Jimi Bott

The venerable group of musicians gathered together to form the group known as The Proven Ones create a musical statement for both 2018 and the ages with their CD entitled Wild Again. In doing so, they pay tribute to the celebrated history of The Blues, while maintaining an innovative and modern stance. This band plays the blues without compromise, diving into the project and packing a terrific punch on both sturdy originals and well-chosen covers.

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-- Randall Parrish

Ben Rice - Wish the World Away

Recorded and mixed at Portland’s Roseleaf Studios under the direction of all-star drummer Jimi Bott, Wish The World Away is Ben’s seventh CD. He handles all vocal and guitar duties with a lineup that includes Bott handling percussion on five tracks and Dave Melyan on another.

-- Marty Gunther

#2. Jimi Bott
 

Bott’s resume is extensive and includes stints with Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and the Mannish Boys. And his award shelf is overflowing; he’s been nominated 19 times for Blues Drummer of the Year in the annual Blues Music Awards. One of the many projects that Bott is keeping busy with now is a band called the Proven Ones that also features Kid Ramos, Willie J. Campbell, Brian Templeton and Anthony Gerracci.

That’s Proven Ones in the sense of proven track record – drummer Jimi Bott and guitarist Kid Ramos are both former Fabulous Thunderbirds, and other band members have a host of awards and other credits to their name. And on this 10-track outing, half and half originals and covers, they live up to their credentials big time.

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A surge of B3 from Anthony Geraci heralds the opening R’n’B blast of Cheap Thrills, augmented by crunching guitar chords from Ramos, and a rock solid bottom end from Bott and bassist Willie J. Campbell, while Brian Templeton weighs in with gutsy vocals. And that’s just the start.

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Wild Again is the real deal – proof positive.

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-- Iain Cameron

The joint is jumping with rocking blues provided by the team of Willie J. Campbell/b, Jimi Bott/dr, Kid Ramos/g, Anthony Geraci/B3, Brian Templeton/voc and a sweaty horn section of Joe McCarthy/tp, Renato Coranto/ts with Robert Crowell/bs. Templeton has a street savvy grit to his voice, and works it well as he growls to the B3 on foot stomping honky tonks like the dramatic “Cheap Thrills” or cries out with stomping piano and guitar on the blueser “If You Be My Baby.” The saxes swing as the rhythm team shuffles to Kansas City on “City Dump” while everyone sways on the Memphis STAX grooved “Don’t Leave Me This Way.” Things get really interesting on the 10 minute opus “Loan Me A Dime” that has Ramos delivering some tasty string work that weaves through the Hammond, letting the whole team stretch out like Salt Water Taffy, while the bands take of The Beatles’ “Don’t Let Me Down” is a hard hitting affair, segueing into a misty percolating jam. These guys sizzle like grilled onions.

--George W. Harris

With each person having already distinguished himself as an individual performer, sideman, or member of such accomplished blues bands as The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, The Mannish Boys, and Sugar Ray & the Bluetones, it should come as no surprise that the new soul-blues-rock supergroup The Proven Ones can make some great music together. But what may surprise you is just how great the music on the band’s debut album Wild Again (Roseleaf Records) is, with the recording quickly becoming one of our favorites of 2018.

The Proven Ones are the new blues super group...Now that is definitely an understatement. This cast of music greatness has no less than 40 individual Blues Music Award nominations between them (not to mention another 18 as members of The Mannish Boys) and are some of the most established artists of their generation.

The Proven Ones are an all-star ensemble built from the bottom up. [They] have over 100 years of combined experience. Their collective knowledge is what makes them seem like they could keep recording forever. This band plays the music we crave and it just gets better with each listening.

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-- Richard Ludmerer