Somewhere over the rainbow there is this guy that plays the guitar with the kind of conviction that many might see as evidence of divine purpose. His name is Wayne Riker and, on this album called “R&B Thunder” he brings along a fair number of fine vocalists to add sparkle to his blues flavoured bandwagon.
Standards are the name of the game, as you might expect, but a good song is a good song and with much in the way of spirited voices on show, the blues fan looking for something just outside the twelve bar limit will find much to enjoy. David Mosby, for example, throws in enough gospel inspiration, to give added value to “People Get Ready”. Likewise, Whitney Shay’s take on the Amy Winehouse reverse polarity star turn “Stronger Than Me” resonates with reality and the massed voices on “Dancing On The Street” keep that much covered song sounding fresh.
Running straight down the line to musical satisfaction comes easily to Wayne Riker and, with more than enough vocal talent keeping him company, he easily entices you to join him on his journey.