2016 – Got Slide Records
By Phillip Smith; Dec. 3, 2016
The tunes on Billy Pierce’s latest album, Shapes of Soul is chock full of New Orleans-rooted
jams topped off with some of the best slide guitar around. Pierce’s
band includes the multi-talented bassist/producer Charlie Wooton, drummer Doug
Balote, and keyboardist Keiko Komaki.
Special guests include the magnificent trombonists
of Bonerama ( Mark Mullins, Craig Klein,
and Greg Hicks), Mike Zito, Jason Ricci, Jeff T. Watkins,
and Michael Doucet.
Pierce sings
about struggling with money in “Paycheck to Paycheck”, an electric song with a
smooth jazz vibe, featuring a terrific performance by the guys in Bonerama. Harp player Jason Ricci dishes out a captivating performance on “Me and the
Misses”. Title track “Shapes of Soul” is
a wondrous instrumental in which Keiko
Komaki ‘s piano performance beautifully compliments Pierce’s slide guitar. “Delta
Queen”, a torch song for the southern man is immersed in a cool groove and slathered
with scrumptious slide as well. The contrasting
guitars from Zito and Pierce sound amazing on “Tears of Joy”. I love the way this song takes a hard right
turn into the land of controlled chaos.
This song turns into one tasty jam when Balote ups the tempo and Komaki
attacks the B3 with full force. Massive
waves of funk and infectious grooves make “Katrina” a definite standout.
I get a little hypnotized with each and every
listen to this delightful instrumental.
Pierce carefully
explores the music acknowledged for its southern roots, and creates beautiful micro-blends
of jazz, blues, and country which lay the foundation for Shapes of Soul.
