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Morris, Reggie Wayne
Published: July 2003
Story: Jeff Royer
Photo: Press photo |
Reggie Wayne Morris looks like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Bob
Marley. His voice will remind the listener of Stevie Ray Vaughan or a
young Huey Lewis. His playing is a hybrid of rockabilly and jazz, and
evokes the memory of legendary blues guitarists Buddy Guy and Albert
King.
The local scene has its own next big thing in the blues right in its
own backyard, and he is burning up the scene at a rapid rate. Morris
brings an infectious, lively, biting blues sound with him every time
he plugs his Strat in and begins to wail.
Billy Joel once penned the immortal line in his signature song,
"Piano Man": "And they sit at the bar/and put bread in my jar and
say/ Man, what are you doing here?" After checking out the Morris
live show, it is the first question that jumps out. With his
way-too-cool cowboy hat and flying braided dreadlocks, Morris may be
the next big breakout performer from the area.
Hailing from the Baltimore area, Morris is a regularly featured act
in the South Central Pa. region, as well as in his own hometown and
the Capitol corridor. Blues are his stock in trade, and Morris is
bringing to life all the masters that came before him. His first CD
release, Gotcha By Your Blues (1997, Round Robin Records), is a
lively, bouncy, explosive mixture of originals and cover tunes that
jumps right out of the speakers. Originally a rocker, Morris was
encouraged by his manager (and now wife), Gina, to explore his blues
tendencies on guitar.
"I met him at a Fells Point bar," Gina Davis says. "I walked in, and
his playing just blew me away." Davis is no stranger to the music
scene, having fronted her own band in New York City, Gina Harlow and
the Cutthroats, during the height of the punk/ new wave movement in
the late 1970s and early '80s. "Debbie Harry [of Blondie], the
Romantics, the Ramones, the Talking Heads were all my
contemporaries," Davis says without blinking. A sprite ball of fire
who offers that she "bears a resemblance to Joan Rivers" (only more
attractive and less annoying), she started out playing bass and
singing before taking time off to raise kids. After delving into her
maternal instincts, Davis found herself learning more about the
business side of the music industry - everything from management to
writing to recording and theory - and soon took her newfound
knowledge to the land of crabcakes and the Chesapeake Bay. That's
where a chance encounter changed two lives.
Morris was born into a musical family. His grandmother and uncle had
profound influences on him, and introduced him to the blues. "My
blues influences were Muddy Waters, Hounddog Taylor, and Big Mama
Thornton," Morris says, "but it's not limited to the blues. I just
love music, all kinds of music."
As Morris got older, Jimi Hendrix became a huge musical influence on
him. His first band, Midnight Landing, played an endless string of
one-nighters doing essentially a Hendrix tribute. As time passed,
Morris began to gravitate more and more back to his blues roots. In
the early '90s, Morris founded the Baltimore Blues, and began hitting
the circuit as less of a tribute act and more of a blues/ rock
outfit. Morris' diversity and talent is somewhat of a curse, as his
first release, A New Sound, was an eclectic mixture of rock, funk,
blues, and covers that, while showcasing Morris' incredible musical
range, left most industry insiders unsure of what exactly Reggie
Wayne Morris really was. Talented? Absolutely. But, they had no idea
how to package and market him. In some instances, the journey, and
not the destination, is the story. Such is the Reggie Wayne Morris
saga. It was during this period that Morris re-established himself as
a local draw, sliding from rock to blues with equal strength. Then,
fate stepped in.
"It was at The Full Moon Saloon in Fells Point [Md.]," Davis says.
"There was this guy playing in there, and he blew me away. His blues
skills were raw at the time, but he had a great sound and was a great
rock guitarist." That guy, in fact, turned out to be Morris, and the
pair soon became inseparable.
It was then that Morris' career hit a new stride. Davis and Morris
combined their talents to form Morristar Productions, and housed
under their production company's umbrella a record label, Round Robin
Records, as well as Chicadawg Publishing. "It's so much easier to
focus on the performing and writing, and separate responsibilities,"
says Morris, speaking of his wife's role in his career. At Davis'
urgings, he began to lean much more on his blues roots. His next
release, Gotcha By Your Blues, Morris' first all-blues effort, is
stripped down with raw energy.
With her influence, music savvy, and sheer force, Davis managed to
snag a distribution deal with City Hall Records of San Rafael,
California. Joined by Ezell Jones on drums and Chris Sellmen or Harry
Werner on bass, Morris began carving out new territories on the
eastern circuit.
Now, his high-energy, high-octane performances are regularly winning
over audiences. Thanks to a new alliance with the NACA (National
Association of Campus Activities, which is the linchpin between
artists and college entertainers), Morris' music is now reaching a
younger generation. With Davis as the driving force behind the
scenes, Morris has a full plate of show dates, and has established
himself as a force to be reckoned with.
"I'm writing material for a new CD," says Morris. "It's embryonic
right now, and I'll probably be done with [writing] it in another six
to nine months or so." But while Morris' act is good on disc, it
really jumps live. And Morris says he just loves the Pennsylvania
audiences. "We really appreciate the people that come out and give
their support. That's what keeps us going. We play a lot of places,
but Pennsylvania is number one with us as far as audiences go,"
Morris exclaims.
A regular at KClinger's Tavern in Hanover, Morris and the band
recently took the stage there to a full house. Shouts and whistles
were heard frequently over the din, and no one dared yell out "'Free
Bird'!" while the cats were cutting their chops. On the opening tune,
"Half a Woman," Jones on drums laid down a thick groove that Werner
on bass quickly settled into. Morrisslipped on the shades, wiggled
his hips, shook his ass provocatively, and got the appropriate
response from the female assemblage of the evening.
This band does not communicate much on-stage vocally; they don't need
to. They follow the boss and their language is universal, and the
vibe is very tasty as a result. Highlights of their performance
included the melodic funk of "Hey, Joe" and the unexpected "Star
Spangled Banner," which, when people recognized the tune, got the
entire place on its feet, lighters burning. It was neither hokey nor
jingoistic. Morris says, "I put that in there. [I] love seeing the
reaction it gets," as a sly grin crosses his expressive face.
The follow-up to Gotcha By Your Blues is Blues Binge, a 13-track
collection that is a more polished, relaxed blues album. Morris seems
to be settling into his chops and grooves like an old man in an easy
chair. Playful and sultry, this CD sounds like what the blues ought
to sound like. Listen closely to the first track, and you can feel
the heat from a hot, dusty roadhouse that has no air conditioning -
the kind where the blues licks are hot and the beer is cold, and
bodies sweat and melt into each other. Morris' writing is becoming
more playful as well as thoughtful. His voice is hitting a great
groove, too. It's seasoned and throaty, without sounding like he
gargled broken glass and smoked three packs of Marlboros to make it
that way. His voice makes waiting for his new CD an anticipatory
event, and one that will keep people coming back until it is out.
So, to answer the question of what Morris is doing here: he's playing
the blues and loving every minute of it, that's what. Catch this guy
before he's gone.
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