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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fans of soul-jazz and old-school R&B should enjoy it, October 3, 2006
Clarinetist and saxophonist Don Byron's eccentricity is well known in the jazz community as he has recorded tributes to musicians of different genres like klezmer artist Mickey Katz and jazz legends Lester Young and Duke Ellington. Add to that list R&B saxophonist Junior Walker, who was active in the Motown scene in the 1960's and 70's. On this album, Byron appropriately concentrates on tenor saxophone and is joined by David Gilmore on guitar, George Colligan on organ, Brad Jones on bass, Rodney Holmes on drums, Curtis Fowlkes trombone and Dean Bowman and Chris Thomas King on vocals. The music on this CD recalls the glory days of rhythm and blues, keeping the songs short and solos to the point. The band works well as a team, with solos being spread generously amongst group members.
"Mark Anthony Speaks" has some great soul-jazz guitar from Gilmore and greasy Jimmy Smith style organ, and the uproarious "Shotgun" has some bootin' tenor saxophone and very cool funky vocals, as does "Pucker Up, Buttercup" which covers the poppy end of the Walker spectrum with swirling organ and swinging vocals. "There It Is" is a little out of place, being a James Brown cover, Brown and Walker were both pillars of soul music, but their approaches were quite different. While the focus is primarily on uptempo numbers, "What Does It Take" does slow things a little bit to a slow simmering pace, and "Satan's Blues" is a slow, grinding number that gets down and dirty. While I'd really like to hear more original music from Byron and fewer tributes, there's no denying that this disc is a lot of fun and fans of soul-jazz and old-school R&B should enjoy it. The cover art is really cool too, I wish this was available on vinyl...
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Dance Cabaret, December 5, 2006
Great pick, Don!
During the 60's, the legendary Jr. Walker and his All Stars band was the undisputed King of dance parties, singer sax player band leader showman song writer hit-maker live performer. His signature whinnying sax intros mellowed as he segued into the 70's writing instrumental classics. The man packed a whole lot of punch into a short life.
'Do The Boomerang' is a well-blended concert of totally danceable smooth jazz with a sultry edge that showcases the music Jr. Walker [as Autry DeWalt Jr.] wrote and made famous. Don Byron's playing and improvisations on tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet are consistently terrific. Jazz vocalists Dean Bowman and Chris Thomas King take over and take off with Jr. Walker's vocals, leaving Don free to take off instrumentally and paint his own pictures where Jr. Walker never trod. Likewise for the guitar and trombone members of the band. Hints of rock organ and tambourine keep those great dance beats authentic thruout. The the crew and production are A-OK. Check out the clips!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
he's a soul man, February 2, 2007
this recording is just what it is: the music of junior walker. by don byron on tenor sax on all tracks except when he plays clarinet and bass clarinet on two other tracks. lots of organ and guitar and heavy bass and drums summon from the past funky rhythm and blues, not quite as drenched in funk as the old school originals, but not bad for a visitor. yes, you can dance to these tunes, and there are vocals.
as for jazz? i was thinking of ornette coleman and his origins of funky soul music before he went jazz and jazz classical.
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by Don Byron 
