Blue Views

Mr. Charlie Frazier

Burlington’s becoming pretty famous for its alternative music explosion and there’s quite a great community of blues musicians and artists rocking the city as well. And when Sandra Wright stares at you from the cover of her band’s new CD “Shake You Down,” you know you’d better do what she says or she may very well jump right out and make you.

Now based in Ludlow via Tennessee, Nashville’s loss is Vermont’s gain. The well schooled Wright has a very impressive resume: jingle compositions for Coke and Oprah Winfrey, theater roles, a one-woman show tribute to Bessie Smith that drew raves, and recently, performing as the featured vocalist for Gatemouth Brown. Her band members are experienced road warriors too, having played with James Cotton, Roy Buchanan, James Montgomery, Delbert McClinton, Jerry Reed, Gatemouth Brown and Vassar Clements, to name a few.

Twenty-one years ago, Sandra Wright recorded an album Wounded Woman for the legendary Stax Records. When Stac went out of business before they could release the recording, the album hit the vaults and was never released. Aretha Franklin heard the original tapes and used two of her songs on her hot album “You.” Elvis Costello’s Demon Records recently rescued the album from the vaults and released it. This new power house release will need no rescuing, though your CD player might. You may need help getting it out of your deck, it's that infectious!

Recorded at NYC’s historic BMG Studio B shortly before it closed in 1992, this album sizzles as soon as you push “play.” “Don't Do Me” punches your solar plexus immediately, and the round house continues with the title track. Propelled by guest Allman Brothers guitarist Warren Haynes searing slide guitar. He also wrote and played on “Who to Believe,” a slow burning blues number. Seven of the eleven tracks are originals,and the sonic quality throughout earns high marks for producer and engineer Suzy Fink. The forty-something singer hits all the highs and lows, from the grinding funk of “Another Hard Day” to the sweet soul of Ann Peeble’s classic “Can’t Stand the Rain.” The snare drum throughout punches holes in your ear wax, and overall will keep you moving over the course of the entire CD, fast or slow. It's refreshing to hear hard driving blues/rock from a woman’s perspective, and Sandra is now afraid to put her voice or emotions on the line. 

Considering that Sandra and her band are playing festivals all over the United States and Canada, we’re lucky to have them around to play regularly at Club Metronome. Their CD release party at the Burlington club on February 25, 1995, was jammed and jamming, as all her shows here are packed, sweaty blues-fests. A few gigs back Roy “Future Man” Wooten from BelaFleck and the Flecktones stopped by to pay his respects to his old Nashville friend and band on some drums. You should drop in and see her too. Catch her now, before the price of admission goes up…and for the next best thing to the live experience, check out Shake You Down. 

“Mr. Charlie” Frazier operates the double headed monster “Blues For Breakfast;” as a radio show host on WIZN Sunday’s from 9 to 11 a.m., and on sax, harp, and vocals in clubs all over New England and New York. He’s also Burlington’s favorite window washer!