Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers

So on Friday night, I'm going to see one of my favorite singers, the lovely Miss Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers, in a relatively new and extremely gorgeous San Diego venue, Anthology (Seriously. Check out those pictures.) They get some of the best musical talent that comes through town at Anthology - Lee Rocker has played there - but I have yet to visit. They're known for being rather expensive and upscale, but have recently lowered their prices. You can pay just seven bucks for a cheap seat, so when I heard that Lavay was going to be in town, I cleared my calendar.

Lavay has the voice of a modern-day Bessie Smith, the personality of an angel, and the curvaceous look of a pinup girl. She and her exceptionally talented band are based in San Francisco and play some of the most authentic rhythm and blues you'll ever hear today. They were a big part of the swing fad of the 90s, but they were playing this music well before it started and by the sounds of it will continue for many years to come. If you ever have a chance to see the Skillet Lickers live, jump on it. And check out their CDs - the newest, Miss Smith To You!, I have yet to hear but will be buying on Friday. Everybody's Talkin' 'Bout Miss Thing and One Hour Mama before it are classics.

(Thanks to Wikipedia I just learned that "Miss Thing" was on the Billboard Jazz Charts for 20 straight weeks, reaching #10! And check out that list of her band and who they've played with. Everyone from Joe Turner and Duke Ellington to Santana and Lauryn Hill.)

Here's a tune from "Miss Smith To You!" Enjoy! I know I will!

Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You:

Wow! Jump blues and curves!

Thanks for this Andi

Its good to see some appreciation for Lavay Smith

Her "Everybody's Talkin' Bout Miss Thing" cd really is very good

Can't wait to see her tonight. I just hope I feel well enough to enjoy it, this flu has had me for two weeks straight now...

Yeah I dig her too. Got the first 2 albums, not the new one yet.
So how was the gig Andi?

Funny you should ask, Dave, I was just in the process of writing all about it! Thanks for asking!

They put on a great show. The club was almost at capacity, the crowd looked to be having a great time - a few people on all three levels of the club made room to dance, me and my Mother included! I got myself a copy of "Miss Smith To You!" and Lavay signed it for me afterwards - she remembered me from my old radio show years ago and asked me all about living in Australia - I told her one of the big reasons I came back home was because I missed the music, and how thrilled I was to see them again for the first time in probably ten years. Like Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums, the band was still every bit as good as I recall if not better. Lavay's husband Chris Siebert is the bandleader/pianist/arranger - I had Lavay and Chris on my show long ago, but as with all the others, the recording of the interview is lost, dammit. (Funny that two of the longest-running, best jump blues acts out of San Francisco, Lavay Smith/Chris Siebert and Steve Lucky/Carmen Getit, are both husband/wife teams).

Lavay's voice just blows my mind and always has, but seeing that band again reminds me that they are some extraordinarily talented musicians. I spent some time this morning listening to the new CD and reading more about the band. Chris and Lavay were special consultants to MCA Records for their Basie, Hampton, Lunceford and Fitzgerald/Webb Decca reissues. Ellington aficionado David Berger, who arranges for Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (and has a band called the Sultans of Swing on the side) also arranges for Lavay. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, their musicians have some deep and prestigious experience! Also, if you get the CD, you'll notice a distinct male voice duetting with Lavay on a couple of the tracks - that's trombonist Danny Armstrong, who is just a blast to watch perform, both on his horn and when singing. I've never been a big fan of the 'bones, but that guy plays the daylights out of his! I enjoy the album, but there's no question seeing Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers live beats the pants off of just listening.

Since I am still sick, I made it a relatively early night. I don't feel too worse for wear today, but I am lazing around under the covers for most of the weekend just to be safe! At least I got the new Lavay to keep me company!

My faves from the new CD, so far:

It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing
Daddy
I'm Not Evil
Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong)

Gonna go listen some more now!

Glad you had a good time Andi! I'll have to get that new album. See her live would be another thing though, she doesn't tour Belgium much LOL