Shades of Sol

Album review: Freedom by the Sol Creech Band.

I have listened to The Sol Creech Band play on many occasions and knew that they were not a straight up blues band. Many would argue that they weren’t a blues band at all. The other members of the band are known for playing jazz, soul, funk and reggae. So then why, going into my review of their new album, Freedom, would I expect to hear a blues album?

Perhaps it stems from my first encounter with Sol’s music six years ago. His 2002 album Volume: Blue, a tribute to his mentors, elder bluesmen Guitar Gabriel and Cootie Stark, was a smorgasbord of deep blues, soul and what they termed Bebop Blues, it made you smile and bob along, but also made you think and feel. Volume: Blue was blues with a groove, but not necessarily groovy, and certainly not “groovy.”

images courtesy of Sol Creech Band

So when I got my copy of Freedom in the mail and ripped it open, I was in for a few surprises. Sol’s name was scrawled across the front in a graffiti tag style, colored in red, gold and green. I put the album on expecting a sound more akin to reggae than blues. However, when the first track played, it sounded too sexy to be blues or reggae. The soulful opener, “So Fine,” eases you in with its opening harmony and funky bassline: you become a fly on the wall as Sol, George and Jake woo “the girl.” As the song slides out, the tone for the album is set: a tone best described by the title of the Sun Ra album, Some Blues But Not the Kind That’s Blue.

A heavier, focused bassline introduces “Cloud 99,” foreshadowing the soul and funk numbers that pop up later in the album. Tracks like “Tell You a Story,” an upbeat driving song that brings to mind the Dancehall or Northern soul sound and artists like Earl Van Dyke or Chet “Poison” Ivy; or the infectiously head bobbing, rump shaking “Let’s Get Down Tonight,” a track Larry Graham would kill for. These are the songs that get the crowd moving during the live shows. My one criticism would be that on these dance-friendly tracks, the vocals were distracting, and I found myself wondering if the high energy would be better sustained by instrumentals. Of course, the vocals worked great on the reggae-styled pieces as well as the slower, more emotionally exposed blues and soulful ballads.

The reggae sound implied by the album’s cover design first appears on the album’s title track, a roots reggae style tweaked with a little dub. Hints of reggae sometimes appear in subtle ways too, such as in the song “Spirit Down.” This positive, uplifting and somewhat spiritual piece is written and arranged as a blues on this recording, it could easily be arranged into a reggae number, demonstrating that original works as well as the classics are open to interpretation by this versatile group.
The more traditionally rooted blues songs are scattered throughout the latter 2/3 of the album. These tracks really let the group shine. “Rough Catfish” is a down and dirty blues that harks back to Sol’s roots, like the album closer, “Killin’ Floor.” The stand out blues track however has got to be “Don’t You Tell Me.” A subtle saxophone is carried along with the rhythm section, complimenting Sol’s guitar and lifted by the drums. This song oozes a soulfulness that reaches back to Sam Cooke’s rhythm and blues, balancing delicate soul with heartbreak.

It is the approach to Robert Johnson’s “Hellhound on My Trail” where their blend of reggae and blues (with a touch of soul of course) peaks. SCB’s version, “Hellhound,” is not a cover but an alternative interpretation of what the story could represent. Lyrically and musically the band blends the genres seamlessly, using common themes of trouble and hope found in both the blues and reggae.

The Sol Creech Band skillfully morphs the blues, soul and reggae, contributing to the evolution of the styles into, quoting Sly Stone, “a whole new thing.” Freedom is a great introduction to this band’s music and it certainly showcases their major influences. However, after multiple listens I could not help but wish the tracks were rearranged for a more consistent flow. There are sections that work well together, but as a whole it can come off as a collection of songs rather than an album. Despite an almost telepathic connection on stage, these artists have yet to find a common voice in their songwriting. But they are definitely getting close. Freedom proves that.