"From a Bench," the latest effort from Fat Rudy, is a compact disk no Austinite with any soul should be without.

Sunday, October 17, 1999

"From a Bench," the latest effort from Fat Rudy, is a compact disk no Austinite with any soul should be without. With its sultry horn playing and Jesse Smith’s rough and tumble vocals Fat Rudy come across as bigger and better than ever.

Not a believer? Head to Torge’s Friday or Saturday and have a listen.

Describing the music of Fat Rudy isn’t simple, it’s much better experienced in person. The four-piece group don’t easily slide into a single musical genre, rather they cruise from one to another. The rhythm and blues influence is continuous, with some jazz – not smooth jazz, more a funky jazz – thrown in for good measure. The list of Fat Rudy influences goes from the Allman Brothers to Tower of Power to Van Morrison on to War.

One music critic described the music of Fat Rudy as "a virus … days later you will feel a lingering fever, a subliminal pulse beathing to the rhythm of Fat Rudy, and you will know that you have been truly affected and infected."

If there is a specific signature to the band it would be the voice of the lead singer, Smith, who belts out originals and covers with a voice that mates gospel singer with smoky barfly. Smith’s long-time lyricist and bass player Wayne Burgess continues to excel and drummer Randy Anderson is back for good this time.

The addition of Andy Lawton on the saxophone was the icing on the cake.

"His horn adds a completely different dimension," Smith said, just before the band’s first set at the Park Plaza on Oct. 8. "It gives us a lot of other avenues to go to."

Improvisation has been the key to the band’s smoother, stronger sound, according to Smith. Anderson tells a story that sort of explains the philosophy behind Fat Rudy, a philosophy that includes going as far as they can without selling their souls and still having a good time playing music.

It goes like this: While rehearsing one evening in Burgess’ basement, Anderson asked Smith if he liked what Anderson was doing.

"Do these pants make my butt look big?" was Smith’s reply.

"What he meant was ‘Why was I asking such a stupid question?’ " Anderson said. "When we’re playing, we each can do what we like."

With "From a Bench" the band recorded each of the nine songs as a group, rather than going in separately and multi-tracking the songs. Smith said they were going for more of a "live sound" with the CD.

"That Nashville sound," Lawton said. "I’d have to say, doing this recording has made us a lot tighter."

Lawton doesn’t have to convince long-time Austin musician George Dahl, Dahl has been a fan from the beginning. He also happens to be Fat Rudy’s promoter now.

"These guys get better everytime you hear them," he said. "Every talent goes through five to 15 years of developing before they become a Bruce Springsteen, but these guys have made tremendous strides … It may sound corny, but I think their music sort of touches your soul."

Tracks on the new CD include seven originals and two covers. Copies of the CD will be available at Torge’s Friday and Saturday. Fat Rudy will also be at the Park Plaza Nov. 19-20 and Dec. 17-18. They are also booked at Torge’s Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

For more information on where to purchase a CD or to get on the band’s e-mail list, write to Blue Lou (name of the band’s former incarnation) Management, P.O. Box 1021, Austin, Minn. 55912 or e-mail fatrudy@hotmail.com.