The Fabulous Wailers

Tacoma rock and roll legends the Fabulous Wailers released their most recent album, “Rooster Rock” last month after a recent resurgence of activity coinciding with the group’s 50th anniversary.

Following a split album with fellow 50-year local rock legends the Ventures, “Two Car Garage” featured both bands’ re-recordings of old hits decades later.

“Rooster Rock” is the Wailers’ homage to the music that inspired them to become some of the most noted rock musicians of the Northwest in the 1960s.

Putting an updated spin on old blues, rock and R&B classics by musical greats Little Richard, Fats Domino and Chuck Berry, to name a few “Rooster Rock” is literally an instant classic.  Bringing the soulful, high-energy sounds of new rock and roll into 2009, the Wailers make the old and familiar fresh and new.

Original members Kent Morrill (lead vocals, keys) and bassist Buck Ormsby are joined by guitarist John Hanford, drummer Ricky Lynn Johnson and Neil Rush on the sax.

Attempting to coin a new phrase with the definition of the term “Rooster Rock” printed on the back of the CD sleeve, this album fits the music’s description to a T:

“Rocking roots music … a little blues, southern gospel, rockabilly and some country. All scratched into a rockin’ sound.”

As what the Wailers consider “a mixture of what made rock ‘n roll,” the covers of the band’s old-school muses give fans of the Fabulous Wailers a taste of what got them on the scene, and subsequently went on to inspire other rock legends over the following five decades.

Starting out with “I’m Ready,” originally recorded by famed R&B rock pianist Fats Domino, the Wailers set the tone for the 10 tracks to follow. Keeping the classic rock ‘n roll time signatures accented by brassy sax department, the Wailers pay tribute to the era, while simultaneously keeping the tunes up-to-date and relevant for today.

 Renditions of old-school blues numbers “Change Gonna Come” (Sam Cooke) and “Something On Your Mind” (BB King/Etta James) are slowed-down highlights on “Rooster Rock,” delivering a mellow, sexy blues pace and classic R&B sway with Morrill’s rich, soulful vocals and Rush’s melancholy sax solos.

Upbeat rock and R&B tracks “Good bye Johnny” (Chuck Berry) “Slippin and a Slid’in” (Little Richard) and “Madison Blues” (Elmore James) are lighthearted, fun and completely danceable, signature of the simpler times in rock and roll’s sometimes dark and dreary history.

Rollicking piano tracks and harmonica take the spotlight in the final track “Rooster Boogie,” a welcomed instrumental close to the album, which sums up all the sounds, styles and emotions that impacted the boys from Tacoma before they made their impact in the Northwest, and international, music world.

See the Fabulous Wailers perform “Rooster Rock” live at the Swiss at 8 p.m. Dec. 17 with special guests. Cover is $15, or $10 with a non-perishable food item. Find out more about the Fabulous Wailers at http://www.thefabulouswailers.com.

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