Big James Funkin' Blues Reviews

Big City Blues Magazine June-July 2001 Pg 46
Review By George Seedorff
Big James with The Chicago Playboys Funkin' Blues
After the passing of Johnny Christian, a lot of people thought The Playboys were over. But under the strong hand of "Big James" Montgomery on lead vocals and trombone, the band is as tight as ever and getting more so all the time. James got his first taste of the blues when, as a young teenager, he would stand outside of a club on the south side of Chicago and listen to B.B "Big Voice" Odum sing with Billy Branch and the Sons of Blues. Eventually he was allowed to sit in with the band and the rest is history. At 19, he joined Little Milton's band. After playing with Milton for two years he joined Albert King's band. After a while he returned to Chicago to play with a string of local bands. But it was his association with the late Johnny Christian that really changed things for him. Says James, "Little Milton gave me my start, but Johnny really turned me loose. He was such a great singer and a major influence on me that I will always be grateful t him."

In 1996, along with fellow sidekick Charlie Kimble on sax, James joined Buddy Guy's band. They performed all over the world and James got to take part in the House of Blues "Barnburner" Tour. The same year the Chicago Playboys rocked the main stage of the Chicago Blues Festival featuring the dazzling Nellie Travis and Phil Guy. Over the years he's shared the stage with the likes of Eric Clapton, George Clinton, Larry Coryell and Lou Rawls, among others. In recent years he and the band have played virtually every Chicago club of substance. Funkin' Blues is one of two releases James has put out on the independent Jamot Music Label. The other is If it Wasn't 4 Da Blues. Funkin' Blues includes five James Montgomery originals and covers like Clarence Carter's "Messin' With My Mind," James Brown's "Blues And Pants" and George Clinton's "Cosmic Stop." James is a gut bucket blues screamer of the first degree who keeps musical company with this exceptional ensemble of Chicago blues pros, all of whom know how to keep it uptown, funky and in the pocket - George Seedorff

Jamot Music, PO Box 375 Island Lake, IL 60042,
visit the web site at www.BigJames.com

Blues Access Magazine - Spring 1999
Homebrew - Review by Bill Kisliuk
"Big James' Funkin' Blues (Jamot Music) is horny in an entirely different way. James Montgomery's voice has so much intensity and grit that it's hard not to think of the late Luther Allison when listening to him bring it. But unlike Allison's guitar-driven, rocking blues, Big James is really a soul man. He's one of the world's rare trombonist/leaders, and the five-piece Chicago Playboys put the reed section right there in the spotlight.

The bass buzzes, the guitar chugs alongside and sax player Charles Kimble ably displays his earthy tone on several cuts, half of which were written by Big James. Sure, there's some bad-ass straight Chicago blues, but James wants your feet to feel the beat of several styles of syncopation. The authors of the cover tunes include Denise LaSalle, Clarence Carter and P-Funk's George Clinton and Bernie Worrell. Some funky, funky 'bone going on here."

Down Beat Magazine - December 1999
Page 78 Review by Frank-John Hadley
Big James Montgomery and the Chicago Playboys like to keep their blues joyous and funky in a way masters George Clinton and James Brown would approve of. Montgomery's a gritty, big and bold singer at his most effective on the heart-stopping slow blues original "I'll Never Be The Same" and on a persuasive treatment of Magic Sam's "All Your Love." He's also a powerhouse on trombone, taking the occasional solo and joining sax player Charles Kimble in igniting fiery riffs.

Living Blues Magazine - March/April 1999
(Page 90) - By David Whiteis
"Trombonist Big James Montgomery is the front man for the Chicago Playboys, a rough-and-ready soul/blues outfit directly descended from the band that used to accompany the late West Side vocalist Little Johnny Christian. The Playboys have recently been working steadily as Otis Rush's backup aggregation.

Montgomery's voice is full bodied and supple, and he sings with a power that's sometimes almost frightening. As instrumentalists, he and saxophonist Charles Kimble share a burly swagger and a high-energy drive. Their broad-toned riffing splashes bright colors behind Montgomery's vocals, and their charts are snappy and imaginative. The arrangement on James Brown's Blues & Pants is especially tight, creating a booty-kicking groove that the two horn men ride jubilantly with taut, funky solos.

Baby I'm Gone is a throat-ripping blues ballad that pushes Montgomery's pipes to their limit, and guitarist Giles Corey weighs in with a wall-to-wall spitfire solo. The minor-key I'll Never Be The Same features some Otis Rush-influenced guitar from Corey, and Montgomery's voice ascends into fractured realms of torment reminiscent of vintage-era Buddy Guy-his trombone solo, although a little incongruous in this setting, is supple and well conceived.

In the production on Keeps Me Runnin' Back, a Denise LaSalle tune, Montgomery puts the song over through the sheer force of his vocal delivery. The band takes Sugar Pie DeSanto's I Wanna Know (a Little Johnny Christian favorite) at a breakneck speed that pushes the horns past the limits of their prowess. Montgomery and his men transform Sam's All Your Love from a West Side guitar anthem into a horn-drenched modern blues; but again Montgomery's throaty roar makes you sit up and take notice, and Kimble's sax solo combines the elegance of uptown soul with the bare-nerves grit of a backstreet alley. George Clinton's Cosmic Slop, despite Montgomery's high-octane vocal attack, attains neither the hard-funk righteousness nor the gonzo absurdism of the original. The exhilarating final cut, however, revels in a brash, almost New Orleans street-funk groove.

It's encouraging to see a young Chicago band toss its hat into the contemporary soul/blues ring; there's more than enough musical virtuosity on display here to make this disc appealing to most listeners."

Review from Buddy Guy's Website...
"The Chicago Playboys have been one of the hardest working bands on the Chicago club circuit for the last few years and now they have a CD to show for their hard work.

The first solo recording for Big James Montgomery is a delicious blend of blues and R&B. Funkin' Blues, on the independent label, Jamot Music, is an uptempo, horn-heavy blues jam. Backed by the Chicago Playboys, Big James works overtime on trombone, pumping out fun-infested horn jams with the help of his cohorts.

This CD is a testament to hard work and persistence. The Chicago Playboys have become a staple on the blues scene in Chicago and this CD displays the talents of it's members. Funkin' Blues also proves that the local blues scene in Chicago is still second to none. Pick this one up, you won't be disappointed."

Review from Big City Blues Magazine
Dec.1998/Jan.1999 - (Page 23) - By Jim Feeney
"If you are talkin' horn fueled blues band in the Windy City, then you are talkin' Big James Montgomery and the Chicago Playboys. Through their recent work, both live and on recordings with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, the reputation of this tough, hard hitting, hard working band has begun to spread beyond Chicago across the U.S., Canada and Europe.

Big James Montgomery and the Chicago Playboys recently released their debut recording Funkin' Blues. The CD is a hot mix of blues, R&B, soul and funk and features a great mix of excellent originals and choice covers, including a rousing version of the Suga Pie DeSant song "I Wanna Know". The CD has received some very positive initial reviews."

Review fron The Chicago Reader - Nov. 20, 1998
Critic's Choice - (Page 10) - By David Whiteis
"Their true calling is best summed up by the title of their debut CD, Funkin' Blues (on the homegrown Jamot label). Montgomery and saxist Charles Kimble do the funkin', riding the band's booty-shaking grooves with tight-fitting solos, and guitarist Giles Corey supplies the blues; explosive assaults on up-tempo numbers, searing meditations on ballads. Montgomery's wail is fuller and more supple than the punchy shout funksters seem to prefer, and he can sing with frightening power."

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