# CD review: The Gayle Harrod Band – Temptation – 2023: Video, CD cover

- Link: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/04/11/cd-review-the-gayle-harrod-band-temptation-2023-video-cd-cover/
- Published: 2023-04-11T00:04:37+01:00
- Author: https://JazzBlues.EU

**There are bands out there that weave a musical story so vivid that you wind up
in the middle of it. Hailing from Baltimore, MD, The Gayle Harrod Band not only 
understands that but leans into it. The rare, honest, and spell-binding performance
that Blues-lovers crave is born of empathy, total commitment, and complete freedom
from self-consciousness. **

Band leader, vocalist, and songwriter Gayle Harrod achieves that ultimately satisfying
level of performance on The Gayle Harrod Band’s debut release, Temptation, due out
February 2023.

A blues belter with a powerful, expressive and occasionally gravelly delivery, Gayle
Harrod took a lifetime before launching a music career in music. Now in her mid-
50s, the Baltimore native makes her recording debut with this soulful set, and one
listen will convince you it’s been worth the wait.

Harrod sang in public for the first time with the soul-blues ensemble Triple Shot
at age 42 in 2011. In the years since, she’s developed her talent as a member of
Blues Deluxe, a group whose act included classic rock, and the blues/R&B outfit,
Shakedown.

Now a polished entertainer who’s been mentored by Gaye Adegbalola — the BMA-winning
powerhouse who rose to prominence with Saffire – the Uppity Blues Women – and now
fronting her own band, which is composed of several major talents from the mid-Atlantic
music scene, Gayle’s more than ready to assume her rightful place in the spotlight.

Gayle recorded this one last summer and penned all 12 tunes in the set with a lineup
that includes Stan Turk and Buddy Speir on guitars, Brian Simms on keys and Rachelle
Danto on harmonica along with a rhythm section composed of bassist Christopher Brown
and percussionist Chuck Ferrell. Speir produced and contributes additional keys 
and bass, too.

Recorded at 38 North Studios in Falls Church, Va., guitarists Sol Roots, Jonathan
Sloane and Bobby Thompson make guest appearances along with the Beltway Horns – 
Greg Boyer (trombone), Brad Clements (trumpet) and Brent Birckhead (alto sax). And
Mary Ann Redmond, Dusty Rhodes and The Voices of Faith of the First Baptist Church
of Baltimore – Shelley Ensor, Amy S. Taylor, Alice Chase Dorsey, Pamela Grimes, 
Val Murray, Sharlette L. Taylor, Lenard Foust and Steve Grimes – provide backing
vocals.

Fresh and forceful throughout, “Sweet Memphis Man” opens the action atop a funky,
medium-paced shuffle with a stop-time arrangement as Harrod describes a case of 
love at first sight after walking through the doors of a Bluff City nightspot. The
mood darkens and beat intensifies for “Come on People,” which urges peace and understanding
in troubled times, before the hard-hitting ballad “Baby We’re Through” announces
the end of a relationship that should have never started.

The theme continues in the languorous “Temptation” and finds Gayle trapped between
an angel and a devil on her shoulders as she tries to make sense of it all before
she decides to throw caution to the wind the man under the covers “In the Deep Dark
Night” and then requests that he “Bring Me Along” in the uptempo number that follows.

The Delta-infused ballad, “Waiting in the Shadows,” is up next and celebrates finding
solace, comfort and love in the arms of someone after a 15-year wait then gives 
way to the horn-fueled “Break” and rocker “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” which are delivered
from the other side of the romance before Harrod hooks up with an ex in “The In 
Between.” Two more pleasers – the fiery “God Laughed” and sweet “Beautiful Friend”–
close the set.

The genuine fun Gayle is having on “In the Deep Dark Night” (a jumpin’ New Orleans
second line romp) is contagious. On the haunting, Gospel-inspired Texas Blues “Temptation”,
the power and soul of her voice are hair-raising. On “The In Between,” her warmth
and vulnerability are reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt. Her voice is at times, thrillingly
rocket-powered, a signature blend of grit, gravel, and pure defiance. Yet she also
has the ability to summon warm, smoky, velvety tones and has the finesse to draw
the listener in with a heartbreaking quiet, confessional intimacy.

I am honestly just so proud of this album. I’ve talked about recording for several
years now, but I think my lack of knowledge and fear of failure held me back from
actually doing it. Then I lost a very dear friend in early 2020 and very shortly
after the world shut down to covid. It was a real wake-up call. I started to realize
that if I don’t do this now, I’m never going to do it. So, I started going through
all the songs I had written early on and picked a few that I thought were worth 
revisiting. It’s interesting how looking at an old song with fresh eyes, can give
it new life. I used the time during covid to write some new songs and plan the new
CD and I made a promise to myself to not only finish it, but to do it right. No 
shortcuts. The CD was just released February 24th, so I am right now working on 
promoting that, finding representation, and hopefully putting together some tours
in support of it. I’ve really put everything I have into making this CD, heart, 
soul and wallet. There are three of us really at the core of The Gayle Harrod Band.
Chuck Ferrell is one of those folks I met in my early days at the Blues Jam and 
one of the first people who encouraged me to pursue singing. He’s been one of my
dearest friends for almost 25 years and one a Hell of a drummer. When I was first
forming the band, I knew that I wanted him, and an amazing local bass player, Dennis
Michaels. Dennis recommended Guitarist, Stan Turk. We played together in that format,
for a couple of years, mostly as a cover band, trying out some original material
here and there. Sadly, Dennis had some health issues and passed away a couple of
years ago. The music scene in our area is pretty tough and most serious musicians
are playing with multiple bands, so we’ve had a couple of bass players we’ve been
using for local gigs, depending on who’s available. When it came time to choose 
people for the CD, I relied heavily on my producer, Buddy Speir, to help me pick
the right people. He Brought in Christopher Brown for the Bass role, and we’ve been
using him as often as possible on our live shows ever since. He also brought in 
local guitar heroes, Sol Roots, Bobby Thompson and Jonathan Sloane to do some solo
work, Brian Simms on Keys, and Background Vocals from Mary Ann Redmond and Dusty
Rose. On horns we brought in a group of guys we had worked with on a live stream
during the pandemic, Greg Boyer on Trombone, Brad Clements on Trumpet and Brent 
Birckhead on Sax, collectively known as The Beltway Horns. We had a couple of songs
that needed harmonica, so I brought in my friend Rachelle Danto. Last, there were
a couple of songs that really needed a Gospel feel. I called in my Friend Shelley
Ensor who leads the Gospel program at a local college music camp and told her I 
needed “a couple of vocalists” to do some gospel backups. She rolled into the studio
with a full 8-person gospel choir! Buddy, filled in some missing pieces himself 
on slide guitar, organ and a little bass, – an interview with me said **Gayle Harrod.**

A rock-solid debut, don’t resist … _Temptation_ is worth a listen! Part of the instant
connection she brings to the listener may be inherent in her songwriting. “I don’t
know how I functioned or survived all those years without this means of expression,”
she says. “My writing is very personal. I dig deep into my own experiences and feelings.”

We recommend that you definitely own all of this musician’s albums and especially
this one and enjoy it!

**Tracks:**

01. Sweet Memphis Man (3:05)
 02. Come On People (3:53) 03. Baby We’re Through (
4:01) 04. Temptation (4:57) 05. In The Deep Dark Night (2:53) 06. Bring Me Along(
3:44) 07. Waiting in the Shadows (3:55) 08. Break (4:03) 09. You’re Gonna Miss Me(
3:37) 10. The In Between (4:55) 11. God Laughed (4:10) 12. Beautiful Friend (5:02)

[**Buy from here – New CD 2023**](https://store.thegayleharrodband.com/)

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