High Water
Back in the 1980s, Kim Wilson was merely one member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, a quartet that was as much a showcase for its never-waste-a-note guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, and its lean but rock-solid rhythm section, as it was for its lead singer and harmonica player. But Vaughan exited in 1990, bassist Preston Hubbard in 1994, and drummer Fran Christina in 1996. In 1997, the T-Birds are Wilson plus anyone he hires for a particular album or tour. On the road, that includes guitarist Kid Ramos, keyboardist Gene Taylor, bassist Willie Campbell, and drummer Jimi Botti. In the studio, the band is drummer-bassist Steve Jordan and guitarist Danny Kortchmar, who are Wilson's co-writers, co-producers and co-players onHigh Water. Best known for their work with Keith Richards and James Taylor respectively, Jordan and Kortchmar come out of rock backgrounds and tilt the T-Birds' blues-rock formula in that direction. In various combinations, Wilson, Jordan and Kortchmar wrote all dozen songs on High Water. The spare but muscular grooves are still there, but the catchy chorus melodies and rootsy flavor are both missing in action. Wilson's still a fine blues-and-soul singer, but he has too little to work with here.--Geoffrey Himes