Buford – Get Ready

Buford
Get Ready
DB Productions 2010
www.cdbaby.com/cd/Buford

Guitar is the featured instrument on East St. Louis, Illinois native Buford Noris’ debut CD, the inspirational smooth jazz flavored Get Ready.

Buford, who now lives and works in Houston, credits his deft touch on electric and acoustic guitars to his influences, which include George Benson, Jimi Hendrix, and his father, blues guitarist Henry Noris, Sr. Though uncredited, the spirit of Wes Montgomery can also be heard in Buford’s solo guitar runs.

Musicians jamming in the combo organized for the CD session are Gary Easter and Nick McNack on bass, Wayne Gordon and Andre Venson on keyboards, Mark Holter and Jeryl Harper on alto sax and John “Puncho” Williams on drums. Eddie Rojas plays the trumpet on “Is It Right?” All offer solid support to the guitarist throughout.

While Get Ready is inspirational jazz, it is not an instrumental album. In fact, most of the tracks feature a lead singer, background vocalists, or both, with solo contributions by Dorian Allen and Kim Williams especially noteworthy on “Live Your Life” and “Thank U,” respectively. D’Rell raps smartly on “Is It Right?,” a song about searching for the right way to live. Starr Busby’s aggressive lead on “I’ll Try” complements the selection’s funkiness.

“Live Your Life” is a “wait ‘til your Father gets home” warning to those who are cavalier in their wrongdoing, i.e., that “Christ is coming back soon.” The song is the album’s top track because of its engaging repetitiveness, though Buford’s cover of “People Get Ready” runs a close second. The Curtis Mayfield classic is the inspiration for the album’s title and cover artwork, which features a train engine in the station.

The concluding track, “Amazin’,” is a bluesy as well as country take (yes, you read that correctly) on “Amazing Grace.”

Sometimes the background singers carry the vocal line by themselves, and whenever this happens, they remain in the background aurally when they should have been brought to the fore for a stronger group sound. Otherwise, Get Ready is a pleasant listen, especially for those who like their sacred on the smooth side.

Three of Five Stars

gPod Picks: “Live Your Life,” “People Get Ready.”

Reviewed by Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.