Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band

Obwohl bis dato nie auf Tonträger verewigt, ist Sänger Frank Bey ein alter Hase. Heizte einst regelmäßig für Otis Redding große Bühnen auf Betriebstemperatur. Ungleich bekannter als Recording-Artist ist Anthony Paule, der neben eigenen Solo-Alben mit Charlie Musselwhite, Boz Scaggs und Maria Muldaur aufnahm. Seine Sieben-Mann-Kapelle plus einsamer Saxofon-Dame instrumentierte Shouter Bey am 20.7.2012 in Downtown San Francisco. Davon berichten diese zehn Tracks, allesamt live ohne Overdubs oder ähnliche Falschmünzerei auf CD geschnibbelt. Dabei wird gar aus John Lennons "Imagine" ein beseelter Acht-Minuten-Soul, ansonsten hat's feines Material von Ray Charles bis Jerry Ragovoy. In Würde verlesen vom Mann am Mikro. Ebenfalls höchste Punktzahl für Sound und Band ("Still Called The Blues", "Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time"). Einzig der Songkatalog hätte mehr Eigenständigkeit vertragen können. Was den Daumen letztlich auf halbem Weg nach oben verhungern lässt. - BluesNews, Germany

If ever an album had an appropriate title, this is it. Opener I Don’t Know Why is a smoking soul track featuring great, heartfelt vocals from Bey along with classy horn backing from Mike Rinta (trombone and tuba), Nancy Wright (sax) and Steffen Kuehn on trumpet. I’m Leavin’ You maintains the solid feel, but crosses over to the blues with a solid bottom by bassist Paul Olguin and drummer Paul Revelli. Anthony Paule lays down some great guitar riffs on this track, again backed up again by the horn section. I Just Can’t Go On, Christine Vitale composition, has a real solid soul feel about it, and conjures up most images of Bey’s earlier employer, Otis Redding. Paule steps up again with a quality solo, not overpowering, but spot on for the track. Rick Estrin adds a cool harp to the R&B style on one of the album’s better tracks Don’t Mess With The Monkey. Bey’s vocal on the old club style blues of Buzzard Luck also features a different side of Paule’s guitar playing. The warmth of the horns on You’re Somebody Else’s Baby Too, accentuates Bey’s belting lead vocal , along with some articulate and melodic guitar from Paule. Instrumental Smokehouse, takes the listener to where it says on the tin, a New Orleans style jam. Rinta plays the lead tuba intro to Percy Mayfield’s Nothing Stays The Same Forever something this reviewer has not heard before, but it works to be fair. With its funky feel, this is a strong track containing, as it does, little ‘dabs’ from each band member. Rick Estrin guests again on the bluesy Bed For My Soul. Closer is a swing instrumental version of the standard I Left My Heart In San Francisco, on which Paule pulls out all the stops with a clean lead, supplemented by the horns and Revelli’s drums, making the track rock. All in all, not a bad album, parts of it will certainly bring back memories of Mr Redding.
Clive Rawlings Blues Matters January 2014 - Blues Matters Magazine, England

“Thanks for the CD. I really enjoyed album; good songs, good production. I liked some of the writing quite a bit, including some of the songs you helped with…my faves were I’m Leaving You, I Just Can’t Go On and Somebody Else’s Baby. Frank is a terrific singer with a lot of variety and range and real feeling. I was surprised by the John Prine song; I paid more attention to the story in Frank’s version than I did with the original. There’s a lot to be proud of here. I hope I’ll get a chance to see this band live sometime. Thanks for sending a copy.”
Bruce Iglauer, President Alligator Records

“In a time when American Idol-type vocal gymnastics too often pass for soul, Frank Bey is a perfect reminder of what soul singing is really all about: Communication, warmth, and emotional sincerity.”
Rick Estrin, Rick Estrin and the Nightcats

This recording is a gem. It lives and breathes in a special way, when many recordings these days merely seem cobbled together. Frank Bey’s vocals posses the edge of life lived, love won and lost that is all too much a rarity in this age. Anthony Paule has pulled together a top flight group to put wings and air stream to Frank Bey: horns, keys, rhythm section and Paule’s guitar are spot on and locked in. Between groove and sway, this band and it’s vocalist are a sexy, experienced beast. Hands down my favorite release of the year.
Tom Lynch, Blues Buyer, Amoeba Records, San Francisco

“Very nice surprise to have found this CD from you in my box at KRVM. I am listening to it now. What great vocals Frank has! It’s the kind of blues I like... a sound coming from beneath his soul crying out to you. Love it!! And I love the horn section. I’m really beginning to enjoy them more and more these days. Thank you!”
Kim Almasie, Friday host Breakfast With The Blues - KRVM 91.9, Eugene, OR

“What a fabulous CD! Anthony has found his perfect partner with Frank…your tunes are great…the band is tight. Outstanding! Yes, definitely getting airplay. Big hug to you and huge congrats on a super piece of work!”
Kathleen Lawton, Nothing But The Blues - KCSM, San Mateo CA

“I told you I skimmed over the Frank Bey CD & thought it was great. Well, since then I gave it a good listen & now I don’t even want to take it out of the player. It’s one of my favorites for the year. What a voice! And I dig the song selection, too. I didn’t realize you were a songwriter. The quality of the recording is excellent, also. Now I’m hooked. I gotta listen to something else, now, to prep my show. I’ll get some mileage out of this one. Thanks for everything.
Marty Kool, Marty Kool’s Blues Review - KXCI, Tucson, AZ

“What a fantastic release, Franks voice is just amazing (one of the top voices out there today) & Anthony and the band are the best, LOVE IT!”
Dan “The Bluesman” LaCasse, Dan’s Blues Room - WRBC, Lewiston, ME
“So very nice of you to send us this great album. A big surprise he was Frank Bey. I never hear him before but fortunately we still have some good artist out there who really have the blues. Also great guitar from Anthony Paule, a new name to me also. Once again many thanks for having old Jefferson in your mind, and I hope we hear more from you if you have other great album out.”
Ingemar Karlsson, Jefferson Magazine, Sweden - Various

Hot on the heels of their excellent live album, You Don’t Know Nothing (released in February), Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band have rewarded soul/blues fans with an equally wonderful follow-up, Soul For Your Blues (Blue Dot Records). Though Bey may seem like a new voice to many, he’s performed for years singing gospel and later soul music (serving Otis Redding as a valet and occasional opening act).
Paule has played guitar with a host of blues artists including Johnny Adams, Earl King, Brownie McGhee, Maria Muldaur, Charlie Musselwhite, and Boz Scaggs, and has assembled a tight band to back Bey….the same band that backed him on the live release. Paule wrote or co-wrote (with Christine Vitale and Karen Falkner) all of the original tunes, which have deep roots in classic Southern Soul. You could easily imagine Otis Redding recording “I Just Can’t Go On” or “It’s Good To Have Your Company.”
Other highlights include a couple of nice R&B tunes (“Don’t Mess With The Monkey,” “I Want To Change Your Mind”), and some nice straight-ahead blues numbers. Bey’s growl and Paule’s stinging lead guitar, combined with the powerhouse horn section make “I’m Leavin’ You” one of the disc’s standouts, and “You’re Someone Else’s Baby” is a strong blues ballad.
The covers are pretty diverse, too, ranging from the soulful Willie Mitchell-composed “I Don’t Know Why,” which opens the disc, to Wynonie Harris’ swinging “Buzzard Luck,” and Percy Mayfield’s “Nothing Stays The Same Forever.” There are also a couple of instrumentals showcasing Paule’s fretwork….the funky “Smokehouse,” and a hip version of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” that closes things out.
Soul For Your Blues is just what the doctor ordered for soul/blues fans. This is classic soul music, just like they used to do it forty or so years ago, mixed with a healthy dose of the blues and powered by one of the tightest bands currently practicing. Don’t miss this one. - Blues Bytes Magazine

Frank Bey with the Anthony Paule Band - You Don't Know Nothing (Blue Dot Records): Pretty cool story here.....San Francisco DJ Noel Hayes (Wednesday Blues with Noel) first heard soulful singer Bey in Philadelphia, PA in '99 and was blown away by his skillful soul and blues vocals. Several years later, after Bey recovered from a kidney transplant, Harris was able to book him in San Francisco, where he built a large and loyal following.

In a stroke of genius, Hayes decided to pair Bey with area guitarist Anthony Beale and his band, and the rest is history, or maybe it will be. This disc was recorded live at Bey's home away from home, Biscuits and Blues, last summer in front of a very receptive audience. The set is made up of a solid mix of blues and soul classic tunes and some impressive originals. Bey sounds great, Paule is a first-rate guitarist, and the band sounds fantastic. There's not a lot of new ground broken here, but it's very well done, well produced, and worth hearing if you're into vintage soul and soul/blues. Hopefully, this duo will make it to the studio soon and give us more. - Friday Blues Fix

Hot on the heels of their excellent live album, You Don’t Know Nothing (released in February), Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band have rewarded soul/blues fans with an equally wonderful follow-up, Soul For Your Blues (Blue Dot Records). Though Bey may seem like a new voice to many, he’s performed for years singing gospel and later soul music (serving Otis Redding as a valet and occasional opening act).

Paule has played guitar with a host of blues artists including Johnny Adams, Earl King, Brownie McGhee, Maria Muldaur, Charlie Musselwhite, and Boz Scaggs, and has assembled a tight band to back Bey….the same band that backed him on the live release. Paule wrote or co-wrote (with Christine Vitale and Karen Falkner) all of the original tunes, which have deep roots in classic Southern Soul. You could easily imagine Otis Redding recording “I Just Can’t Go On” or “It’s Good To Have Your Company.”

Other highlights include a couple of nice R&B tunes (“Don’t Mess With The Monkey,” “I Want To Change Your Mind”), and some nice straight-ahead blues numbers. Bey’s growl and Paule’s stinging lead guitar, combined with the powerhouse horn section make “I’m Leavin’ You” one of the disc’s standouts, and “You’re Someone Else’s Baby” is a strong blues ballad.

The covers are pretty diverse, too, ranging from the soulful Willie Mitchell-composed “I Don’t Know Why,” which opens the disc, to Wynonie Harris’ swinging “Buzzard Luck,” and Percy Mayfield’s “Nothing Stays The Same Forever.” There are also a couple of instrumentals showcasing Paule’s fretwork….the funky “Smokehouse,” and a hip version of “I Left My Heart In San Francisco,” that closes things out.



Soul For Your Blues is just what the doctor ordered for soul/blues fans. This is classic soul music, just like they used to do it forty or so years ago, mixed with a healthy dose of the blues and powered by one of the tightest bands currently practicing. Don’t miss this one.
- Blues Bytes Magazine

Frank Bey werd als vierjarige jong begaafd met muzikale kwaliteiten. Hij zong toen al met zijn moeder, de gospelzangeres Maggie Jordan. Hij groeide op in Millen, Georgia en kon, samen met zijn oudere broer en neven, lid worden van een gospel kwartet de “Rising Sons”. Tijdens zijn teenager tijd in de jaren ’60, bleef Frank zingen en kreeg hij de kans om mee te werken met de “Otis Redding Review”. De soulzanger Otis Redding (1941-1967) kennen we allemaal van de wereldhit “’(Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay”. Frank Bey werkte in deze periode op het podium vooral aan zijn contacten met het publiek. In 1998 brengt hij zijn album “Stepping Out” bij Jeffhouse Records uit. In een latere periode tourde hij in de States, Spanje en Canada met “Archie Jenkins & The Incredible Saxtons”. Hij stopt om meerdere reden met optreden in 1977. Frank brengt in 2007 een tweede album “Blues In The Pocket”. Jeff Monjack was toen zijn gitarist en Kevin Frieson speelde bas gitaar.

Zijn derde album “You Don’t Know Nothing” werd live, zonder overdubs, opgenomen in de “Biscuits & Blues” nachtclub in downtown San Francisco. Frank Bey en de “Anthony Paule Band”, inclusief de blazerssectie, lieten hun grooves gaan op tien nummers voor een onderhoudend publiek. “You Don’t Know Nothing About Love”opent het live album met een traag blues nummer van de bekende songwriter Jordan “Jerry” Ragovoy (1930-2011), van wie de “Rolling Stones” het nummer “Time Is On My Side” coverden. Frank Bey imponeert in de opener onmiddellijk met zijn prachtige soul stem en de blazers doen erg gedreven hun tussenkomsten. “Ain’t That Loving You” is een swingend jazzy nummer van een songwriter en R&B zangeres uit Brooklyn D. Malone. Frank Bey zet het nummer zelfzeker en met het juiste timbre krachtig in. Met “Imagine” van ex Beatle John Lennon, weet Frank Bey dat hij bij een live publiek, de nodige aandacht zal trekken. Het wordt zijn langste nummer op dit album. In zijn verhaal in de intro vraagt hij aandacht voor elkaar en voor de wereld. Hij brengt een trage versie van deze super hit, met heel veel gevoel en soul. Ook in dit nummer zetten de blazers de nodige accenten en vooral de sax van Nancy Wright neemt een groot deel van de invulling voor haar rekening. “Town Without Pity” is een traag instrumental en theatraal nummer van de voor de filmindustrie van Hollywood werkende componist de Rus Dimitri Zinovievich Tiompkin en van Ned Washington. Met het nummer “Still Called The Blues” van F. Earl, J. Henry & M. Alton gaan we wat meer de funky weg op. Nancy Wright’s sax begint de solo’s met lange uithalen en laat horen dat ze duidelijk in de juiste mood is. Mike Rinta neemt daarna over op schuiftrombone. “Can’t Get The Time Of Day” is ook een lang nummer van de gitarist van de band Anthony Paule & C. Vitale. Paule zet zelf in met een lange intro en doet daarna de zang. Het nummer is jazzy, swingt vlot en eindigt groots en uitgelaten. Daarna volgt “Hard Times” een traditional van pianist Ray Charles. Deze ballade wordt gezongen door Frank Bey. Het nummer is zo ingetogen, dat enkel de blazers soms de stilte doorbreken. Bey brengt het nummer met heel veel soul en passie. “Midnight And Day” is een blues nummer van K. Frieson. Weinig opvallend, maar daarom niet minder interessant. “Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time” van T.L.Tate is een uptempo nummer met een funky swing en met ook weer met de gebuikelijke solo’s en improvisaties, van ieder van de muzikanten. Ook in dit nummer vallen de blazers weer extra op. We eindigen het album met “You’ve Got To Hurt Before You Heel”, een uitgesponnen en gevoelige soulballade van L. Addison, in de stijl die je doet denken aan wijlen Solomon Burke. Of het publiek ook de rozen kreeg, dat weten we niet…

Met zijn derde album bewijst Frank Bey dat hij een groot soul zanger is en dat hij een muzikant is met heel veel ervaring. Hij verdient terecht zijn titel “The Sourthern Gentleman Of The Blues”, omdat hij je doet terug denken aan soul icoon Otis Redding. In zijn eerste album “Stepping Out” kon hij al laten horen, wat hij in petto had: blues, swing, slow, country en folk. Frank Bey bevestigt met dit live album “You Don’t Know Nothing” opnieuw zijn klasse. Hij is van nature uit een entertainer, die je aandacht meer dan verdient. - Roots Time Magazine, Belgium

At the age of four, Frank Bey started singing in a gospel quartet with his brother and cousins, appearing on radio and at numerous live appearances as The Rising Sons. At seventeen, he took a job with Otis Redding as his driver/valet, also serving as Redding’s opening act. While with Redding, Bey improved his singing and performing skills, but went on a long hiatus from the music business during the 80’s and 90’s, returning in recent years to become a mainstay on the Philadelphia music scene.

Guitarist/singer Anthony Paule has been a part of the San Francisco Bay Area music scene for many years, touring and recording with artists like Boz Scaggs, Charlie Musselwhite, The Johnny Nocturne Band, Jackie Payne, Phil Guy, Maria Muldaur, Barbara Lynn, Johnny Adams, and Mark Hummel. He’s also released two albums and fronts his own band, which features Paul Revelli (drums), Tony Lufrano (keyboards), Paul Olguin (bass), and a tight horn section (Mike Rinta – trombone, Nancy Wright – tenor saxophone, Steffen Kuehn – trumpet).

Bay Area radio host Noel Hayes (Wednesday Blues With Noel) heard Bey at a Philadelphia club and eventually helped book Bey in San Francisco, where he slowing began to build a loyal group of fans. Hayes got the idea to pair Bey with Paule and his band for a live recording at Biscuits and Blues….the results being the new Blue Dot Records release, You Don’t Know Nothing.

Playing before an enthusiastic audience, Bey, Paule and the band work through a dynamic set of ten songs, mostly cover material. Bey’s robust vocals are a plus and he shines on a group of soul/blues classics like “Ain’t That Loving You,” “Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time,” “You’ve Got To Hurt Before You Heal,” “Midnight and Day,” “Hard Times,” and the title track. Paule’s guitar work is excellent in support of Bey and he even takes the mic on his swinging composition, “Can’t Get The Time Of Day.” Paule’s band provides superlative backing throughout.

Apparently, Noel Hayes knew what he was doing, pairing this first-rate singer and guitarist, because You Don’t Know Nothing is a great live set of old-school blues and R&B. Hopefully, we will hear more from this group in the near future….maybe a studio release or two. - Blues Bytes

It was a chance 1999 meeting between San Franciscan Noel Hayes in a Philly blues club that prompted him to bring soul & Blues vocalist Frank Bey from Philadelphia to California. Bey has been performing there for a few years and this CD is testament to a fine live set recorded before a most appreciative audience at the Biscuits & Blues nightclub in downtown San Francisco on 20th July 2012. Hayes requested local guitar ace Anthony Paule to put together a suitable band to back up Bey’s considerable stage presence, and they support Bey powerfully yet sympathetically. Much as Bey’s testifying and charismatic vocal performance might dominate, it is the subtlety of Paule’s guitar work that leaves the lasting impression, for example in the horn-drenched instrumental Town Without Pity. Stand outs from the set include Ain’t That Loving You and the cool and funky Still Called The Blues. The spoken introduction and deep soul treatment of Lennon’s ubiquitous Imagine works less well, attempting to turn a moderate introspective piece into something of the status of say, A Change Is Gonna Come, was possibly a mistake. I presume it is Paule taking over with his more restrained lead vocals on Can’t Get The Time Of Day. To cap it all Bey’s consummate vocal performance on Ray Charles Hard Times is a delight. Nancy Wright embellishes these two songs with wonderfully economical and understated tenor sax solos. This album is well worth a listen.
Noggin Blues Matters Magazine (UK) - Blues Matters, England

Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band - Soul for your Blues (Blue Dot Records): We talked about Bey and Paule back in March when they released a great live recording at San Francisco's Biscuits and Blues. Striking while the iron is still hot, the band has released a studio follow-up that keeps the momentum going. Frank Bey sings soul music like they used to do it (of course, he was there when they used to do it this way, serving Otis Redding as driver/valet and occasional opening act), and guitarist Paule and the band have the sound down to a tee. With eight original songs (written by Paule and his wife, Christine Vitale) that capture that golden era, and five well-chosen covers, this disc is essential listening for blues and soul fans. In a perfect world, "I Just Can't Go On" would be a hit. - Friday Blues Fix

A real gem! Una vera gemma. Un album prezioso che sicuramente finirà tra i miei preferiti di quest’anno. I miracoli musicali succedono davvero quando si mettono insieme una voce splendida, un grande chitarrista e una band strepitosa. Stax Southern soul, Memphis R&B, Chicago blues, West coast swing, New Orleans sound e molto altro ancora per un lavoro (un capolavoro!) che sarebbe piaciuto a Otis Redding (di cui Bey è stato amico e collaboratore) e la cui influenza attraversa tutto il disco. Belle tutte le canzoni. A me personalmente è piaciuta molto “I Just can’t go on” superbamente scritta da Christine Vitale. - Folk Bulletin, Italy

Frank Bey & The Anthony Paule Band already have a live album which came outearlier this year. Their latest, Soul for Your Blues on Blue Dot Records is a strong contender for soul-blues album of the year. Like the other front runner for that distinction, Finis Tasby’s latest, this record was recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios in San Jose, California. Vocalist Bey and guitarist Paule again are in the company of a whole host of top flight bay area musicians who are part of Paule’s great band. Bey’s delivery and the accompianent puts me in mind of Clarence Carter’s late 60’s Fame Studios period. A great example of this is the tune It’s Good To Have Your Company. This tune was written by the songwriting team of Christine Vitale and Karen Falker. - Blues Junction

From the first notes of the soul-drenched title track—you do know that you’re in good hands. Frank Bey, a powerhouse vocalist, hits you right between the eyes with a series of tough questions about being in love and smitten with one’s object of desire, and then answers his questions by affirming that “You don’t know nothing about love.” Tough! At 17, Bey joined the Otis Redding Revue where he worked as the opening act—and Redding’s influence is unmistakable. He’s backed on this 10-song CD (recorded last July at San Francisco’s Biscuits & Blues club) by guitarist Anthony Paule and a top-notch sextet composed of Bay Area blues veterans. Paule’s own “Can’t Get the Time of Day,” a bouncy blues, looks at the other end of the love spectrum: He can’t even get the time of day from her. Bey, who dropped out of music during the 1980s and ’90s, imbues Ray Charles’ “Hard Times” with an immense feeling obviously informed by his own hard times. Paule dazzles on every track, especially on the up-tempo “Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time” (another love-gone-wrong song) and his solo feature, “Town Without Pity.” At eight minutes, Bey’s reading of John Lennon’s “Imagine” is the disc’s standout track. Highly recommende - Chico News & Review

When it comes to musical covers (performing another artist’s song), there are two main schools of thought. One is that in order for a cover to be good, it must closely match the style of the original artist, note-for-note in some cases. Another view is that covers should be unique interpretations, deviating as much as possible from the original song while still being recognizable. Frank Bey, with the Anthony Paule Band, adds yet another dimension to the conversation about blues covers: If played with full intensity, passion, and sincerity, they will make listeners remember the first song fondly, while greatly appreciating the fresh version that the current musician provides. Of the ten songs on “You Don’t Know Nothing,” Frank Bey’s latest release, recorded live in San Francisco, nine are covers. However, they’re the kind that will make die-hard blues fans sit up and pay attention instead of groan that there’s nothing new under the sun. Witness these three:
Track 03: “Imagine”--John Lennon’s masterpiece had a mystical quality, that of a brilliant utopian vision. Frank Bey and the Anthony Paule Band bring it back down to Earth through the former’s rousing vocals and the latter’s sax-infused instrumentation. They invite us not only to “imagine all the people,” but to make our dreams a reality. Postmodern visionaries come to mind as well as their predecessors Martin Luther King, Jr. and Gandhi.
Track 06: “Can’t Get the Time of Day”--The only original number on this album has a swinging, big-band sound that mid-tempo blues lovers will crave. “When I see you, babe, tell me why you look away. You know you break my heart. I can’t get the time of day.” This is less a lament than a resigned complaint about a long-term relationship -- as matter-of-fact as a photograph of cheating lovers taken by a P.I.
Track 07: “Hard Times”--Not since Eric Clapton’s rendition of Ray Charles’ hit has it been performed with such raw vocal fervor. Some people say trouble comes in threes: the narrator’s mother dies, then he must pawn his clothes, and finally his lover leaves him. Even if one has heard this song a hundred times, Frank Bey’s version definitely deserves to be one hundred and one. It’s plain to see why he toured with Otis Redding and his Revue for many years.
The Anthony Paule band consists of long time Bay Area guitarist Paule on fretwork, Paul Revelli on drums, Paul Olguin on bass, Nancy Wright on tenor sax, Mike Rinta on trombone, Tony Lufrano on keyboards, and Steffen Kuehn on trumpet. Together, they recorded on July 20, 2012, and have produced the most powerful live album of this year so far. With elusively excellent sound quality for a live recording, “You Don’t Know Nothing” if you ignore it! - Blues Blast Magazine

"It make you wanna say, 'Hallelujah,' don't it?" Frank Bey asks the audience at San Francisco's Biscuits & Blues as Anthony Paule subtly teases the strings of his guitar during the slow-dragging instrumental introduction to the veteran Philadelphia vocalist's gripping reading of Jerry Ragovoy's "You Don't Know Nothing About Love," the first of ten thoughtfully chosen tunes on his and Paule's terrific new live recording. The soul ballad had been recorded previously by Carl Hall and Ryan Shaw, both of whom nailed it with their high-tenor pipes, but Bey instead cuts to the heart-wrenching song's emotional core with his muscular baritone voice. He takes his time with the lyrics, adding back-of-throat grit in just the right places. The intensity of his delivery perfectly follows the ebb and flow of the Bay Area octet's dynamic shifts for a stunning seven-and-a-half minutes, and bandleader Paule answers the singer's impassioned cries with fills and a brief solo that draw on Wayne Bennett, Steve Cropper, and Little Milton for inspiration.

Bey's Georgia gospel roots sprout throughout the album. Nearly as powerful as the title track is his dramatic eight-minute treatment of John Lennon's "Imagine." He also applies his voice with commanding conviction to tunes associated with Ray Charles, Johnnie Taylor, and Bobby Bland. Bey's style at times suggests that of Bland's old Duke/Peacock label-mate, former Oakland resident Little Frankie Lee. (Blue Dot) - The Eastbay Express, Berkeley, CA

I just received the newest release, Soul For Your Blues, by Frank Bey & Anthony Paule Band and a not only clever but appropriate name. Opening with I Don't Know Why, a smokin' soul track featuring great heartfelt vocals from Bey and great horn backing from Mike Rinta (trombone and tuba), Nancy Wright (sax) and Steffen Kuehn on trumpet. I'm Leavin' You maintains the sould feel but crosses over closer to the blues with a solid bottom by Paul Olguin (bass) and Paul Revelli (drums). Anthony Paule lays out some really hot guitar riffs on this track again with backing from the dynamo horn section. I Just Can't Go On, written by Christine Vitale, has a really solid soul feel and conjures images of Bey's earlier employer, Otis Redding, who died 45 years to the day of the completion of these recordings. Paule steps up with a nice guitar guitar solo on this track which isn't overpowering but pinpoint on. Super job by all. Don't Mess With The Monkey is a high stepping R&B style track and one of the most memorable tracks on the release with it's catchy melody and hook. Rick Estrin adds cool harp riffs to this already fun track. Buzzard Luck has a real old style club blues swing feel. One of the best tracks to feature Bey's vocal smoothness, also features a different side of Paule on guitar. Real nice. On straight up blues ballad, You're Someone Else's Baby Too, the band really gets a strong groove on, with Bey leading belting out the lead. The warmth of the horns on this track is really super and Paule plays some particularly articulate and melodic guitar lead on this track. I Want To Change Your Mind is another strong R&B track again with Bey leading strong and with rich backing vocals from Lisa Leuscher, Larry Batiste and Ron E. Beck. BB King like blues riffs flow from Paule's fingers adding a nice blues touch to the mix. Instrumental track Smokehouse lets the band get into a New Orleans style blues jam. A really hot trombone solo from Mike Rinta, cool key work from Tony Lufrano and trumpet work from Kuehn are great adds to Paule's lead guitar work. On Percy Mayfield's Nothing Stay's The Same Forever, Rinta plays the lead intro on tuba, something I rarely hear and it's cool, with Bey following closely on vocal. Turning with a funky beat, this is a strong track on every facet. The band is well mixed with just dabs of sound from each member. This is a great track! Wrapping the release is a swinging instrumental version of I Left My Heart In San Francisco. Paule pulls out all the stops leading the way with clean guitar lead. The horns keep the track full and Revelli on drums make this track rock. - Bman's Blues Report

I Don’t Know Why/ I’m Leavin’ You/ I Just Can’t Go On/ Don’t Mess With The Monkey/ Buzzard Luck/ You’re Somebody Else’s Baby Too/ I Want To Change Your Mind/ Smokehouse/ Nothing Stays The Same Forever/ It’s Good To Have Your Company/ Hello in There/ Bed For My Soul/ I Left My Heart In San Francisco
This album’s predecessor, the live set, ‘You Don’t Know Nothing’, by Frank Bey with Anthony Paule’s Band, was reviewed in B&R 279 and was a very nice surprise indeed. New discoveries with a rich and interesting background are rare these days, and Frank can recall, as a youngster, sharing the bill with The Soul Stirrers when Sam Cooke was still in the line-up, and later he was associated with Otis Redding – sometimes opening shows for him. He is a bluesman these days though, with a rich, lived-in and extremely soulful voice – listen to him ride the beat on the strutting ‘I’m Leavin’ You’, hear him glide through this punchy version of Wynonie Harris’s ‘Buzzard Luck’, and lend an ear to the slow ‘You’re Somebody Else’s Baby Too’, the modern, ‘Breaking Up Somebody’s Home’ -flavoured blues of ‘Don’t Mess With The Monkey’ (one of two numbers with Rick Estrin on harmonica), or the totally distinctive and different ‘marching band into soul band and back again’ styled cover of Percy Mayfield’s ‘Nothing Stays The Same Forever’ – all feature excellent and exemplary blues vocals from Frank.
Frank also offers his take on southern soul with the opening Willie Mitchell-penned number, on ‘I Just Can’t Go On’ (those Otis Redding roots come through loud and clear here) and ‘It’s Good To Have Your Company’. Singer/songwriter John Prine’s ‘Hello In There’ gets a slow, sensitive and unusual treatment that comes across as highly personal and convincing.
Anthony Paule’s guitar work throughout is exemplary, and the two instrumentals – ‘Smokehouse’ and ‘I Left My Heart In San Francisco’ (yes, you read that right!) – both fit extremely well. The band once again includes such familiar names for followers of the California blues scene over the last couple of decades as sax player Nancy Wright and drummer Paul Revelli, whilst it is worth noting that the whole album was recorded at Kid Andersen’s Greaseland Studios, and that Kid also guests on guitar and clavinet. The result is a carefully crafted blues album that is individual, soulful, sometimes thought provoking, always entertaining, and definitely recommended, of course. - Blues & Rhythm Magazine, England