The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra - What Are You Waiting For? (2024)

The San Francisco based Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra is the 2007 brainchild of guitarist/songwriter Anthony Paule. Inspired by authentic Blues recordings of the ’60s and ’70s, this dramatic horn driven powerhouse took shape. Known for having top tier singers like Frany Bey and Wee Willie Walker, the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra invites newest member, vocalist Willy Jordan to the stage. Having worked with Elvin Bishop’s Big Fun Trio, Willy’s commanding vocals and unpretentious stage presence give audiences an honest fresh and heartfelt experience. Past recordings have garnered the Anthony Paul Orchestra seventeen Blues Music Award nominations. This new album is their sixth for Blue Dot Records. The Orchestra has their own captivating sound but comparisons can be made to Bobby “Blue” Bland, Bobby Womack, Otis Redding, Tyrone Davis and Al Green.

Produced by Anthony Paule, his wife Christine Vitale, Larry Batiste, and Willy Jordan most songs are written by them in various combinations. The album opens with a great vocal from Jordan with a guitar solo by Paule; throughout the album Endre Tarcy plays bass, while Kevin Hayes plays drums. Also included through the album is the four-piece horn section of Derek James, trombone; Ethan Pires, trumpet; Charles McNeal, tenor saxophone; and Bob Sudduth, baritone saxophone. Also featured through the recording are backing vocalists Omega Rae, and Nona Brown.

The album kicks off with the chilling “You Ain’t Old Til You Cold”. The title track “What Are You Waiting For? follows; the song possesses a familiarity that makes it friendly and relatable. “One Way” includes Jordan crooning the lyric “I’m gonna’ buy you a ticket, and make it one-way”. ” You’re Somebody Else’s Baby Too” includes Lufrano on keyboards as Jordan sings “I saw you last night and I knew you’re somebody else’s baby too”.

On “Back Up Plan” with the great four-piece horn section Jordan chimes “baby here I am, I’m gonna be your man, that’s my backup plan. “Where Is Justice” is written with the addition of M. Smith. “Bruised” features an infectious beat as Jordan sings “it started way back when…what did you do, I’m so confused, you left me bruised”. On “Love Out Loud”, Jordan chimes “what do you do when you wake up with love…yesterday is gone…open your heart, love out loud”, with some more great sax from McNeal and Sudduth. On the follow-up Jordan sings “that’s how I remember it , baby, “That’s Not How The Story Goes”.

“No ToFu” is a funky tune featuring the background vocalists, The Sons of The Soul Revivers; Dwayne, Walter, and James Morgan, in a ‘call and response’ with Jordan singing “bring me some barbeque, I don’t want no tofu”.

“After A While” is a song solely written by Vitale, which was the first song she heard Jordan sing, and it inspired this fabulous album “after a while, when we meet I’ll say hello, when we meet, oh baby, I’ll be fine, I’ll feel the new day, after a while”.

The Anthony Paul Orchestra shares observations of life’s hopes without finger wagging or preachy rhetoric. Jordan glides through this varied musical landscape with captivating confidence. The release date of October 25th should re-establish the Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra as the best little big band in the land. ~Richard Ludmerer