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an
original talent. His second release, Last of the Big Spenders,
proves the point and delivers on the promise the Racky Thomas
Band displayed back in '97, when they copped top honors at
Boston's prestigious Hampers Ferry Battle of the Blues Bands.
It's been a long, interesting road for a guy who wasn't even
tuned into the blues until his junior year at Berklee, and
while he's considered a scene veteran, his journey into the
blues is really just beginning.
Thomas's
career has been a slow stylistic expansion across the blues
spectrum. "I was more Chicago and Delta, but now I love
the swing and jump stuff," he
explains. "I grew up listening to
pop radio, I didn't know about all these different styles. I
heard Stevie Ray Vaughn and Clapton, and I started checking
out the folks they were talking about. It was a natural
progression Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Taj Mahal, Son House. I
just keep working and drawing upon influences to keep me
[headed] in the right direction."
Working
the Boston and Fitchburg area with a core made up of bassist
Todd Carson and drummer Ted Larkin, the Racky Thomas Band (who
stop by Gilrein's for a set on Friday, January 8) made steady
headway in the scene, the result of which was a
self‑titled debut CD in 1995. While it was a faithful
reading of traditional blues, the release
Ultimately
reflected a fledgling act relying heavily on a
warmed‑over
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Chicago
sound (drawing especially from Muddy Waters) and amounted to
little more than a sometimes flat piece of promotional
material. But it did plant the seed of bigger things in
Thomas'
squash.
"I
was in Denmark when that first CD came out, and it got me
pining to get back in that band," Thomas recalls. "I
came back in April [of '971 and we hit the ground running. It
just confirmed the belief I had there was something special
about the group. It was unfinished business." His solo
time abroad, he says, was instrumental in honing his guitar
skills.
Riding
high on the buzz of winning the Harpers Battle (and a
subsequent trip to the national competition in Memphis),
Thomas and his troop went back into the studio to cut Last of
the Big Spenders. Supplemented by guitarist Nick Adams and
Wormtown's Mark Stevens, on piano, Last of the Big Spenders is
a major step forward. It's an accurate testimony to the Thomas
Band's progress, not only as musicians, but more important, in
their ability to interpret the spirit of the blues and add
their own stamp. Of the 12 songs on the disc, 10 are
contributed by band members, with Thomas carrying the brunt of
the writing duties. Ranging from the call and -response jump
of "Fine as Wine"
to
the harmonica stroll of "Rack I em Up" to the
flat‑out boogie-woggie instro "Mark's Boogie,
" the band's
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compositions
take a more R&B‑flavored route than their earlier
work did, while retaining a direct link to the past. The
disc's greatest surprise, and one of it's strongest numbers,
is the Muscle Shoals ringer "Just a Fool." A song
that would be right at home alongside anything from Otis
Redding's catalogue, "Fool" showcases Thomas'
powerful and warm vocal delivery. It also serves as a reminder
that any form of roots music, when played with
ARRIVED:
Thomas's
career has been a slow stylistic expansion across the blues
spectrum.
Passion
and honesty, transcends genres. And the Racky Thomas Band's
strong point is their ability to shift styles without
sacrificing conviction.
"I
believe it's a more eclectic mix, though it does maintain a
traditional sound," Thomas says of the disc. "I
didn't have much con- fidence in my writing ability, but
somehow it came out okay. Everyone in the band was so strong
with their parts . . . it's a privilege to have that."
Thomas hopes the next step is getting distribution for
the CD (it's available now
on the internet at http://www.cdfree dom.com) and
perhaps expand their audience beyond the New England area.
Until then, Racky continues to keep his shoulder to the wheel,
winning over crowds one at a time, as he continues his musical
education
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."It's
a struggle to get by, but I'll go through it to get to the end
of the tunnel. I'm just gonna keep on doing it the way I think
is right. The people we admire did what they did, and they
eventually were recognized.... It's very humbling when people
appreciate us. It makes us so thankful we're doing what we
like to do. "Local Buzz
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