"Rufus Thomas," Jackson mutters--the Stax icon who taught America about "Walking the Dog," and how to "Do the Funky Chicken." Jackson then quietly ticks off a resumé packed with soul legends, from the Bar-Kays to Kool & the Gang; if they came through town, he sat in.
Geraint Watkins could pull the same trick. Since the mid-'70s, the Welsh keyboard/accordion player has worked with a staggering roster of artists: Tom Jones, former Seattleite John Wesley Harding, even comedienne Tracey Ullman. If you've caught Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, or Mark Knopfler live in the past few years, you probably saw Geraint (pronounced "grrrrr," like a tiger growling, plus "eint," as in "pint"), too.
This week, Watkins is in town supporting Nick Lowe. In fact, he's not only part of the band, he's also the warm-up act for every show on Lowe's tour--except, sadly, his Bumbershoot gig. Which is a crying shame. Because judging from his new solo album, Dial 'W' for Watkins (Yep Roc Records), Watkins' own songs and performing abilities easily measure up to--and sometimes surpass--the gifts of his better-known employers.
Lowe has described his colleague as "the missing link between Paulo Conte and Howlin' Wolf," and you can hear Watkins connect all the dots in-between on this 13-song set. He renders the minute-long opener, "Two Rocks," with a tenderness that rivals Frank Sinatra, then slams hard into "Turn That Chicken Down," a ramshackle blues à la R. L. Burnside. His smoldering "Soldier of Love" (not a cover of Donny Osmond's 1989 hit, mercifully) reminds you just how spiritually nourishing music can be.
On "I Will," over the quietest of rhythm sections and a thin pillow of organ, Watkins sings with a conviction that suggests that while other youngsters were downing bowls of Froot Loops, he was chomping on classic Stax and Chess label 45s for breakfast. The jazzy "Cold War" shakes it like a vintage Ramsey Lewis instrumental, and Watkins even transplants the Beach Boys' "Heroes and Villains" into Cajun country so convincingly you'll wonder if Brian Wilson ever dipped his toes in the California surf.
Maybe if the crowd shouts loud enough, Nick will let Watkins take a solo turn during their set on Monday, September 6. (And if not, you might want to drop by the Sunset Tavern on Tuesday, September 7... just, y'know, in case....) Regardless, check out Dial 'W' for Watkins. Geraint may never become a household name, but he certainly deserves a fate better than the one Jackson meets with in Kill Bill Vol. 2.
