Ellen Whyte

Press Revues for the CD Here & Gone

Visit Blues On Stage to see what their CD Review about the "Here...& Gone" Album. An Article by Ian Webb Review date: November 1999

Blues Revue
by Ed Ivey June 1999

Ellen Whyte and Reflex Blue offer 11 swanky blues cuts with plush vocal harmony on "Here & Gone" (Amallegory 040327). The sound is spotlessly recorded, and the music has tons of attitude. Whyte's voice is silky smooth, seamlessly weaving a brocade of tasty fills with lead guitarist Gary Meziere and the great rhythm section of bassist Sonny Boyardee and Drummer Jay Lundell. Opener "Feel Blue … See Light" is top-notch songwriting with a lazy club groove. All the songs have a sophisticated edge a la Steely Dan - It's jazzy blues with oomph. Best Cut: The danceable funk-blues "Climb Up," with boss organ lines by Chris Baum. Mike Horsfall's slick vibraphone on "I Can Tell" is another highlight. Shining work from this Oregon Group.

Oregonian Revue
by John Foyston October 98

Ellen Whyte: Whyte and her band Reflex Blue walk the sultry side of the street on the new album, "Here & Gone." The band has always mined a jazzier, more subtle vein of the blues than your typical 12-bar shuffle mongers, though it can play it straight when it chooses. Still, songs such as 'Circle Around' smolder rather than smoke - which suits Whyte's expressive voice just fine.

Washington State Blues Society Revue,
By Chuck Cox

From the opening bars of this, the second CD by Ellen and her band, you realize that it's a jazzier, sultry side of the blues that's being presented here. Although she can belt it out when she wants to, this smoother style of vocals really suits Ellen just fine with her beautiful voice coming across as sexy, sultry and powerful, but never overwhelming. This is a recording that will appeal to a wide group of listeners. Whether you are a straight ahead blues fan, a contemporary jazz lover or someone who loves a romantic ballad there's something here for you.

Several of the songs on the CD were penned by Ellen and her partner John Mullins and seem to express the deep feelings that these two have for each other. If sons like 'Circle Around' and 'Good Love For A Lifetime' are any indications, theirs is a relationship that will be around for a while. But just when I thought that I had the theme of this album pegged along come songs like 'Climb Up', 'You Talked Me Into The Blues' and 'Write Her A Letter' all great tunes that speak to a different side of your emotions completely. I think that's one of the appeals of this CD, there's just so much to like and it all works.

The band consists of Ellen on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gary Meziere playing lead guitar and writing several of the songs including the excellent instrumental 'Who's Got The Blues'. The group is rounded out by Sonny Boyardee on Bass (who has played with the likes of Koko Taylor, Charlie Musselwhite and Robert Cray) and Jay Lundell playing drums. Both contribute greatly to each song by providing an excellent bottom end, something that's not so easy to achieve. This is one talented band that not only shuffles with the best of them but is also so much more.

The CD is an Incredible recording made by a group of musicians that are definitely doing what they love and doing it exceptionally well. Someday the nation as a whole will realize what a treasure Ellen Whyte's voice is and she will end up as a national act. This recording will, I'm sure, hasten that day along.

Cascade Blues Association Revue

A delightful heartfelt blast of raw energy and honest emotion is reveled on this magnificent new effort by Ellen Whyte & Reflex Blue. This is hip, sophisticated, poignant blues done with remarkable arrangements, well-written material, and top notch talent. This recording is not just a re-hashing of the first one. It's blues on the jazzier side making it (probably) more accessible to a wider group of listeners than just straight ahead blues fans."