STEVE GERARD AND THE NATIONAL DEBONAIRES
FEATURING DAVE "ELMO" BAILEY
"NEW SOUNDS FROM KANSAS CITY"
SOUNDGATE RECORDS
BY PETER "BLEWZZMAN" LAURO  © SEPTEMBER 2007
 
    It's a beautiful thing to be able to instantly recognize a beautiful thing.  That's exactly what happened as I listened to "NEW SOUNDS FROM KANSAS CITY" by the NATIONAL DEBONAIRES.  It was barely twenty-five seconds into the opening track when I had decided I was listening to a winner of a disc, and the next  fifty-one minutes repeatedly validated that decision. 
 
    The NATIONAL DEBONAIRES are: STEVE GERARD on guitar; DAVE "ELMO" BAILEY on vocals; ANDY GRAFFITI on drums; PATRICK RECOB on bass; MIKE "SHINETOP JR" SEDOVIC on piano and organ; And their very special guests on "NEW SOUNDS FROM KANSAS CITY" include: LEE MCBEE on harmonica; DOUG "SARGE" RYNACK on piano; JIMI BOTT on drums; MIKE CLARK on sax.
 
    "LET'S RUN", the opening track referred to earlier, starts out with a hot piano and guitar lead, by DAVE and MIKE, backed by the rhythm section setting the pace that immediately had me snappin' and tappin' my fingers and feet.  Then, ELMO started singing and what was already good, just got better. 
 
    The very same groove continues right into "MY BABY'S GONE", with MIKE adding some great sax highlights.  Meanwhile, ELMO continues to blow me away on vocals.  I think it may be due to the fact that his voice and style are so much reminiscent of the late "Barkin" Bill Smith, one of my all time favorites blues vocalists.
 
    "CLEAR VIEW", is another of several STEVE GERARD originals.  It's a smoker with that rockin' "Johnny B. Goode" thing happening on guitar and that wailin' "Great Balls of Fire" thing going on the piano.  One of the discs best right here.
 
    ANDY, PATRICK and MIKE are on fire on "WRAPPED AROUND HER FINGER".  The pace they set on drums, bass and piano absolutely rips.  This one will definitely delight the dancers. 
 
    One of ANDY'S originals, "ROCKING FOOL", has such a great, line in it.  It goes like this........
"I had a job pumping gas, I just had to quit it.....I tried to tell the boss, but he just didn't get it.......When the radio was rockin', I just had to stop.....You can't check the oil when you're doin' the bop".  Damn could I relate to that.  In many a review, I've mentioned not being able to type due to excessive bopping.  Some of the discs best guitar work can be heard on this one.
 
    One of the more serious blues tracks is "AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN AGAIN", another original by ANDY.  This is the kind of stuff that gets my blues boat floatin'.  ELMO'S super soulful vocals sent chills right through me.  Damn, who is this guy and why have I not heard of him before?  Also highlighting this one is some great blues guitar work by STEVE and lots of masterful mood setting organ by MIKE.  Unquestionably this listeners favorite track.
 
    The closing track, "THE HUSTLE IS ON", is the one that features all of the special guests with MIKE'S tenor sax being the highlight. 
 
    Other tracks on "NEW SOUNDS FROM KANSAS CITY" include:  "MISSING MY BABY", "BETTE JANE'S SMILE", "SEND FOR ME", "HEAVY WEIGHT BABY", "STEADY DRIVER" and "I LIKE PRETTY WOMEN".
 
    I know I recommend a lot of CD's to my readers, but this one's a must have.  Check out the NATIONAL DEBONAIRES at www.nationaldebonaires.com and grab a copy.  While you're there, tell the guys that Blewzzman's saying that if you want to win the 2007 BLEWZZY AWARD, "NEW SOUNDS FROM KANSAS CITY" is the disc ya gotta beat.
 
    This review has been complimentary written for your newsletter by Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro, a contributing writer for BLUESWAX and the Blues Editor at www.Mary4Music.com where you can read many more CD and live show reviews, view lots of blues photographs and find an abundance of blues material. I can be reached at Blewzzman@aol.com