What if James Brown, the self-proclaimed "Godfather of Soul," had stayed in rhythm and blues? Or if Junior Parker or Little Johnnie Taylor were still alive? If so, then they would try to imitate Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows.
Founded in the early 1970s in southern Illinois by Larry "Big Twist" Nolan, guitarist Pete Special and sax player Terry Ogolini, the band combined Big Twist's singing experience from the 1950s with the tight sound of urban soul.
Several years later the band migrated to Chicago. The influence of that city's legendary blues artists such as Willie Dixon and Muddy Waters gave the band the blue-tinged edge sometimes missing from funk and soul artists. After three albums on independent labels Flying Fish and Alligator Records,the band is currently touring to highlight its upcoming release, "Bigger Than Life." Saturday's appearance at the Flood Zone before a small but hyped crowd indicated how powerful the new album, a live recording, must be. Opening with the funk instrumental "New York Mary," the Mellow Fellows showcased their intensely tight arrangements. Then Special belted out "Chicken Heads," closely followed by keyboardist Sid Wingfield's wailing version of "(If You Leave Me) I'll Go Crazy."
As soon as the band began "The Sweet Sound of R&B," Big Twist himself sauntered onto stage and began singing some of the best rhythm and blues this side of Memphis. Big Twist's size gives him his name, as does his growling yet rich voice. He belted out Willie Dixon's "300 Pounds of Joy" and "Love the Life." He effused soul in "I'll Be Coming Home," "Turn Back the Hands of Time" and "Let the Good Times Roll."
He also proved he can handle the blues in "Same Old Blues" and Robert Johnson's classic "Sweet Home Chicago" . . . all the while giving each song his unique signature.
Robert Cray may have the best-selling blues album since Bobby Bland's 1963 vinyl, but Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows show that where there's soul, they're "gonna pitch a wang dang doodle all night long." As Big Twist shouted, "Are we gonna party or what?" We did.