Music and Press Reviews
“If she can take it, so can I. Play it, Sam!” – Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca
Spooky Pass 5:04
Firewoman Blues 3:51
Oldsmobile Brokedown 4:27
Panhandle Rag 2:21
Hymnal 3:45
ResOlution 3:41
Luigi’s Revenge 2:24
Audrey’s Last Dive 5:19
Wizard of Wicked 3:36
It’s Not Too Late 3:44
While My Guitar Gently Weeps 4:14
Featuring Butch Baldassari, Jim Hurst, Byron House, Andy Leftwich, Justin Moses, Tom Roady, Jessica Lovell, Lynn Wamp
Ridin Down The Canyon 2:18
Smoke, Smoke, Smoke (that Cigarette) 3:41
Whispering 3:14
Caravan 4:11
Low Country Waltz 3:05
REVIEWS
BLUEGRASS NOW:
“Lou Wamp’s slide rules! Wamp is an exceptional resonator guitarist with his own unique new acoustic flair. Wamp’s album starts with the sound of birds, an owl and Tom Roady’s light percussion on an original “Spooky Pass” that allows all of his Nashville sidemen to shine (Byron House on bass, Butch Baldassari on mandolin, and Jim Hurst on guitar). Some of the other eight originals include Andy Leftwich (fiddle), Justin Moses (banjo, bass, guitar, fiddle), Jessica Lovell (violin), Lynn Wamp (arco bass), or Mark Howard (percussion). Talented multi-instrumentalist Moses played with Wamp in the band, Blue Moon Rising.
In addition to the originals are two covers – Leon McAuliffe’s “Pandhandle Rag” and George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” The comfortable familiarity of these two pieces are relaxing and refreshing in the overall set of largely original music. Readily admitting that his music is not all traditional bluegrass, Wamp prefers to call it “artgrass,” a moniker originated by Byron House to describe their jazzy, new acoustic, bluesy sound. The best example of their firework fingers is on “Oldsmobile Brokedown,” a technically impressive piece written as a tribute to the late Gene Wooten. Featured on Volume 74 of “Prime Cuts of Bluegrass,” this composition is getting good airplay, even as far from Nashville as The Netherlands.
Wamp has over 20 years in the music business, but he’s also an architect, painter, archaeologist, and father to six kids. Besides being a sought after slideman sideman, he certainly has the skill to be a solo artist in his own right. Born in Ft. Benning, Ga. in 1956, Lou had plenty of music (from Elvis to Travis, Bach to the Beatles) around home while growing up. After piano lessons and playing guitar in his high school jazz band, a broken wrist encouraged him to take up resonator guitar. Gene Wooten became a close friend and mentor. Lou played on “Sidemen” nights at the Station Inn and was in a band called Hiwassee Ridge that performed at the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville. Other bands he’s worked with include James Monroe and the Midnight Ramblers, The Dismembered Tennesseans, Cowjazz, In Cahoots, The Cumberland Trio, Blue Moon Rising, and others.
With the release of ResOlution, Wamp’s artistic and expressive playing and outstanding songwriting will take center stage and earn him even greater fame.
Wamp’s dobro playing showcases his expert mastery of hand positions, pull-offs, hammer-ons, picking patterns, bar slants, rolls, and picking sequences. Produced by Butch Baldassari, “ResOlution” is an album that slides in an engaging musical groove.”
Joe Ross – Bluegrass Now
DIRTY LINEN:
“Perhaps no other instrument represents the melting pot of American music better than the resonator guitar, especially when placed in the hands of a deft artist like Georgia native Lou Wamp. Invented during the 1920’s, the resonator guitar was built for Hawaiian and dance orchestras, but wound up in the hands of blues, hillbilly, and jazz musicians – artists who likely influenced Wamp’s fine debut recording. On ResOlution, Wamp slides through the aforementioned styles with the greatest of ease and precision. From the atmospheric “Spooky Pass” and sultry “Firewoman Blues” to the hoedown of “Oldsmobile Brokedown” and heavenly “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, Wamp demonstrates his expressive six-string skills on an instrument worthy of such range and emotion.”
(MS) Dirty Linen – Nov., 2005