Adam Schultz’s debut CD Soulful Distancing kicks of with an energized rendition of “Real Mother For Ya” originally by Johnny “Guitar” Watson, the renowned blues guitarist who found greater success dipping his strings into the swamp that was funk and disco in the ’70s.
The album consists of 11 tracks including five Schultz originals. Guest musicians include Schultz’s musical mentor Clarence Spady, a 2009 Blues Music Award nominee for Soul Blues Album of the year, who co-produced the album with Douglas Schultz, and sang lead vocals on many of the tracks. Other artists include Adam Cohen on bass (Ray Charles, Engelbert Humperdinck), Robert O’Connell on keyboards, Tom Hamilton on sax (Dizzy Gillespie, The Temptations), Sharon O’Connell on drums, and Scott Brown on piano. Ekat Pereyra delivers vocals to the song ‘Have Some Faith’ and Michael Angelo sings on the other four originals. Jon Ventre plays ocasional bass on two songs and Pat Marcinko adds some percussion.
Like many new blues artists, Schultz’s guitar playing demonstrates decent studio chops for a guitar player so young (he was born 2002). The repertoire ranges from light blues to west coast jazz-rock funk – as a calling card, it demonstrates a keen understanding of the genres without breaking new musical territory.
Had I been the producer of the album, after sound check I would have sent the entire ensemble out to a bar to relax, have a beer, a game of pool, a knife fight in the car park and come back with a little more fire in their veins. The sound is recorded perfectly and any mistakes there might have been were perfectly manicured away like blemishes on a super-model’s magazine cover. Stand out tracks include the mid-tempo funk of “Have Some Faith” sung by Ekat Pereyra, and “Harlem Tonight” with Spady on vocals.
Overall a well-made album, Soulful Distancing is a little too polite and dry for my tastes.
