{"id":742,"date":"2016-09-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-24T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2016\/2016\/09\/24\/hearing-aide-bruce-katz-band-out-from-the-center\/"},"modified":"2016-09-24T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-09-24T00:00:00","slug":"hearing-aide-bruce-katz-band-out-from-the-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2016\/2016\/09\/24\/hearing-aide-bruce-katz-band-out-from-the-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Hearing Aide: Bruce Katz Band ‘Out from the Center’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"91o6m87zkl-_sl1500_\"Bruce Katz Band, the Hammond B3 and piano legend based in Woodstock<\/a>, released his latest album, Out from the Center<\/em>, on September 16.\u00a0The album, released by American Showplace Music, features Katz’s longtime bandmates Ralph Rosen on drums and Chris Vitarella on guitar and vocals. All three members contributed songs to the effort, with Vitarella receiving a special “featuring” mention for his significant\u00a0presence throughout.<\/p>\n

The aptly named title track literally sits at the midpoint of the album, but is also it’s centerpiece, it’s highlight, and the gravitational center that pulls the rest of the tunes together. The name is apt also for the feeling actual song itself, with its extended deep dive into swirling organ and languid psychedelic guitar jams, it’s certainly moving ‘out from the center’.\u00a0If the intent wasn’t quite clear, maybe\u00a0the parenthetical title “Hippie Tune”\u00a0will drive the point home a little better. This is the blues through the filter of the Allman Brothers, which makes sense given that Katz has served as sideman for Gregg Allman, Jaimoe\u00a0and\u00a0Butch Trucks.<\/p>\n

The surrounding tracks, revolving around it’s jamming core (out from the center),\u00a0hew closer to the traditional blues. Though, what is your<\/em> traditional blues? Katz explores them all, in a journey across the blues landscape. From\u00a0Southern rock to Texan boogie-woogie to St Louis style\u00a0to New Orleans funk, no lonely avenues are left untravelled.\u00a0Each style is played impeccably across 11 all-original tunes. These\u00a0blues aren’t really all that blue though, the music is light and joyful,\u00a0more of an\u00a0escape from the doldrums than an excuse to stay there. The album cover’s bright purples, yellows and oranges speak perfectly to the product inside.<\/p>\n

Key\u00a0Tracks:<\/strong> Blues From High Point Mountain, Out from the Center, Dis-Funkshunal<\/p>\n