Drawing from his roots in the church choir, Gary, IN born Quinn DeVeaux is the originator of blue beat soul, a rapturous blend of early blues, old-school country and soul. His songwriting is at times uplifting, rapturous and healing with a focus on modern storytelling. Channeling artists such as Sam Cooke, Bill Withers, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, and Leon Bridges, Quinn weaves a rich tapestry of sound that evokes and pays homage to his forebears all while keeping his finger on the pulse with his contemporaries. “For fun I would change the lyrics to songs as a kid. Ultimately I wanted the songs to reflect more clearly the world I was in.”
His latest effort, Book of Soul, was released in February and finds the Nashville-based artist demonstrating his musical versatility and vitality once again. The album is an uplifting affair that brings to mind the sound of recordings from Memphis’ famed Sun Studios in another era. Entirely written and produced by Quinn himself, Book of Soul was recorded in Nashville, TN at The Bomb Shelter, projecting a warm aura that is both rapturous and healing with a focus on modern storytelling. Book of Soul is modern in delivery, but the release reminds the listener of a simpler time when soul and R&B ruled the airwaves.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for “Good Times Roll,” one of the liveliest tracks on the new album. In his recent review of Book of Soul Glide contributor Gary Schwind described the tune: “With the piano and the horns, this one has a New Orleans sound to it and it’s pretty easy to imagine this one either in a jazz club or accompanying a parade down Bourbon Street.” Indeed, there is a Big Easy flavor that shines through on the track as the band layers in flourishes of brass and the kind of boogie woogie piano playing that feels perfect for a rocking club. Quinn lets his band members drop into spicy solos, and harmonizes soulfully with his background singers. In a time when it’s pretty damn hard to let the good times roll, this song serves as a proper dose of smile-inducing musical medicine.
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Photo credit: Elena Kulikova
