Vanessa Collier – A Rising Star

Vanessa Collier is a musician with credentials.  A 2013 graduate of the Berklee College of Music, Collier was a featured artist in Tommy Castro’s Blues Review on the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, and her sax playing has been praised by none other than Buddy Guy.  Honey Up, the up and coming artist’s self-produced new release, shows that Collier is a musical force to be reckoned with.  Collier wears many hats – her sax playing and vocals cut through the mix on every track, and she’s no slouch as a bandleader and songwriter.

The sharp and sassy lyrics of “Don’t Nobody Got Time to Waste” are a great example of Collier’s songwriting.  The intricate double time arrangement, buoyed by William Gorman’s keyboards and the horn section of Collier, Quinn Carson (trombone) and Doug Wolverton (trumpet), sports a groove that will make it hard for listeners to sit still.  The title track gives listeners another dose of Collier’s witty and defiant lyrics.  The funky arrangement demonstrates a clear love of the JB’s.  Gorman’s deft touch on keyboards keeps the arrangement moving, while horn riffs from Collier, Carson and Wolverton dial up the energy level.  The instrumental “Percolating” lives up to its name – it’s a great showcase for Collier’s chops on alto sax.  She’s clearly listened to a lot of Maceo Parker’s music – his punchy lyricism and bubbly energy find their way into her playing.

Collier has an obvious gift for mining the sounds of funk and soul.  The tracks on Honey Up that are more grounded in the blues may not have the same infectious energy as the R&B material, but they are still full of first class musicianship.  Blues guitarist Laura Chavez adds mojo to the upbeat shuffle “You’re a Pill.”  While Collier’s lyrics explore the addictive nature of love, the horn section and keyboards work beautifully together.  On the no-nonsense slow blues “Love Me Like a Man,” Collier delivers a sultry vocal performance that could steam up listeners’ windows.  Her solo on tenor sax captures the smoky grit of the late AC Reed. 

Collier is a master performer whose music draws from a deep well of influences.  She’s got all the qualities of a rising star – let’s hope that Honey Up puts her on the radar of plenty of blues and R&B fans.