Walter "Wolfman" Washington
(ZOHO Music)
New Orleans native Walter "Wolfman" Washington was forced to flee his hometown when Hurricane Katrina struck. As the veteran bluesman proudly proclaims on "I'm Back," the keystone song of Doin' The Funky Thing – Washington's first album in eight years – "we're going to bring it back!" He's talking about New Orleans, of course, the city devastated by the flooding that came in the hurricane's wake. Assisted by fellow Crescent City legend Dr. John poundin' on the B3, the song's bleak, menacing framework covers Washington's vocals with despair, the darkness punctured by the guitarist's wiry fretwork and positive, hopeful lyrics. The song's message: the city may still be rebuilding, but the "Wolfman" and his Roadmasters band are on the J-O-B and ready to raise the roof for y'all!
Doin' The Funky Thing showcases a revitalized and inspired "Wolfman," Washington drawing upon nearly 50 years of experience and cranking out a set of New Orleans-flavored blues (i.e. heavy on the hornplay); unabashed James Brown-styled funk rave-ups; and smooth, old-school soul. While a song like "One Day From Being A Fool" depends on a silky sound and Washington's jazzy notepicking to create its soul-blues vibe, the rollicking "Just Like That" jumps-and-jives like a barrelhouse rocker.
In between the serious and the sublime, Doin' The Funky Thing is bookended by "Shake Your Booty/Funky Thing," parts one and two, the album's opening and closing numbers delivering on the promise of their titles, tickling your 'drums with ear candy worthy of Bootsy, Ernie Isley, and the Meters. When it's time to get down and get funky, you can always depend on the "Wolfman" to come through with the real deal!
Standout Tracks: "I'm Back," "Crescent City Starlights" REV. KEITH A. GORDON
