands) propel “Cold Day Down Below”. The jam approximates some of the rockin’ blues outfits of the fifties. Straight-ahead urban blues is no problem for this group. “Cuttin’ Out” features Pete London vocals and feels like classic mid-fifities jump swing, with jitterbug explosiveness. On “Skin Bones And Hair” they combine some big band flourishes with rhythm and blues shifts. The big band influence is noticeable on “Which Way To Go”.
Among the diverse musical structures, there is a connection to primary blues. “IC Boogie” is a tight, hard rocking jam with harmonica/tenor saxophone (Norman Tischler) shading. Train imagery and a propulsive tempo anchor the song. There are familiar classics including the vampy “Sixty-Minute Man” (with bassist Raymond DeForest handling the baritone vocal). The group offers homage to their mentor, Cleveland legend Robert Lockwood Jr. Slide guitar (Frank) and roadhouse piano (Sands) give this Delta interpretation (“little Boy Blue” some flair. A big surprise is a live cover of Sonny Rollins’ “Tenor Madness”, where three tenor saxophonists (McKelley, Christopher Burge and Tony Koussa) wail relentlessly. Sands add a nice barrelhouse solo.
In the only real change of pace, “The Lonely One” features trumpeter Mike Rubin. Proud of their roots, Blue Lunch gives a shout out to their home on “Cleveland Ohio Blues” with a traditional blues track. Faithful to roots music the compilation ends with a pair of r&b doo-wop tunes (“Monkey Hips And Rice” by the 5 Royales, and the tongue-in-cheek “Mother-In-Law” with humorous repartee).
Turn up the volume and dance! Blue Lunch will provide the music.
TrackList: Sideswiped; Cold Day Down Below; Skin Bones And Hair; Cuttin’ Out; The Fidget; IC Boogie; Which Way To Go; Leo The Louse; Best I Can; Sixty Minute Man; Little Boy Blue; Tenor Madness; The Lonely One; Cleveland Ohio Blues; Monkey Hips And Rice; Mother-In-Law.
—Robbie Gerson
