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Adam Schultz—Soulful Distancing—Blue Heart Records
BHR1013

Whe New York resident Douglas Schultz noticed the evident
capability of his son (who was born in 2002) as a guitar player
he sought out the guidance of Pennsylvanian guitar veteran
Clarence Spady, who in turn, soon realised the potential of

Adam’s talent and offered to mentor him. Over time he guided
Adam in the arts of song writing, live performing and the
workings of studio recording. This collaboration culminated in
Adam appearing on Spady’s latest album entitled ‘Surrender’.
Here on his debut release, a collection of 11 originals and covers
Adam takes lead guitar with Clarence on vocals and guitar, the rest of the ensemble are; Adam

Cohen and Jon Ventre; bass, Sharon O’Connell; drums, Robert O’Connell; keyboards, Scott Brown;
piano with Tom Hamilton on tenor and baritone saxophones.

The opening number Johnny “Guitar” Watson’s ‘A Real Mother For Ya’, introduces itself with a
deep percussive back beat followed by an equally deep bass line. The moody surging organ is joined
by sweeping and swaying brushwork, while above all this a sweetly rich, jazz inflected guitar is
picked. This theme is continued on Louis Jordan’s grooving blues rumba ‘Early In The Morning’. The

nasal twang of Clarence and some tight fuzz guitar playing seems only to add to the groove, as does
a burningly mellow saxophone.

The Adam original, ‘Harlem Tonight’, is a delightfully mellow 1970’s styled soul stirrer, the
understated rising horns and bubbling keyboards fuse with a delicate guitar, underpinning Michael
Angelo’s mellow vocals. ‘Cure For The Blues’, is another horn driven groover, this time aptly

influenced by the West Coast cruising Tower of Power, a sweetly surging B3 only adds to the
enjoyment. Another Adam original is ‘Have Some Faith’, has Russian born Ekat Pereyra taking lead
vocals on this modern day soul stirrer, her sensuous contralto melds beautifully with the relaxing
laid back guitar groove. Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘44 Blues’, fully demonstrates Adam’s highly entrancing and
delicate picking skills, over which Clarence splendidly wails away.

Most impressive!

Brian Harman.

Rodd Bland And The Members Only Band—Live On Beale
Street: A Tribute To Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland—Nola Blue Records
NB 016

Bland is the son of the late great Bobby “Blue” Bland and at a
very early age he became fascinated with music, percussion

especially so and as Rodd said of his father, “He didn’t push
drums or push music on me”, “I just naturally gravitated
towards it”, “I started—as he called it, ‘destroying pots and
pans’—when I was two-and-a-half years old”, he adds “I started
doing shows with him when I was five”. As time passed Rodd

soon became an integral member of the Bobby Bland Orchestra
and after listening to and learning from, as Rodd puts it “The