Vince Agwada: Basic Blue (2011)

Chicago guitarist, composer and producer Vince Agwada has worked the Chicago music scene for over 25 years. This heavily blues and rock oriented musician has worked with artists like Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Magic Slim, Otis Rush, Syl Johnson and Sammy Lawhorn, to list but a few. Of his many awards the most standout one was when, in 1996, Agwada was listed as one of the top 40 Blues artists under 40 by Living Blues Magazine. Basic Blue is his second release as a leader.

Agwada has a heavily rock driven feel to his blues. Seriously punched and driven by drummer Clyde Davis whose vicious two fisted style plays well with Agwada's thick chordal ala-Jimmy Hendrix guitar textures, Agawada approaches his music with a pedal to the metal take no prisoners attitude. Orlando Wright's bass is totally locked into the ensemble so perfectly it's almost impossible to pull the sound of his instrument from the guitar textures. It's as if he and Agwada are one instrument.

Most of the tunes are of the power thrash-blues style, at which Agwada excels. Both "Chi-Town State Of Mind" and "Blindsided," the lead in tracks on the CD, are of this style and open the disc perfectly. There is, however, some diversity. "President," for example, has a nice half-beat style that is accentuated by the addition of Roosevelt Purifoy's keyboard work. The instrumental "Head Too Tight" adds Michael Jackson's spiced up saxophone into the almost pop-oriented backbeat, and "Shake It Up" has a three horn wind section that further helps to eliminate any monotony that might ensue. The down tempo "Black Rain" is so swampy you may have to play the track a number of times before you want to leave; it's that inviting.

Agwada obviously knows what he's doing and plays his hand extremely well on this disc. For seriously diehard blues fans this disc will thrill.

Personnel: Vince Agwada (guitar, vocals), Roosevelt Purifoy (keyboards), Bill "The Buddha" Dickens (bass), Vic Jackson (bass), Andre Howard (bass), Orlando Wright (bass), Clyde Davis (drums), Steve Gillis (drums), Brady Williams (drums), James Knowles (crums), Michael Jackson (saxophone), Hank Ford (saxophone), Bill McFarland (trombone), Kenny Anderson (trumpet), Joshua Scott (organ), Billy Blaylock (percussion), Larry McCray (guitar), Sugar Blue (harmonica), Russ Green (harmonica)

Tracklist:

01. Chi-Town State Of Mind [0:05:00.04]
02. Blindsided [0:04:39.37]
03. President [0:03:25.17]
04. Big City Blues [0:07:13.08]
05. Head Too Tight [0:05:53.80]
06. Black Rain [0:08:53.76]
07. Shake It Up [0:07:25.86]
08. Basic Blue [0:04:05.26]
09. Sirius Biz [0:05:22.05]
10. Right On Time [0:04:39.50]
11. Train [0:03:32.90]
12. She Never Said... [0:05:30.34]

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Vince Agwada: Eyes of the City (2008)

"Eyes of the City” is the long awaited, self-produced debut release from veteran Chicago-based guitarist/singer/composer/producer Vince Agwada that finds the journeyman guitarist tearing loose on an exciting 13-song collection of Blues, Rock, Jazz and R&B based numbers that will blow your socks off.

Check out Agwada’s muscular fretwork on such scorching tracks as “Blooze” and “I’m Coming Home” and you’ll soon discover why this great player is the guitarist of choice for some of the best known names in the blues. Other highlights include “Ellie” with its strong contemporary jazz feel, and the magnificent “Come on In” that features some of Agwada’s vicious slide work. Harmonica virtuoso Sugar Blue guests on the majestic “Rain,” while “It’s a Shame,” “Car Wash Blues,” and “Hard to Cry” find Agwada putting his personal stamp on some of the most engaging contemporary blues to be released this year. “Eyes of the City” is a terrific new album that marks the coming of age of a truly unique artist.

Vince Agwada has been a fixture on the Chicago Blues scene for over 25 years. He has toured the United States, Canada and Europe with many of Chicago's premiere acts including Bernie Mac, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Zora Young, Jimmy Johnson, Son Seals, Junior Wells, Valerie Wellington, The Dells, Sugar Blue, Larry McCray, and Magic Slim as well as his own outfits, One Eyed Jax, and the Vince Agwada Band. In 1996 he was voted one of the top 40 Blues artists under 40 in the country by Living Blues Magazine (issue 120).

Tracklist:
01. It's a Shame [0:05:23.41]
02. Blooze [0:05:18.00]
03. Does it Really Matter [0:04:28.97]
04. Car Wash Blues [0:06:16.10]
05. I'm Coming Home [0:06:31.89]
06. Rain [0:07:59.14]
07. Confidence Man [0:04:58.30]
08. Tubed Out [0:04:02.96]
09. Hard to Cry [0:07:32.90]
10. Come on In [0:05:58.00]
11. Ellie [0:07:35.06]
12. Bottle [0:04:12.16]
13. Eyes of the City [0:06:43.36]
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