The Boneshakers

Live To Be This

Gulf Coast Records

Randy Jacobs was the founder of the funk blues R n’ B band The Boneshakers and in 1997 released the highly successful “Book of Spells” on Pointbank/Virgin Records. Four more Boneshaker albums followed before Jacobs co-produced the I-10 Chronicle series featuring Charlie Musselwhite, Willie Nelson and others. “Live To Be This” brings the band’s signature Blues, Soul & Rock energy to soaring new heights, fueled by the powerhouse vocals of Jenny Langer an IBC Blues Challenge winner, and the masterful guitar work of Jacobs. The pair  recently signed to Gulf Coast Records. Expertly produced by John Wooler, the visionary  behind their ’90s breakout “Book of Spells”, this new album is a soulful journey of originals and re-imagined tributes. The album includes an all-star lineup of special guests including harpist Charlie Musselwhite, Grammy winning producer/bassist Don Was, guitarist Coco Montoya, Grammy winning saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter, keyboardist John “Papa” Gross, and saxophonist Ron Holloway.

The core band includes Langer, lead vocals; Jacobs, guitar, bass, slide dobro, Clavinet, and vocals; Greg Bissonette, drums; four keyboardists, John Gilutin, “Papa” Gross, Rodney Lee,  and Ron Reinhardt; four saxophonists, Carpenter, Holloway, Joe Sublett and David Garza; Mark Pender, trumpet; Lenny Castro, percussion; and nine background vocalists.

The lead-off track “I’ll Kick A Brick (For My Man), is the first of the originals, written by Langer and Jacobs, as Langer sings “try to understand, don’t you mess around with my good man, I’ll kick a brick, for my man”, with saxophones by Sublett, and Holloway who takes the solo, as  Pender plays trumpet. “They Say I’m Different” is a song originally written and sung by Betty Davis the godmother of funk in 1974, “they say I’m different ’cause I’m a piece of sugarcane… I’m talkin’ ’bout T-Bone Walker, I’m talkin’ ’bout Muddy Waters”, with Castro on percussion.

“How Do You Spell Love?” was co-written by Bobby Patterson in 1972, and a year later  sung by Margie Joseph, it was additionally popularized when it was covered by the Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1987, “I wanna’ tell ya, how do you spell L-O-V-E”, once again with percussion from Castro. “I Need Somebody” was first recorded and released by “? and The Mysterians” in 1966, with some great harmonica and piano from Gilutin.

“Dobro Jones (Delta Mix)” is another stunning vocal from Langer as she belts out “but you don’t want me girl, you told me so, I’m gonna’ play all night ’cause you ain’t comin’ home, I got this  thing for you, but you don’t want me girl, I can’t let go, I’m gonna’ play all night ’cause you ain’t comin’ home”. “Evil No More” is another song by Langer and Jacobs featuring Musselwhite on harmonica, with Gregg Bissonette, drums as Langer cries “come back home sweet baby, I know  if you come back I’ll make it up to you, come back, I swear I won’t be trouble no more”.

“I Am The Cool” is a cover of a song co-written by Robert Duffy, and Mike Keneally and sung by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins in 1994, as Langer chimes “I am the cool, I wear the coolest shoes that could ever be, even Calvin Klein is jealous of me, don’t mess with Randy J.” as Don Was plays bass. “Here I Am (In Your Town)” is a cover of a song from Iggy Pop released in 2005 “come on, come on, here I am, I’m ready, don’t pass me over, here I am”, Ron Reinhardt is on the Hammond organ as four backing vocalists supply the harmony.

“Salty” is a cover of a song written by Jimmy Hall and The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Collective in  2007. It is a duet with Langer and Jacobs “you know my love is from a good woman, things are gonna’ get a little bit stronger”, with some more great guitar from Jacobs. On “Don’t Deny Me” Jacobs is joined by guitarist Montoya, and saxophonist Carpenter, as Langer shouts, “I heard about you baby, I got you on my mind, can’t you see I love you, I loved you from the start, don’t deny me lovin’ you”.

 “Took A Trip” is a cover of a song from Ike and Tina Turner, recorded and released in 1999, as Langer chants “I wanna’ say I love you, but you took a trip now from my affection, yeah, you  took a trip in the wrong direction” with “Papa” Gross on the Hammond B-3. “Tears Of The World” is another brilliant vocal as she bursts “I’be been down the high road, I’be been down the low road, tears of the world keep following me”, with Pender on the trumpet and Sublett on sax.

On “Ain’t Good Enough For Me”, Langer sings “I know that you been lying, you ain’t gonna’ be getting my love when you walk in the door, what’s good for my baby, just ain’t good enough for me”. “Dobro Jones” is reprised, this time with a low-country mix, once again Langer and  Jacobs share a duet. On the closer, “Cake and The Candle”, a ballad beautifully sung by Langer, she croons “look at me now, I’m in my prime, you can change your mind, if this is more than you can handle…I want it all, body and soul, I want the cake and I want the candle”, sung with four  backing vocalists.

“Live To Be This” is a celebration of the Boneshakers’ legacy. They masterfully combine Detroit soul with the musical influences of Memphis and Muscle Shoals, a sound that has earned them  a loyal following. They display the groove, the grit and the soul of their fearless future.

Richard Ludmerer

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