Unless you’re from the Carolinas, you’re probably unfamiliar with Southeastern "beach music," but you’ve heard its influences and distinctive, soulful sound. Drawing from the well of Motown melody, classic doo-wop and jump blues, beach music-and its accompanying shag dances-is the musical heart and soul of the Carolinas. On Steppin’ Out in Front, Eugene Pitt, lead singer of the 50s/60s doo-wop group Jive Five pays homage to this regional sub-genre. With the production help of deejay Bobby Jay, Steppin’ exercises Pitt’s bluesman vocals over an exhaustive twenty-track collection that is heavy with shag-tinged renditions, few tempo changes and incorporates an array of pop genres. Pitt mildly succeeds in an acoustic approach to "Jazzy Lady" (minus the irritating opening rap) by taking out the 80s synths from Richard "Dimples" Fields’ originating version. Satisfying winners here include: a modern update of Arthur Conley’s "Sweet Soul Music" (switching out references of Redding and Cooke for Souljah Boy and Chris Brown, an appeal to younger audiences), a Caribbean take on Gaelic Storm’s "Before the Night Is Over," and the Drifters’ "Gonna Move Across the River," churning with Robert Reich’s accompanying guitar licks. A strong band keeps this tribute interesting, covering for the occasional vocal mishap ("Soothe You") and production failures ("Happy Trails") spotting this project. Overall, Steppin’ is a fine tribute to one of America’s most vibrant yet overlooked musical fusions in beach music. Notable songs: "Jazzy Lady," "Before the Night Is Over," "There Ain’t Nothing Like Shagging" and "Just Don’t Care." Vocals: 2 stars Lyrics: 3.5 stars Music: 3 stars Production: 2.5 SoulTracks Call: Mildly Recommended
By J. Matthew Cobb
