The Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band

SAWADEE KAP and Welcome to the home of The Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band

BAND NEWS

After decades of living in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jackie Payne moved to Seattle , WA in 2010 saying that he would continue to work with the band from there.   We haven’t heard from Jackie since then, and it’s now 2014, so we can assume that the band will not perform together again.  We want to thank all of our friends and fans in the Bay Area, and all over the world, for being so supportive for all of these years, we certainly couldn’t have done it without you!

The Bayfront Blues Festival, Duluth, MN ©Matt Koerner

“…one of the best working bands today.”

Frank-John Hadley, Downbeat Magazine

The Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band is currently signed with The Delta Groove Productions label.  The band has released two critically acclaimed CD’s on Delta Groove, “Master of the Game,” and their most recent, “Overnight Sensation.”

What Others Are Saying About The Band’s New CD, “Overnight Sensation”

With a combined 60 years of experience playing soul and blues all around the world, Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson are uniquely qualified to produce music that sounds both utterly fresh and undeniably nostalgic. In an era when music in general seems to have lost its soul, these two veterans have released an album infused with true passion and a timeless groove.

Michael Macomber, Retro Music

Quintessential Soul Blues.  If you listen to the name dropping title track, you get the sense that Mr. Payne has sung with just about everyone in the Texas Blues scene.  If his voice was as commanding back in the day as it is today, you can certainly understand why they wanted him onstage with them.  On this CD, in addition to Mr. Edmonson’s tasteful guitar licks, there is a driving rhythm section and some fantastic horns.

Nick Delay, WVKR-fm

The teamwork on display in the San Francisco-based Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band is tight-knit and spectacular.  On Overnight Sensation, the six band members and their guests swirl together a scintillating and zesty mélange, leaning decidedly towards the soul end of the soul/blues realm they so naturally inhabit.  Overnight Sensation is a colorful affidavit affirming the fact that Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson lead one of the best old-school, new imagination soul/blues acts, period.

Hittin’ The Note

Good music doesn’t get better than this. Jackie Payne & Steve Edmonson give us the best of both worlds, blues and soul, that is. Jackie’s voice is soulful and sensual, bringing to mind the era of classic soul singers who could make every song their own. Steve’s guitar on the other hand is pure blues, it has a beautiful tone and stings like a bee, without being overplayed.

Przemek Draheim, Blues Poland

On their sophomore effort for Delta Groove, Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson demonstrate once again their mastery of the fine art of timeless rhythm & blues delivered with style and flair that recall the classic sounds of Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding and Bobby “Blue” Bland. “Overnight Sensation” is a terrific example of this dynamic and wickedly tight band…

Blues Festival e-Guide

On an earlier self released recording, Payne described himself as the last of the “red hot soul singers” – I don’t know about the last but I’d certainly have no argument with “red hot”.  And – in Steve Edmonson – he has a partner whose fretwork displays all of the dexterity, command of tone and phrasing that is associated with all of the giants of blues guitar, with names like T-Bone Walker, Pete Lewis, Cal Green Johnny Heartsman and Matt Murphy springing to mind.

Mick Rainsford, Blues in Britain Magazine

This music is truly born out of time. Most of the original stuff here sounds like a throwback to when R&B/Funk/Soul/Blues were mixed effortlessly in the towns of Memphis and Muscle Shoals.  Expect another BMA nod to come their way in February and possibly two for the excellent work on this record.

Ben The Harpman, Juke Joint Soul

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Here are some reviews for the “Master of the Game” CD by the Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band:

“Jackie Payne is a gifted performer and he and the band turn in an outstanding performance here…every blues and R&B fan should have this CD in their collection.” – Johnny Otis – R&B Legend

“Delta Groove has struck gold with this dynamic duo: veteran R&B singer Jackie Payne and versatile West Coast guitarist Steve Edmonson…Payne’s edgy and emotive voice calls to mind the heydays of O.V. Wright and Bobby “Blue” Bland. Payne, Edmonson, and their compatriots have delivered an eclectic set of blues, soul, and vintage R&B with a fusion of elegance, musical dexterity, and hot blooded passion that’s become all too rare.”  The Jackie Payne / Steve Edmonson Band is one to watch.  Highly recommended!”

– Mark Coltrain – Living Blues 10/06

“Like few others these days, deep soul stylist Payne operates solidly in the rarefied realm of legends like Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Al Green and Solomon Burke.”- Gary Von Tersch – Big City Blues 11/06

“Jackie Payne delivers authentic soul vocals with the intensity of Wilson Pickett, the power of Sam and Dave, the sensitivity of James Carr, the deep feeling of Otis Redding, and the mischievous cunning of Joe Tex.  The broadly experienced Payne is united with stellar axeman Steve Edmonson and his tight and terrific rhythm masters. The superb horn arrangements and the solid drumming of Nick Otis echo the studio magic of Memphis and Muscle Shoals.  This superb disc is not merely retro soul. It plots a vibrant new path for a wonderful old musical form. Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson are masterful soul song composers; saxman Carl Green understands the value of hard-hitting horn arrangements; and bassist Bill Singletary knows how to bottom out soulful efforts. This is a fine release.”   – B. Lee Cooper – Newman University 10/06

“This new Delta Groove Productions release, Master Of The Game, is the epitome of deep-in-yo-gut Southern Soul, Stax-y Funk, and raucous Blues…these cats got Soul…we all know Jackie Payne has it…and in abundance; a Gospel-hewn, gritty voice that masters both Soul and Blues games.  This is turning out to be the best year for Soul Blues in recent memory now thanks in large measure to Jackie Payne and Steve Edmonson’s Master Of The Game. “ – Dylann DeAnna – BluesWax 11/06

“Jackie Payne is a soul/blues singer of the old school who knows his Bobby Bland and Johnnie Taylor, but has found his own voice. Guitarist Steve Edmonson plays intense solos and has also mastered the intricacies of Soul/R&B rhythm guitar. The music is an excellent mixture of bluesy soul and soulful blues with a whiff of funk…”

– Klaus Killian – Blues News, Germany 9/06

“Payne has not received the acclaim that he surely deserves and Edmonson is a versatile guitarist, whether laying down a rhythm line or stepping out. This new Delta Groove release surely must be the stepping-stone to bigger things for Payne and Edmonson, check these guys out, they’re hot!!”

– Phil Wight – Blues & Rhythm, England 9/06

“Payne is every bit the classic soul singer, able to sing a silky soul ballad or move to a gravelly growl with ease. Payne comes across somewhere between Otis Redding and Al Green but definitely has his own style. Partner Edmonson plays with utter taste, playing around Payne’s vocals beautifully; reminiscent of the way Steve Cropper and Otis used to play together, although Edmonson has a blusier style and can really pour it on when it’s called for.”  – Jeff Harris – Bad Dog Blues 11/06

“There are some people who try to treat Soul music as if it’s a “museum piece”. Then there are those who know that it has a future and seek to carve out a path for it that uses the past for guidance. I think that the Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band is doing a pretty good job of clarifying some more of details of that path.”

–          Bob Davis – Soul Patrol 11/06

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This band combines the talents of some of the greatest and most experienced living Soul, Blues, & R&B musicians.  All of the band members have a complete mastery of the many styles of American Roots Music, and have been performing and recording professionally for decades.  They also share a deep love and respect for the music and musicians who have gone before them, which allows them to infuse every performance with what they like to call “stylistic integrity,” but that many others have called “The Real Deal!”  As Steve says, “in Jackie’s voice you can hear echoes of O.V. Wright, James Brown and Wilson Pickett, as well as Muddy Waters, Junior Parker, Bobby Blue Bland and Little Johnny Taylor, not so much because he has imitated them, but because he is one of them. Once you have seen him perform it’s easy to understand that Jackie Payne is the real deal!” There is no doubt that Jackie is truly one of the greatest living blues singers and deserves to be included in the pantheon of all time greats mentioned above.

When asked to cite his musical mentors, Steve names all of the usual suspects. What makes Steve different from others who cite these same influences is that you can actually hear it in his playing. This is one cat that has really done his homework. Steve’s style is most often compared to either BB King, former T-Birds guitarist Jimmie Vaughan, or Ronnie Earl but he is just as comfortable in the West Coast via Texas styles of T-Bone Walker, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown , Pee Wee Crayton and Albert Collins or the Chicago styles of Robert Lockwoood, Jr., Eddie Taylor and Luther Tucker.

Jackie & Steve ©Judy Edmonson