Legendary Blues Hall of Fame inductee Bettye LaVette has signed with Jay-Vee Records, and once again, she worked with label founder, Steve Jordan on LaVette!. Other guests include Steve Winwood, John Mayer, and Jon Batiste.
Produced by Steve Jordan, LaVette! features 11 songs written by Georgia-born musician Randall Bramblett, who has been releasing solo albums since 1975. “Randall is the best writer that I have heard in the last 30 years,” says Bettye. “He writes songs that are little soliloquies, they’re like little stories about a moment, or a thing.”
Bettye is backed by Jordan on drums, Pino Palladino on bass, Larry Campbell on guitar, Leon Pendarvis on keyboards, and Chris Bruce on guitar. Guest artists include a diverse group of singers and players like John Mayer, Jon Batiste, Anthony Hamilton, Steve Winwood, Ray Parker Jr., Rev. Charles Hodges, James Carter, and Pedrito Martinez, just to name a few.
Even if you don't know the sharp twists and turns of Bettye LaVette’s story, or for that matter, her wide-ranging influences, you can hear the traces of all of it in her voice. “Bettye LaVette is like a combination of Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday and Miles Davis,” says producer Steve Jordan. “When I prepare a band for her, I make sure we have it together. When she joins us, we’re only gonna get one or two takes, because she puts her heart and soul into each performance.”