The Texas Horns Everybody Let's Roll Blue Heart Records

The Texas Horns (Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff – saxophone/harmonica/vocals, John Mills – saxophone, Al Gomez – trumpet) return with another dynamite set of tunes on their third album, Everybody Let’s Roll (Blue Heart Records). The album features 13 tracks, with 11 originals, mixing blues and classic R&B.  Backing the horns is a host of guest musicians, including Jimmie Vaughan, Anson Funderburgh, Carolyn Wonderland, Johnny Moeller, Mike Flanigin, Marcia Ball, Guy Forsyth, Mike Zito, Michael Cross, and Carmen Bradford.

Ms. Wonderland takes the mic for the rip-roaring title track, serving as a mission statement of sorts for The Texas Horns. Funderburgh and Mike Keller play lead and rhythm guitar, respectively, on this track. Next, Zito ably handles vocals on the gritty R&B rocker “Why It Always Gotta Be This Way,” before Moeller and keyboardist Matt Hubbard join the Horns for the boisterous instrumental “I Ain’t Mad With You.”

Funderburgh returns with vocalist Cross, bringing a New Orleans flavor to the funky “Alligator Gumbo,” and Forsyth sings of the benefits of living life to the last drop on “Die With My Blues On.” The album’s lone cover is an intriguing one, a funked-up cover of the Beatles’ “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” that works very well.

Vaughan contributes vocals and guitar to the tremendously hip shuffle “Too Far Gone,” and Texas jazz singer Bradford nails the swinging “Watcha Got To Lose,” featuring guitar from Funderburgh and harmonica from Kazanoff. The Latin-flavored instrumental “Apocalypso” gives the spotlight to Gomez’s trumpet and Mills’ baritone sax.

Forsyth returns on vocals for the slow burner “Prisoner In Paradise,” which has the feel of those early ’70s horn bands such as Blood Sweat & Tears, Tower of Power, etc. The funk-laced instrumental “The Big Lie” gives ample room for each horn to stand out, and Moeller’s wah wah guitar sounds great. Kazanoff takes lead vocals on the rousing “Ready For The Blues Tonight,” with Marcia Ball on piano.

The album concludes with an inspired reading of J.B. Lenoir’s classic instrumental “J.B.’s Rock,” featuring Vaughan and keyboardist Flanigin.

Everybody Let’s Roll has the feel of a house party that you definitely want to be a part of. Listeners will find themselves spinning this one over and over again.

--- Graham Clarke