Artist:     Vanessa Collier

Album:     Honey Up

Label:     Phenix Fire

Release Date:     7.6.2018

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Vanessa Collier is fearless. She’s been on the rise ever since graduating from the esteemed Berklee College of Music in 2013. Building a reputation as one of the most charismatic live performers in blues today, Vanessa has wowed audiences worldwide, already received multiple BMA nominations, and the backing of a major record label. Yet, she’s decided to self-release this one, with momentum in her favor.

To simply call her a blues artist doesn’t paint the whole picture. She’s a multi-genre musician, playing deep funk, soul, jam band, and rock in addition to blues. She could also do a wonderful job playing jazz if pressed. She’s a multi-instrumentalist too, handling alto, tenor and soprano saxes in addition to guitars. Her music is joyous as she never fails to bring an audience to their feet. Yet, it’s more than just a show. An award-winning songwriter, Collier writes most of her own material including nine of these ten on Honey Up. She brings a pulsating, driving intensity to all of it, including the cover of Chris Smither’s “Love Me Like a Man,” popularized by Bonnie Raitt, and a crowd favorite in Collier’s live shows.

Accompanied by her well-travelled road band (Nick Stevens -drums, Nick Trautmann – bass, Sparky Parker -guitar, and William Gorman – keyboards), Collier also enlists the support of master guitarist Laura Chavez, who also appeared on her previous album, as well as Quinn Carson (trombone) and Doug Woolverton (trumpet) for half of the tracks, featuring some ensemble horn parts. Collier is primarily an alto saxophonist with a soulful style that evokes Cannonball Adderley and Lou Donaldson; and a honking vibrato that calls to mind Jr. Walker.

She kicks off with the horn-infused stomper “Sweatin’ Like a Pig, Singin’ Like An Angel,” and follows with NOLA second line brass effects on “Don’t Nobody Got Time to Waste.” Here, as throughout the album, Vanessa mixes in her own background vocals. Hers is the album’s only voice. Gorman’s clavinet signals the funk of the title track which continues into the instrumental “Percolatin’,” driven by Trautmann’s bass line and Collier on tenor. The sound of Collier’s acoustic guitar and soprano sax yields to rather breezy soul for “Icarus.” The blaring horns return for “Fault Line,” which rocks hard and includes all the players, highlighted by Chavez’s scorching guitar.

The swampy “Bless Your Heart” is a slight departure from most of the album has it has both Collier and

her guitarist, Sparky Parker, on resonators with Collier taking a defiant feminine stance: “Don’t call me sweetheart, don’t call me your baby….” The full ensemble returns for the swinging horn-driven tune, “You’re a Pill.” This one, as much as any tune, and especially Collier’s alto solo, clearly echoes Jr. Walker. “You Get What You Get” has some Crescent City piano from Gorman and carries a Dr. John vibe.

This album reflects Collier’s live act: animation, charisma, and a strong command of all those classic sounds from the deep South, Memphis, New Orleans, Detroit, and Chicago. You owe it to yourself to catch her live. She’s one of a kind.

—Jim Hynes