Cascade Blues Music Reviews

Standing At The Sunrise

Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue

Music Review Reprint from the
October, 2001 BluesNotes
By: Greg Johnson

I Never Knew
Take It Back
Standing At The Sunrise
Into The Fire
Table For One
BlowoutOn "A" Street
I Found Myself In You
Two To Tangle
Let's Get Right With Love
Countdown
Devil's Lake
So Close, Too Soon, Not Yet

"Energetic, fresh and exciting." - "A powerful vocalist backed by one of the Northwest's tightest working bands." That is how I would describe the outstanding presence of Ellen Whyte and Reflex Blue as seen from a live setting. They can hardly be matched by many. Now, with their third release, "Standing At The Sunrise," it must be stated that this effervescent electricity carries over quite easily into the studio as well. This is a finely crafted collection of original songs that defies expectation from a band that knows how to deliver a good time. They haven't just met the standard we've come to expect, they've surpassed themselves raising that standard several notches higher.

The band traveled to Los Angeles to piece this recording together. Along with Seattle's saxophone ace, Sue Orfield in tow, and a seasoned horn section of L.A.'s best, they employed the brilliant producer, Dennis Walker, who has worked magic with a number of artists, most notably Robert Cray. And, Walker's necromancer skills have struck home again. There is a blend of musicians here which can only be attained by years of working together or through the ear of a masterful studio wizard. In this case, both circumstances have taken hold.

I would be hard-pressed to believe Ellen's vocals have ever been brought across in such a pulsating and attention-catching manner on disc before. She is feisty at times and outright beautiful at others. But, as always, Ellen places herself in the forefront and brings it all home so tastefully that it creates a yearning to hear more. The band lays it all open, as well. Garry Meizere's guitar work is punchy and mesmerizing without striking into over-blown solos that are too often the norm with a lot of guitarists today. He shines on numerous occasions throughout the recording, notably on the jazzy feeling, "Let's Get Right With Love" or trading solos with Orfield on "Table For One." The rhythms of Sonny Boyardee and Jay Lundell stand tall, as does the keyboards of Alex Shakari. And, perhaps nothing displays the tightness of Reflex Blue as a whole more than the instrumental, "Blowout On 'A' Street," with its quirky shuffle highlighted by the easy-going harp-work of Shakari.

Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue have shown a knack for releasing Grade-A material with their first two releases, but "Standing At The Sunrise" will certainly leave them standing in more than just the sun, it'll have them shining brighter than a hot August afternoon. In the closing lines of "I Never Knew," Ellen tells us, "It's nice to see you back in the neighborhood." The feeling is mutual and you're going to want to stick around for quite a lengthy stay.