A
little blues witchcraft reflects the mood of New Moon Rising, title of
the recently released CD by the Ed Neumann Band.Ed Neumann
By Patrice Raplee
A
little blues witchcraft reflects the mood of New Moon Rising, title of
the recently released CD by the Ed Neumann Band.
Long
time blues and swing musician/keyboardist, Neumann has played music in Portland
for the last 30 years. The nucleus of the current band formed four years ago
when Neumann tired of playing a singles act. The sound of the band started taking
on a decidedly swing theme after adding a few horn players.
Neumann
and his band were playing at the Monte Carlo in southeast Portland when several
customers, who happened to belong to a swing dance club, started showing up
for regular performances. By word of mouth, or foot shall we say, the popularity
of Neumann's music spread throughout the dance community.
He
continued his swing dances at the Powell Street Depot until recently. With a
following of 50 to 100 swing dancers showing up for a regular Wednesday night
tete-á-tete, the band has been looking for a bigger venue to accommodate
the ever-growing crowd. Although the group plays swing music, look out for their
blues tunes.
Neumann
sings a rich beautiful ballad of Damn Your Eyes, made popular by the
incomparable Etta James; this version recorded live on Neumann's CD will definitely
pull at the heart strings of anyone who has ever been in love. A combination
of original and copy tunes, New Moon Rising was recorded live in Portland,
then mixed down at Falcon studios by Lou Solomon. Though a bit on the raw side,
the CD has a quality that can only be obtained through a live performance.
The
title song, an original, departs slightly from the rest of the mix, incorporating
a soft rock ballad with a rhythm and blues feel. Over all, the production value
is good and New Moon Rising shows the band's ability to capture blues
and artfully deliver it to your ear.
The
CD release party at Kelly's Olympian on April 25 was standing room only, a good
indication of Neumann's chances for the CD to be a success. It's currently available
at Music Millennium, Tower Records and Locals Only. Check Bandstand
for upcoming dates.