Jesse Dee

On My Mind/In My Heart

Alligator Records

by Stephanie Schorow

Where have I heard this before, I puzzled while listening to  On My Mind/In My Heart, the new CD by Boston-based soul man Jesse Dee and his first for Alligator Records. Surely, the singer’s rollicking soul sound, those catchy riffs and clever lyrics were covers of past R&B hits.

But no. All 11 tunes of On My Mind,” are written by the talented Mr. Dee, a singer/songwriter/guitarist so inspired by old school that his work seems ripped from another time. Yet, with his distinctive throaty tenor and infectious style, Dee infuses Motown jams, hillbilly rock, Memphis soul and hearty blues with fresh sass as well as a deep respect for the funk tradition. Indeed, Dee puts the “oh!” in “homage.”

Born in 1980 in Boston, Dee grew up in nearby suburban Arlington, Mass., not exactly the mean streets of Beantown. But Dee, who attended the Massachusetts College of Art, had a taste for the oldies; the Drifters, the Shirelles, Smokey Robinson and Sam Cooke are among his influences. After picking up the guitar in his late teens, he fell under the influence of the music of Otis Redding, James Brown, Jackie Wilson and others. He dabbled in rock, toured with a ten-piece soul ensemble and opened for greats such as Al Green, and Etta James.

For On My Mind/In My Heart, which is co-produced by Jack Younger, Dee goes soul searching in the Facebook age. His Tribble-like pompadour on the album cover says re-worked retro, his facial stubble bespeaks ’00s hip while his sound is universal – honest, toe-tapping music sung with verve and panache. Backed by his tight, sharp core band that never overwhelms Dee’s vocals, the disc starts out with a jaunty version of the title song and keeps the energy up through “Stay Strong,” an almost gospel-like tribute to being positive.

What is heartening about Dee is that although he can belt out a tune with the best of them, he seems to have learned a secret of successful public speaking: Sometimes when you want your audience to really pay attention, you speak softer, not louder. And so it is with Dee when he croons “What’s a Boy Like Me to Do,” or “The Only Remedy,” which showcases Dee’s range from falsetto to furnace blast, or when he laments lightly on “Boundary Line.” In “Sweet Tooth,” he channels his inner Elvis with insouciant rocking charm. Standouts on this cut are the horn arrangements by Scott Aruda and Timo Shanko on tenor sax.

Indeed Dee’s own guitar work is well served by his core band of guitarist Johnny Trama, bassist Jim Larkin, drummer Matt “Pie” Beaulieu and horn brothers Scott and John Aruda. Additional guitar work is supplied by Matthew Joy and Milt Reder; Joanie Pimental provides backing vocals, and Dee duets with Rachael Price on “From the Start.”  

The album is a bit of a departure from Alligator Records’ line-up of blues artists. According to the liner notes, Alligator president Bruce Iglauer saw Dee’s band play at an outdoor concert and was struck by his lack of pretention and his “great, happy energy.”

Dee’s youthful exuberance is indeed potent; the optimism in his songs and lyrics is a marked contrast with the maturity and resignation of older artists. “Don’t be afraid to call on me,” he sings in “No Matter Where I Am,” an infectious R & B-infused anthem to friendship.  In “Tell Me (Before it’s Too Late)” you really believe that if he and his beloved just sit down and talk things out, everything will be fine. Another artist might have infused the song with a sense of impending doom, but Dee sings like he believes in a happy ending. Frankly, you want to believe him.

Perhaps the singer lacks seasoning and a harder-edge; in the music business, that will come soon enough. Heartbreak lurks behind many a hit. Call it the Bo-town sound: a healthy respect for the past from a young artist looking toward the future with unbridled optimism.

Stephanie Schorow is the author of Drinking Boston: A History of the City and its Spirits. www.stephanieschorow.com