Warren Storm,
Willie Tee
& Cypress
JIN 9086 | 2008
| A brief history... When speaking of these two Louisiana artists, one needs to know that music was always their first career choice. Warren began his career at the age of 12, and Willie Tee at the age of 13. Although Willie was aware of Warren Storm, the two had not actually met until one night when they were both scheduled to play at the same club in different bands. An immediate friendship was formed and these two became as close as two brothers. Over the years they played along side each other, and in 1980 along with a friend, James Stelly, decided to form their own group, The Cypress Band. Over the next four years, booking jobs was difficult when the oil boom fizzled out, causing the band to split up. Warren & Willie Tee continued to pursue individual careers, sometimes with each other in the same band as guests or working on their own with other bands. In 2004, because of popular demand, Warren & Willie decided to revive the Cypress band. Musicians include: Warren Storm - lead vocals; Willie Tee Trahan - lead vocals & sax; Tommy Richard - guitarist; Karl Bordelon - keyboard; Gerald Romero - bass guitar; Kyle Dugas - drummer
Reviews...
Bob Gottlieb, Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange - 2008
For these two Louisiana artists this disc is a long time coming, however for us it is well worth the wait, or for those that don't know of these two, it is a disc that can infuse the heart with great joy. Willie "Tee," Trahan wrote a number of songs that became popular regionally, and his work on sax made him an in demand musician in the Lafayette, LA area. Warren Storm grew-up out in Abbeville, LA, his father was a Cajun musician. As a kid he ran around with the legendary songwriter (See You Later Alligator) Bobby Charles, often going (sneaking) into New Orleans to listen to the black Rhythm & Blues Artists. He was a drummer and singer with the Shondells, and later with among others Lil' Band of Gold, with Steve Riley and C.C. Adcock. He is known as one of the most expressive and distinctive voices of swamp pop music.
Warren Storm and Willie Tee met in the 80s and put together the Cypress Band and played clubs for years until the oil boom fizzled and the clubs closed. Recently the two joined forces again and reformed the band Cypress and we are blessed with their work. For this disc they carefully chose songs they loved, giving great renditions of three Bobby Charles songs, four Fats Domino/ Dave Bartholomew songs and seven more from various others that they do a righteous job with. They split the lead singing chores right down the middle. The band is solid behind them and the songs fit these two well; (There Is) Something On Your Mind, the Big Jay McNeely classic, and Sea of Love just stand out. But there is not a weak or throwaway cut on this disc and I had a hard time removing it from the changer. You may have to search but don't let it slip away.
Larry Benicewicz, B.B.S., Blues Rag - December 2008 This CD is a good example of why I hate to write reviews. How can I possibly encapsulate over a century of musical exploits between two larger than life figures of South Louisiana who teamed up to make this album? When I first met the duo in 1980 in Lafayette, they had just formed the band Cypress, a hard working outfit specializing in R&B, Swamp Pop, and oldies. But it was like joining a play “in medias res,” because so much of their illustrious careers were already behind them and they were seasoned veterans trying yet another experiment. Even then they brought so much to the table and now even more so as far as experience and compatibility go. Suffice it to say that both had long since distinguished themselves as session musicians - Willie Tee (Trahan) as saxophonist and Warren, particularly as percussionist for J.D. Miller’s famed studio band nearby Crowley, LA. In 1958, Warren scored a Top 100 U.S. hit with "Prisoner’s Song” on Nasco, and Willie by the early 60s had a hand in several local favorites authored by Kenny Tibbs (Thibodeaux) & the Jokers on Viking records. And folks, this was not even the beginning for these players, who both made their professional debuts as pre-adolescents. Anyway, over the years the fortunes of Cypress were tied directly to those of the oil industry and as you might suspect, there were lean times which led to the dissolution of the group, as well as several incarnations of the group when the economic climate was more propitious. This CD represents the 2004 and latest installment “back by popular demand” and features ex-Lynn August guitarist of note, Tommy Richard, and bassist Gerald Romero, who has been a fixture in Yesterday’s Band, yet another permutation in the saga of Warren and Willie partnerships. And this self-titled CD is an attempt at “duplicating their onstage sound” for their “dedicated fans.” And to this end it is quite successful, incorporating a lot of New Orleans (Fats is well represented), Swamp Pop (with three Bobby Charles compositions as well as King Karl’s “Irene” and Phil Phillips’ classic “Sea of Love”), blues (with Buster Brown’s “Fannie Mae’ Big Jay McNeely’s “There Is Something On Your Mind’ and Big Joe Turner’s “Shake Rattle and Roll”). With Warren and Willie also alternating on vocals, the package also includes the seldom heard “Bartender Blues” and area crowd pleaser “Chicken on the Run.” Produced by historic record man Floyd Soileau of Jin records, who just turned 70, and expertly engineered by David Rachou at his state of the art facilities of La Louisianne in Lafayette, it is not only another feather in the cap of both of these living legends but also it proves, along with the recent releases of other icons of this genre of music, Johnnie Allan (Memories) and Bobby Charles (Homemade Songs), that Swamp Pop is still very alive and well in South Louisiana.
Written by Big Geez, published June 04, 2008
A few years ago, long-time Louisiana musical icons Warren Storm and Willie Tee decided to revive their legendary Cypress Band, a group that they had first formed in 1980. The duo found that modern audiences were enthusiastic in their support, and soon began building quite a following in area nightspots. Deciding that their mix of swamp pop and R&B might have wider appeal, they've now generated a new album on the Jin Records label, simply titled Warren Storm, Willie Tee And Cypress.
Both performers are veterans of the Southern Louisiana musical scene, with a high comfort factor is just about every kind of music popular to the area, and they've chosen a diversified mix for their album. The two stars split the lead vocal duties on the fourteen tracks, and Willie also provides some fine and funky sax play on several pieces.
You'll find a little bit of everything here, but one influence is immediately obvious — Fats Domino. Several of the R&B legend's songs are included, and Willie takes on the difficult job of emulating Fats. He's mostly pretty successful, with his best efforts probably coming on "My Girl Josephine," and the slow ballad, "Valley Of Tears." Less enjoyable is his try at "Rosemary," which begins with his piercing honkin' sax take.
Along with the Domino songs, there are some other tracks featuring 'oldies' performed by the guys in their distinctive style. The classic song "Shake, Rattle And Roll" is performed pretty straight, but their take on "Sea Of Love" is a hoot.
An album from the swamps wouldn't be complete without some good old Cajun-style music, and "Chicken On The Run" does it up right. There's also a taste of Louisiana style country music, with "Tennessee Blues," and "I Don't Want To know," both featuring Warren's strong vocals.
A nice and varied collection, encompassing several different types of music but all performed in the style of a couple of Louisiana legends.
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