Premiere: Savoy Brown Ain’t Done Yet

They're havin' fun with Jags and Caddys

L-R: Kim Simmonds, Garnet Grimm, Pat DeSalvo; Photo: Juan Junco

One of the world’s longest-running blues/rock bands, Savoy Brown began delivering stellar blues-rock in London, then took up residence in New York without missing a beat. Leader Kim Simmonds continues to deliver the music he and fans love while keeping the music fresh. “I try to find new and progressive ways to write and play the music I love,” Simmonds said.

After more than half a century and 40 albums under the belt, Ain’t Done Yet, number 41 in the Savoy Brown catalogue, incorporates a multi-layer approach to recording the guitar parts, a continuance of Simmonds’ approach for the past decade. Recorded at Showplace Studios in New Jersey, studio owner/engineer Ben Elliott passed away shortly after the recording and the album is dedicated to him.

The result speaks for itself. Recently nominated for a Blues Music Award for Blues Rock Album of the Year, the album spent weeks on Billboard Magazine’s Blues Chart.

With performances curtailed by Covid-19, the band is releasing fun videos, and Elmore got lucky with a Premiere. Simmonds said, “I wanted to write a boogie song about an iconic car, and at first I thought of a Cadillac, because it had such an important place in American life. It was the vehicle that many older blues artists were photographed driving, but my first attempts made me realize that the imagery surrounding the Cadillac had become somewhat clichéd.

“I turned my thoughts back to the 1960s when I started playing and performing. At that time my brother had an E type Jaguar (XK-E model), a ‘Jag’ as we would say. It was a beautiful ports car; one that Prince Harry was seen driving after his wedding to Meghan Markle.

“So I changed from Cadillac to Jaguar, and the chorus of the song says…..’I don’t want a Cadillac…..my Jaguar car is the best thing that you’ve seen.’ That was artistic license because in fact I love Cadillacs as much as Jags!”

Simmonds infuses the 10 tracks on Ain’t Done Yet with spirit, vitality, and plenty of room for band improvisation. Savoy Brown is long-running bandmates Kim Simmonds (guitar harmonica and vocals), Pat DeSalvo (bass) and Garnet Grimm (drums).