By Michael Swanger michael@dmcityview.com

All things in time for The Soul Searchers

The old saying, “Patience and tenacity of purpose are worth more than twice their weight of cleverness,” applies to The Soul Searchers. After 15 years or more of cultivating a sophisticated style and some of the most authentic blues music this town has known, The Soul Searchers have come home to roost on their new full-length, self-titled independent album.

For fans of Des Moines’ hippest blues band, which includes singer-harmonica player Malcolm Wells, guitarist-singer Scott Eggleston, bassist Erich Gaukel and drummer Mark Grimm, the arrival of “The Soul Searchers” is long overdue. With the exception of an EP that was pressed years ago, its release quells the recurring question that fans have been asking the quartet for years: “Do you have an album we can buy?”

“We were getting to the point where we just needed to do it or forget about it forever,” says Wells. “We’ve had so many people who have been so supportive of us over the years and wanting us to record an album that I’m happy everything finally came together at the right time to do this.”

Timing is everything for The Soul Searchers. From their smooth, vintage sound, to the pacing of their live shows, to the recording of their album, they move at their own pace out of respect for their art. So it should come as no surprise that after a few frustrating experiences in recording studios that the band opted to document its live sound in a recording hall at Drake University.

Using their connections to the university — Grimm plays in Drake’s jazz band and Drake’s Cam “Moose” Neeley recorded, mixed and mastered the album — The Soul Searchers spent two days in March cruising through years of familiar material that was as comfortable to them as a ride in the vintage Cadillac El Dorado they’re pictured in above. Wells says they recorded 30 songs, all of which were cut in three takes or less, and only the vocals were overdubbed because he lost his voice on the eve of the project.

“If we couldn’t get it in two or three takes we just walked away from it,” he says. “We wanted it to have a live feel.”

Not only does the album feel like a Searchers gig, capturing some of the best tunes the band has performed over the years like Little Walter’s “Nobody But You” and “Read About My Baby,” it also is forward-looking with the inclusion of some newly penned originals including “Gentleman’s Bet,” “Dimestore Detective,” “Here I Am” and the Freddy King-T-Bone Walker-inspired instrumental, “The Rambler.”

“The songs just selected themselves,” Wells says. “We narrowed it to 15 songs we really liked, then had a few legal problems getting permission to use some of those and went from there. It’s weird how easy it worked out.”

Wells says the album’s 11 tunes represent the band’s diverse styles of blues, which range from Chicago, to West Coast, to Gulf Coast, adding they moved away from some of the jump-blues tunes that defined them in their early days when he and Eggleston formed the group. [Gaukel joined in 1993 and Grimm replaced the author of this story in 2003.]
“There’s a lot of different kind of blues on there,” he says. “I kind of dig it.”

Over the years, the band’s swing sensibilities have sometimes confused those unfamiliar with the roots of traditional blues, which sometimes crosses paths with jazz and Latin music and other styles. It has been a source of frustration at times for the Searchers, which fancies itself as a traditional blues band, but has sometimes been unfairly characterized as something it is not.

“I always thought we were a blues band,” he says. “But the funny thing is there’s not a lot of people that seem to be comfortable just letting us be a blues band.

“I guess it’s a compliment there are a few songs we play that have made big impressions on people. One moment we might play some sophisticated L.A. blues and the next we can play some raw Chicago stuff.”

Call it what you want, but Wells says the band’s chemistry is at an all-time high and that it has become more daring in its musical exploration whether it is playing gigs with all four members or as The Soul Searchers Trio, fronted by Eggleston.

“First off, the interplay between Mark and Erich really drives the rhythm section,” Wells says. “When those guys are driving the car, it’s really easy to sing and play. You can get away with murder on the harmonica and guitar, but people feel the rhythm section. We’ve been really lucky with this group because it’s the longest set-up we’ve had and it seems to really work.

“As for Scott, I love the T-Bone stuff we do and I think Scott is the guy as far as that guitar style in the state. He’s always been the less-is-more kind of guitar player and that doesn’t always translate because people don’t always get that. Sometimes they need to be hit over the head, but Scott doesn’t do that. With that said, I think in the last two years his playing has gone to a completely different level and I think he comes off smelling like a rose on this album.”
Wells and Eggleston both say they are having more fun playing and singing than ever before.

“I love playing and I love this band,” Eggleston says. “I’m enjoying playing the guitar as much now more than I ever have. I think it’s because I feel like I’m getting to the point where I can do things on it that I heard others do for years, but I couldn’t. It’s just a lot more rewarding.”

Wells concurs.

“It’s a huge work in progress,” he says. “Scott is getting a terrific sense of humor with the instrument. I don’t know if I’m at that point yet with the harmonica, but hopefully there’s times it’s more melodic and jazzy and other times it’s more menacing.

“As for singing, I absolutely love it now. I used to be so nervous, but I got to the point where I stopped worrying about making mistakes and that’s when it got to be really fun.”

In addition to growing as players, Wells says the band is enjoying writing new songs, too. For years, it has maintained a rigorous performance schedule playing mostly covers, but now is adding more original material to its shows.

“It just seemed like it happened,” Wells says. “Somebody brings something to the stage and there’s a little spark. Wynonie Harris, Louis Jordan, Percy Mayfield — they had great stories to tell and that’s what I have to work on, telling stories from my own point of view instead of trying to be contrived. I’d love to do an all-original album.”

In the meantime, Wells says, The Soul Searchers are anxious to share their new album with their fans.

“I hope they’re a little bit surprised and they enjoy it as much as when they see us,” he says. “I hope it’s not ‘we’ve fooled ourselves into something.’”

Now that the band has a full-length album under its belt, it shouldn’t be surprised if fans demand another one.

“The first one took 16 years,” Wells says with a laugh. “Eight or nine years from now we’ll have our next one, which is good, because you don’t want to rush into that one.”

Here’s to leaving some things to take their course.

Scene notes
The preliminary Des Moines round of the 2007 Solo/Duo Iowa Blues Challenge will be held Thursday (Aug. 16) at Blues on Grand at 8 p.m. … Thursday is the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and one of the King’s longtime bodyguards, Sonny West, has written a new book entitled “Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business,” which reveals some seedy behind-the-scenes anecdotes about Elvis that previously only family members and the Memphis Mafia were privileged to, including how Elvis threatened those close to him if they tried to stop his drug use and how he once shot a doctor who refused to prescribe pills to him. To read excerpts, visit www.triumphbooks.com. … The Lighthouse Coffeehouse at West Des Moines Christian Church, 4501 George Mills Pkwy., will host its annual Americana Night on Friday at 8 p.m. Folk and country artists Mustard’s Retreat, Dave Moore and Bill Isles will perform. Tickets are $15 in advance through IowaTix.com or the church and $20 at the door. Call 223-1639. … Reverend Raven and the Chainsmokin’ Altar Boys team up with harmonica player R.J. Mischo for two shows this week in Central Iowa. On Sunday, from 3 to 6 p.m., they play a free show at the Summerset Winery in Indianola. And on Tuesday, they play at 8 p.m. at Blues on Grand. Admission is $10. … Tower of Power plays the Val Air Ballroom on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 through Ticketmaster and the ballroom. … Comedian Carlos Mencia plays Stephens Auditorium Nov. 11. Tickets are on sale now through Ticketmaster. CV

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