One of the most recognized and sought-after saxophonists/vocalists, two-time GRAMMY nominee and friend of the proGram, Mindi Abair has been electrifying audiences with her dynamic live performances and utter command of the saxophone since her debut album in 2000. No one since Junior Walker has brought saxophone and vocals in one package to the forefront of modern music, with a raucous tone and dynamic stage presence. She has garnered ten #1 radio hits, six Top 5 solo records and two #1 spots on the Billboard album charts. In 2014, Mindi received her first GRAMMY® nomination in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category, followed by a 2015 GRAMMY® nomination for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for her solo LP featuring Gregg Allman, Joe Perry, Trombone Shorty, Booker T. Jones, Keb’ Mo’, and Max Weinberg. Constantly evolving her sound, in 2014, after two seasons as the featured saxophonist on the hit series American Idol, Mindi released “Wild Heart”. This LP showcased a compilation of grittier rock and soul tracks featuring some of the biggest names in music. To help translate this sound to her live shows, Mindi enlisted longtime friend and The Boneshakers founder Randy Jacobs (Bonnie Raitt, Was Not Was, Willie Nelson) to inject his brand of Detroit Blues Rock. The collaboration was undeniable, and it lead to an almost immediate decision to join forces creatively. Mindi Abair and The Boneshakers features band leader Mindi Abair (Saxophone, Vocals), Randy Jacobs (Guitar, Vocals), Rodney Lee (Keys), Ben White (Bass, Vocals), and Third Richardson (Drums, Vocals). A couple more albums in and now there’s a brand new album from Mindi & them Boneshakers for us all to enjoy.
I had the pleasure of catching up with our pal Mindi to get an insiders view into the creation of the 2019 release “No Good Deed”, the brand new album with the Boneshakers that certainly has the feel of a shared musical language that only some manage to speak. We get into how the album came toGether to a point where I get to spin it proudly for the listeners. We talk about some of what has been filling her time since last we hung out and we find out which song off the new release Mindi would choose to build a set-list around, and what she would add to fill our ears with some boneshaking goodness. I hope to find a way to bring Mindi to Madison, but if she and the band are anywhere close to you, it will always be worth it to go and check that show out.
Mindi Abair
