By Ron Wynn
NASHVILLE, TN — Grammy-nominated pianist, songwriter, producer and bandleader Victor Wainwright is happiest and at his best when on tour, something he particularly missed when the COVID-19 pandemic essentially shut down live music across much of the nation just as his most recent LP “Memphis Loud” was released. So this latest tour for Wainwright and his outstanding band The Train, which comes to Nashville Wednesday night, has a special a meaning for the powerhouse artist. “We kind of got caught in the squeeze with our last LP,” Wainwright said during a phone interview this week with the Tribune. “We put the LP out right as the pandemic was really hitting hard. So now, while we’re working on a lot of new stuff, we also are playing a lot of songs off the other LP because we didn’t really get the chance before to really tour it. So we’re doing two things at once with this tour.”
Indeed, combining idiomatic references is the trademark of Wainwright’s band and represents his broad views about both the blues and roots music in general. “What we’re doing, and this time we’re going to have the horn section with us, is we’re putting our 21st century spin on the classic big band blues and R&B sound. We add some funk, some honky-tonk, some country, while we keep the blues sensibility and feel. Some people when they hear the term blues, they think it’s restricted to a guitarist, a bassist and a keyboard player. We have never looked at it that way. Our whole definition of roots music is broad-based, it’s exploring the entire spectrum of the sounds that comprise American music, and presenting it to audiences in a way that keeps it contemporary, but still has the classic feeling.”
That definition also extends to Wainwright’s approach as one of the finest pure pianists in either blues or jazz. His style incorporates elements of New Orleans R&B, Chicago refrains, even Texas and West Coast shuffle and jump blues flavor, and he promises fans that he’s also going to offer them examples of the biggest influences on his piano playing.
“I’ll be doing some Jerry Lee Lewis numbers in honor of the Killer,” Wainwright continued. “Plus some Pinetop Perkins, some Ray Charles for sure. We want to get that soulful feeling out there too. There’s so many things that you can do within the blues framework if you’ve got the desire and the band members, and I’ve got guys who’ve been with me anywhere from six to 10 years. What I always try to do with the songs is allow the guys freedom to make their own statements, but maintain the groove and the intensity while doing that.”
As a music lover who grew up in a Savannah, Georgia musical family, Victor Wainwright has been immersed in the blues and roots music since hearing his grandfather’s boogie-woogie solos. After winning six Blues Music Awards and having his last LP top the blues charts, Wainwright remains eager and animated about the band, his music and touring. “This music can certainly be enjoyed on record, but it’s always best to hear it done live, get that audience reaction and interaction, and we’re thrilled to be doing that once again.”
Victor Wainwright and The Train at 3rd and Lindsley, 818 Third Avenue, Wednesday night 7:30 pm.
