For many years, Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers were nothing
more to me than a catchy name and a thumbnail album cover photo on the inner sleeves
of some Atlantic LPs. Recently I got a chance to pick up Wheeler’s New Chicago Blues album at a bargain price
and took the plunge. While I was waiting for it to arrive, I did some homework
on the band and didn’t come up with much. They put out two albums from the 1969
and 1970 on Atlantic, then New Chicago
Blues in 1972 (the Enforcers
aren’t mentioned on the cover but several of them are present), and one more in1980.
Neither Wheeler nor the Enforcers have Wikipedia
entries (in this day and age!). Aside from a
thread on Organissimo, which includes a discography, there are a couple of online
soul jazz/funk blog reviews, and that’s about it. All I can say is that based
on the liner notes (by Wheeler) these guys were a Chicago band influenced by
Gene Ammons, Eddie Harris, and the whole Chi-town music scene of the day.
It’s too bad, really, because New Chicago Blues provides a fine assortment of blues (Oblighetto, featuring Buddy Guy and
Junior Wells), 70s soul (How Could I Let
You Get Away), a fine Wheeler ballad performance (Don’t Go to Strangers), something with a Latin tinge (Kuumba) and some solid soul jazz (New Chicago Blues and Miss Gee). In addition to lots of
Wheeler tenor, other band members featured include Sonny Burke and Kenny Price
on organ, Frank Gordon and Sonny Covington on trumpet, and Billy James and
others on drums and percussion. My guess is that Gordon solos on New Chicago Blues and Covington on the
other tracks, but the liner notes don’t supply solo credits. I’m also guessing
that it’s Sonny Burke who’s so strong on Miss
Gee. If anyone has more info on these matters, let me know.
Here’s the title tune ‒
enjoy!
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