Sweet Release - Reese Wynans And Friends (2LP Vinyl)

Sweet Release by Reese Wynans And Friends.

Reese Wynans has spent a lifetime as one of the great supporting players in blues and rock, the man behind the keys whose presence you feel even when you don't see his name on the marquee. "Sweet Release" flips that arrangement, placing Wynans and his Hammond and piano at the center of the stage while a rotating cast of friends gathers around him. The result is a record that plays like a celebration, a gathering of voices and instruments assembled to honor the songs and the spirit that shaped a career.

The album opens with the unmistakable pulse of "Crossfire," a tune that carries the swagger of Texas blues from its very first bars. From there the first side moves through the instrumental fire of "Say What!," the groove of "That Driving Beat," and the ache of "You're Killing My Love," a sequence that establishes the range on offer here, from strutting shuffles to slow burning laments.

The title track "Sweet Release" anchors the second side, followed by the loose swing of "Shape I'm In" and the weary soul of "Hard To Be." These are songs built for the interplay between a great organist and the players around him, tunes that leave plenty of room for the kind of conversation that only happens when seasoned musicians trust one another completely.

At the heart of the record sits "Riviera Paradise," a piece of quiet, luminous beauty that has long been a showcase for exactly the sort of tender, unhurried playing that Wynans does so well. It leads into "Take The Time" and "So Much Trouble," keeping the third side balanced between reflection and the deep blues that runs through the whole project.

The final side gathers "I've Got A Right To Be Blue," the atmospheric "Soul Island," and a closing turn through "Blackbird," a fitting way to bring the collection home. Across these four sides the music never loses sight of its purpose, honoring the traditions of jazz and blues while letting a master of the keys stretch out among trusted company.

Spread across a double album, "Sweet Release" gives Reese Wynans the space he has earned, a sprawling and generous document of a musician stepping forward. For collectors who love the sound of the Hammond organ and the piano set loose in a room full of kindred spirits, this is a record to savor from the first note of "Crossfire" to the last of "Blackbird."

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Crossfire
A2. Say What!
A3. That Driving Beat
A4. You're Killing My Love
B1. Sweet Release
B2. Shape I'm In
B3. Hard To Be
C1. Riviera Paradise
C2. Take The Time
C3. So Much Trouble
D1. I've Got A Right To Be Blue
D2. Soul Island
D3. Blackbird

Artist: Reese Wynans And Friends

Format: 2LP

Genre: Blues

Label: J&R Adventures

Catalog Number: JRA61073

Release Year: 2019

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)