Blues On Stage - The Butanes Soul Revue

The Butanes Soul Revue
@ First Avenue, July 10, 1998

Maurice Jacox
First Avenue, 7/10/98
Photo © 1998 by Ray Stiles.
All rights reserved

Seeing the Butanes Soul Revue for the second time this year makes me wish they were performing this show again on a regular basis like they had done nearly a decade ago at their regular Wednesday night Cabooze gig. When you take the bold, soulful singing of Maurice Jacox, and add the outstanding vocals of Aisha Baker and Deb Brown, the "regular" Butanes are transformed into the Butanes Soul Revue. They deliver a heavy dose of 1960's and 70's soul and R&B that literally grabs you by the gut and transports you back to another era that is as alive and moving today as it was when first performed. In addition to the superb musicianship of the rest of the band guitarist Curtis Obeda always provides stellar lead and rhythm playing that is intricate, soulful and exciting and serves as the glue that binds this sound together.

Maybe the rather light turn out was a result of the Basilica block party that was going on down the street but those of us in attendance were treated to the high energy shouting, swaying and testifying that characterizes this intense and soulful show. And when Jacox glides into the Solomon Burke classic "Cry To Me," well, its time to pack up and go home because that's all I need to hear to be satisfied.

Last year the band released a live recording of the Soul Revue on Atomic Theory Records that was recorded in 1990.

E-mail Ray Stiles at: mnblues@aol.com

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Copyright © 1998 by Ray M. Stiles
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.