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- Blues Revue #84 For a testament to the power of blues tradition, check S.E.Willis' "Luckiest Man Alive." Charlie Musselwhite and Mark Hummel are among the guests, digging into smart, simple material. Willis shows why he's one of the most sought-after blues pianists; he covers different styles with aplomb, comps like a master, and bangs out a mean solo. Quick pick: midtempo shuffle "Halfway Out the Door." | ||
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- Bill Mitchell Blues Bytes May 2002 While the major blues labels have slowed productivity lately, my mailbox has been stuffed lately with strong independent releases. That's a good sign that there are still a lot of good blues acts out there and leaves hope that the slump in the recording industry will reverse soon. The best of the bunch comes form Bay Area pianist/singer S.E.Willis with Luckiest Man Alive (Merrimack Records). This one goes beyond the expectations of most indy releases, as it includes several "name" guest stars in Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite and Mark Hummel. Willis is a hot boogie woogie piano player and an above-average vocalist. At times his singing style is reminiscent of Nite Cats crooner Rick Estrin. The scorcher here is an original slow blues, "Four Years Gone By," with exquisite piano work from Willis and fine harp from Musselwhite. Another favorite number, "Cry To Me," blends country and gospel as Willis plays both organ and piano. Willis again tears up the 88s on a cover of the classic "Corrine Corrina" and on his own "My Baby's Sweet." Luckiest Man Alive is well worth searching out. |
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- Tom Hyslop Blues Revue March 2001
With dedications to the Killer, Fess, Hank Williams, Clifton Chenier, Bob Willis, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson, S.E.Willis' stuff had better be top-notch. Well, he has a firecracker in Airn Beats Nairn (Globe/Mr. Suchensuch 9032). When the keyboard/harmonica/accordion player hits the ground running with "Skate, Scram" a rockabilly/jump number, you figure "swing revivalist." Then the title track kicks off; it's dirty bayou blues, and it's time to reconsider, baby. Before all is said and done, Willis--who, by the way, can sing and write smart songs, too--has burned through boogie-woogie solos, second-line marches and more. The swamp-pop ballad "Baby Why," the hard Memphis/Chicago "Drinkin' Blues" and the witty, explosive Sun rocker "Past Tense" stand out. | ||
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- East Bay Express, Nov. 13 1998, Lee Hildebrand
"From the Jerry Lee Lewis rockabilly of Ferriday to the Profesor Longhair rhumba boogie of New Orleans and the Nathan Abshire Cajun sounds of the bayou, Willis and band take a bon ton romp across the Louisiana musical map. Formerly with second-line drum master Zigaboo Modeliste's band, the Oakland-based musician is a commanding singer and keyboardist (piano, organ, and accordion) who delivers classic and original material with conviction and authenticity." | |||
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Steve Willis:
All you need is love... monkey- By Bonnie Holmes
Sometimes all it takes is a love monkey to get you motivated. At least that appears to be the case with S. E. (Steve) Willis. Love Monkey is the title of one of Willis' latest and favorite originals, and may well be the name of his Albums, which he hopes to debut by Christmas. It's a frisky New Orleans influenced bluesy tune that features Willis' more playful side."A long time ago a friend of mine thought 'Love Monkey' would be a good title for a song, "he says. Willis says he's been writing a lot lately... something he's gotten heavily into after he decided that being a musician is what the universe has intended for him to be. "I've gotten back to being a band leader," says the long time blues, boogie-woogie, rockabilly, zydeco musician. "I realized I wanted to write songs and make records and the way to do that was to have a band under my name. Other new songs, Past Tense and Baby Why, underscore the fact that Willis' music is deeply rooted in traditional American forms, including gospel, country and New Orleans rhythm and blues. Past Tense sizzles with enthusiasm while Baby Why bleeds like a broken heart. "I love all the forms of great dancing roadhouse music'" he says. At the same time, his approach is not limited to recreation or preservation of the sounds of a vanished era or a lost America. Willis' songwriting in particular goes beyond that to create a wholly individual and heartfelt synthesis of all he's experienced and heard. Once again, he proves to be not just a first class musician but a fabulous entertainer. A veteran bandleader, Willis has taken a supporting role in the bands of such artists as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddly, Albert King and Jimmy Rogers. He sang for three years with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and appeared on their 1995 CD "Weve Come a Mighty Long Way." He's also worked for three years with Meters member and New Orleans drumming legend Joseph (Zigaboo) Modeliste. "For the last six years I've been learning things," he says. Now, it's evident, he's ready to lead. Willis has played on numerous recordings over the years, including a 1992 CD collection of the best in Arizona blues, Blue Saguaro. A 1998 Arizona Blues Hall of Fame inductee, Willis has strong ties to the copper state and even stronger ties to Flagstaff. Long-time blues fans may remember Willis as one of the founders of Charly's Monday Night Blues. A Coconino High School graduate, Willis hooked up with bluesman Tommy Dukes in the early '80s, drawing the crowds that kept the historic Weatherford Hotel from boarding up its windows and crumbling into the dust of a time gone by He's also spent some time in popular local bands such as The Shake, Wayward Sons and The Willis Brothers Band. | |||
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