When fellow musicians and acquaintances of Bob Wallis speak of him and his band, a word frequently heard is “drive.” This pair of CDs both illustrate and support that perception.
In the liner notes, Chez Chesterman, who played with Chris Barber for many years, tells how as a neophyte trumpet player in the mid-’fifties he was inspired by Wallis, and says of him and the band, “Nobody, but nobody, had Bob’s drive, vocal capabilities and unusual repertoire.” The very first track on the first CD, “Atlanta Blues” (aka “Make Me a Pallet on the Floor”) illustrates these qualities.
“Atlanta Blues” is taken at a fast clip, as opposed to the slower blues tempo most bands opt for, and this gets things off to a romping start. Most of the track is taken by the ensemble, the melody not being stated, the group extemporizing all the way. The band riffs behind whoever has the lead, but on one chorus where the muted trumpet has the lead, the trombone, muted likewise, plays a very subtle harmony, creating a superb little duet. Wallis’ voice is decidedly raspy—but he does not try to imitate Armstrong, thank goodness—and as he does on most tracks, he improvises wildly above the ensemble, even scatting on occasion. The band thus creates the “drive” spoken of above, but not at the expense of dynamics, which come into play as the band goes on to the coda, starting out in a
