Southern Avenue

Stax/Concord Music Group

Southern Avenue is the first Memphis based band to be signed to the new Stax Records. They are a quintet that combines the soul, blues and gospel traditions of that city with a youthful exuberance all their own. They are named after Southern Avenue, the street that leads to Soulville, the original home of Stax Records.

The band includes gospel trained lead vocalist Tierinii Jackson and her sister Tikyra Jackson, drums, percussion, and background vocals; Jeremy “Mr.88” Powell (from The Ghost Town Blues Band), keyboards; 2013 International Blues Challenge participant Israeli-born Ori Naftaly, guitars; and Daniel McKee, bass. Guest musicians include Luther Dickinson of The North Mississippi All-stars, guitar; Marc Franklin (from the Bo-Keys), trumpet; Art Edmaiston (also from the Bo-Keys) and producer Kevin Houston, saxophones; and Sauvo Jones also from The Ghost Town Blues Band, trombone.

After the 2013 IBC Naftaly settled in Memphis and began to tour with his own band. When Naftaly met Tierinii he decided to give up his band for this new collaboration. A year later they were signed by Stax.

All of the songs were written by the band; mostly by Tierinii and Naftaly. The album opens with Dickinson’s acoustic guitar and some hand-clapping on the gospel inspired “Don’t Give Up”; which immediately became the band’s anthem. Tierinii’s vocal is something special. Dickinson guests again playing slide on “80 Miles from Memphis”.

“What Did I Do” is about a woman “demanding to know what she did wrong”. It is brilliantly sung by Tierinii while sister Tikyra sings the backing vocal. Naftaly lays down the rhythm on his guitar; Houston is on sax and Jones on trombone.

The horn section of Franklin and Edmaiston can be heard on “Love Me Right”; “No Time To Loose” and “Rumble” with arrangements by Franklin. These are beautifully sung by Tierinii. “It’s Gonna Be Alright” is another well-written tune that should receive a significant amount of airplay.

The only cover is George Jackson’s “Slipped, Tripped and Fell in Love” which was a 1971 single by Ann Peebles, on Hi Records, produced by Willie Mitchell. Tierinii’s rendition with Houston’s production is also fabulous.

The closer is another gospel influenced tune “Peace Will Come”. Naftaly takes a short guitar solo while Ava, Laurie, and Bradley Jackson sing the background vocal.

Tierinii states they want to build a legacy of their own. This is an impressive debut from Southern Avenue.

Richard Ludmerer

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