The Tomás Doncker Band & Pulitzer Prize Winning Poet Yusef Komunyakaa join forces to bring listeners an astounding sonic masterpiece called “Big Apple Blues.” The title song announces itself as loudly as possible before settling into a mellow, laid back vibe. Tomás’ vocals betray the false serenity by exposing secret glimpses of pain and suffering. The band then takes us on a musical journey “with Basquiat for company.” “Can’t Say No” launches into phenomenal drum work by Mike Faulkner and is further enhanced by David Barnes’ spectacular harmonica playing. “The New Day” slows the pace down, with Tomás’ powerful vocals once again serving as centerpiece to the action. Doncker and James Dellatacoma excel on guitar and you will never hear background vocals as beautifully arranged as they are on this particular selection.
“Hellfighters Of Harlem” is a funky jam session that brings Yusef to the forefront as he reflects on the days of Jim Crow and “the brothers fighting overseas.” “At This Midnight Hour” gives listeners that slow blues drag that sounds especially great at…midnight. It conjures up images of seedy bars and dark alley ways. The band paints a picture with every note.
“Little Blue Room” could be mistaken for yet another sad, love song with lyrics about crying and being kicked in the heart one too many times…but the upbeat instrumentation transforms the track into something that’s actually humorous. It could easily be envisioned as the musical equivalent of a Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin movie in which the comic hero bumbles into one unfortunate event after another. Listeners don’t need to worry though. With a band like this, Tomás Doncker always comes out on top.
“Coney Island” is a breezy, carefree tune about the famed amusement park. “That Horse” soars with a fun, country and western vibe. “Ground Zero” hits with a harder edge and more somber tone while “Fun City” is pushed over the top by Mike Faulkner’s fabulous horn-playing. The entire band work so well together that it is easy to determine why the music sounds so amazing. Tomás, Yusef & the musicians mentioned earlier, along with the incredible Nick Rolfe(Keyboards) and Alan Grubner(Strings), made this project a huge success. The songs will resonate deeply with the listeners. “Big Apple Blues” is a musical treasure.
– Kevin Keith
