Just Right Band: “I Want More”
– a stellar album!
The other day during one of my many nostalgic musical moments, I ran
through my vinyl record collection and came across albums by groups like
The O’Jays, The Spinners,...
by Staff March 5, 2018
The other day during one of my many nostalgic musical moments, I ran
through my vinyl record collection and came across albums by groups like
The O’Jays, The Spinners, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The
Temptations, The Stylistics, The Delfonics, The Four Tops, The Isley
Brothers. Most of these brothers have run out of time, others, like part of the
Isley Brothers, though still highly respectable, have run out of ideas.
A listen
to last year’s “Power Of Peace” collaboration with Santana, more or less
confirms this. It was kind of sad thinking that those fantastic American soul
groups are very much a thing of the past. Then I remembered reviewing a
single called “I Want More” by the group Just Right Band, only a few
months ago. Longtime friends and veterans of the community, the group is
made up of lead singer Michael Veal aka Ve’ Al, Ronald “Shammika”
Ernest (guitar, vocals), John “Petoe” Ragas (bass guitar, vocals), Kurt
Brunus (keyboards, vocals, trumpet), Warner Williams (keyboards) and
Brennan Williams (drums, vocals).
Luckily for me I discovered that the Just Right Band have a full-length 11
track album out right now, entitled, none other than – “I Want More”.
This recording finds the group furthering their highly emotive brand of R&B,
smooth jazz and Southern soul to great effect. This is such a great collection
of music. Some of the songs are romantic, while most are very lushly
orchestrated with extremely tasteful arrangements.
It’s actually difficult for me to listen to just one song off this collection
without feeling the need to go through at least six to eight tracks which have
become my personal favorites; it just sets such a peaceful loving mood.
Listening to these stellar fellas croon will transport you back to a time when
slow dancing in the basement, at an all-night block party was the thing.
And that feeling will overcome you right from the second track, “Now and
Then” (feat. Ve Al), where Ve’ Al’s rich tenor will make your heart miss a
beat. Of course not before you’ve grooved to the smooth sounds of the
opening title track, “I Want More” (feat. Ve Al).
Moving ahead the record
just gets groovier and lusher.
Catch the sweet falsetto on “Suddenly” (feat. Ve Al), along with the
stabbing horns, and shimmering guitar strums. Michael Veal’s voice
sounds like he is from another world, and when he leans into “It’s Gotta Be
Love” (feat. Ve Al), it’s just so hard to resist. The harmonies are never far
behind, making sure Ve Al has a comfortable cushion backing him up.
“For the Rest of My Life” (feat. Ve Al & Eunice Green) is one of those
favorites I’ve been telling about. Listening to this song, my mind slips back to
a track by Luther Vandross and Dionne Warwick, entitled “How Many Times
Can We say Goodbye.” I’m talking tone, technique and soul in a duet, and Ve
Al & Eunice Green are impressive to say the least.
If you dig those Earth Wind and Fire vocal and brass flourishes, done in a
slower, smoother style then “Be With You” (feat. Ve Al & Flyte) is a track
you’ll love.
But this is an incredible collection that will make you sing, weep,
smile, and fall in love all over again. I found all of those elements in “Baby’s
Love” (feat. Ve Al) and “For the Rest of My Life” (feat. Ve Al).
They are all great songs though, with very sincere heartfelt vocals that will
make your spine tingle and musical arrangements that are perfectly executed.
Both the song subject matter and the range in which these songs are sung just
give me a vibe similar to those old soulful classics by the legends of our time,
which of course is a great thing.
However the Just Right Band are not being derivative in any clichéd way.
This is how this music was meant to sound, and this is exactly how it should
sound, today, as well as tomorrow. Otherwise it would lose its intrinsic beauty
and historic legacy, and become something totally different, something which
already inundates the radio today.
If you love great of R&B, smooth jazz and Southern soul music then this
collection, out via Swamp Island Records, is well worth having, it will
bring you so much joy listening to this music. This is timeless stuff here.
Contact: justrightband@mail.com
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