Jackie Payne

Born on Sept. 26 1945, Payne first sang professionally at age 13 with the Allen Swing Band out of Atlanta and then an R & B group called The Serenaders. In 1963 he headed to Port Arthur, Texas where he waxed his first side, "The Ballad Of JFK" as Little Jackie Payne. He served as a warm up act for Sam Cooke, Jerry Butler, Chuck Jackson, Albert Collins to name a few. He also sang with Collins' group. In 1965 Willard Benton, aka "Funky Slim" took Payne to Huey Meanx of Jet Stream Records to cut 8 sides including the regional hit "Go Go Train".

After a stint in the army in 1968 Payne headed to California and worked with Pee Wee Crayton and gigged with his own bad for several years. During this time he also sang with the The Johnny Otis Show. Payne continued to play and pay his dues and finally got some more studio time. He contributed vocals to three songs on a Kenny "Blue" Ray disc called 'In All My Life" and finally cut his first disc for JSP Records.

Album Discography

"Day In The Life (Of A Bluesman)" (JSP 1998)

**** Teaming up with Bay area guitarist and songwriter Kenny "Blue" Ray (Ladner), Payne blesses us with a 13-song set of originals featuring tough Texas-styled blues as sung by a throaty soul blues veteran. Payne contributed the tough shuffle "Hit The Ground Running", which was later covered by Alligator artist Michael Burks. The slow blues of the title cut is a great showcase for Payne's raspy pipes and gut-wrenching phrasing. It's a B.B. King-like blues about bluesmen getting no respect. "I've made babies and they won't even give them my name". The funny "I'm Still Cool" has Payne asking somebody to "call my baby and tell her I'm still cool" after the relationship ended. Ray adds some tasty (if pedestrian) guitar leads but it's Payne's vocals and a tight band that make this one a winner.

Kenny "Blue" Ray featuring Jackie Payne "Soulful Blues" (Tone King 2000)

*** Second pairing of Payne's vocals and Ray's guitar is primarily credited to Ray as he's gained a small loyal following in California. Despite the title it's really a straight blues album with tight horns and soulful singing by one of the best. This time out the pair do mostly covers, like T-Bone Walker's "Mean Old World", Albert King's "Lonesome", Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin'", Albert Collins' "Hot N' Cold" and even Jimi Hendrix ("Vodoo Chile"). The execution is faultless and both seem to have fun with the material.

"Ain't Nothin' But A Party: Live At Bluesville" (Shades Of Blue 2001)

Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band "Partners In The Blues" (Burnside 2003)

*** 1/2 Steve Edmonson, a friend of both Kenny "Blue" Ray and Payne, invites Jackie Payne to front his band for a terrific soul blues showcase featuring a mix of originals and choice covers. The band warms up with a solid take of Little Milton's "I'm A Lonely Man", but it's track 2 where you know you're hearing greatness. Payne's gritty take on a song made by famous by Johnnie Taylor ("Doing My Own Thing") takes hold of you and keeps you through the next 12 cuts. Payne and Edmonson are credited with two co-writes. The shuffle "Sweet Candyman" & "Monday Morning Comin' Down", which captures the spirit of the blues brilliantly. Payne tears into two soul ballads, "Tell It Like It Is" and "That's How Strong My Love Is". You know you are listening to a great singer when you don't even think of Aaron Neville or Otis Redding during these familiar numbers. Edmonson is a soulful guitar player and both he and Payne show themselves to be expert producers and arrangers on this crisp, clean-sounding disc. Edmonson co-produced Ray and Payne's "Soulful Blues" as well. Bravo!

Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band "Master Of The Game" (Delta Groove Prod. 2006) LISTEN

***** Soul + Blues = "Soul Blues". Simple enough but it's not that simple. Ray Charles once said any music is "Soul" if you sing it with feeling. But too often journalists label any music with a black singer as "Soul". That's ludicrous for not everybody has "Soul". But I'll digress because Jackie Payne does have it...and in abundance. A Gospel-hewn, gritty voice that masters both Soul and Blues games. This new Delta Groove Productions release, "Master Of The Game", is the epitome of deep-in-yo-gut Southern Soul, Staxy Funk and raucous Blues.

Oh, and pardon me for neglecting to mention the co-star, master chord cutter Steve Edmonson. This guitarist and his band (Bill Singletary, Nick Otis, Carl Green and John Middleton) are a perfect match for Payne. Edmonson first worked with Jackie as producer on "Soulful Blues", a collaboration with Bay area guitarist Kenny "Blue" Ray. This lead to the first Payne-Edmonson outing, the mighty fine "Partners In The Blues".  This new one is even better with ten dynamite originals and three choice covers. Picking a single must be migraine-inducing for these folks since so many cuts stand out. My picks would be "Sweet Landlady" and "A Fool Named Me". A concise, cheeky Downhome Blues, "Landlady" has Payne singing. "I got a sweet landlady I love to pay my rent on time/See she takes the rent on trade/I don't have to spend one dime!". A tart solo by Edmonson, sharp horn blasts by Green and Middleton (dubbed the "Sweet Meet Horns") and icy slick B-3 courtesy of John Thomas punctuate this gem. Meanwhile "Fool" is a pure Southern Soul propelled by Wurlitzer, a horn backdrop and an aching vocal by Payne. Inspired. Payne proves he's got that special (and elusive) something singers like Otis Redding and Bobby "Blue" Bland possess. Equally magnificent is "Warm Rain Fallin'", which captures the same mood as "Cruisin'". Great sax lead by Green. Blues pounders like "Mean Evil Woman", "The Real Deal", "Woman In Kansas City" could cause dance riots in local juke joints as will Funk/Blues numbers like "Black Cat Roun' My Do" and the title track.

Of the covers we have a quickened "A Nickel & A Nail", an appropriately moody "I'll Take Care Of You" and a sprite "Just The One (I've Been Looking For)" that is already gaining airplay in the South. This is turning out to be the best year for Soul Blues in recent memory now thanks in large measure to Jackie Payne & Steve Edmonson's "Master Of The Game". Buy it now I tells ya!