Denise LaSalle is the Queen Of Soul/Blues music so there's nothing like learning the ropes from the Queen herself and that's what this exceptionally strong singer has done on her debut, "First Time Out". After spending the majority of her life singing Gospel Karen Wolfe backed the Queen for years both on the road and in the studio and has matured to be her own frontwoman.

Karen was born August 14th 1959 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Her career began when she was fifteen, singing in a Gospel quartet called "The Harmonettes". This aggregation recorded a CD entitled "Stop By Here". They changed their name to Direction and cut a second CD, "God Don't Make Mistakes". Soon after the group disbanded and Karen, recently married to a relative of Denise LaSalle, began singing with Lasalle's group commencing in 1997. LaSalle's road manager Anna Neal-Chow and her husband Bill Coday decided to sponsor Wolfe on the newly formed label, B & J Records and she's already making noise with her firs single "Back Door Love Affair"

Blues Critic Online took the opportunity to interview the upstart soon after the record's release.

The Interview

BC = Blues Critic

Karen = Karen Wolfe

BC = Your New CD is called "First Time Out" and I guess that's self-explanatory but you've been performing for years, right?

Karen = Yeah I have. I have been with Denise LaSalle with for ten years now and Gospel. I've done background vocals on Denise albums too.

BC = Speaking Of Denise. It appears she wrote a couple songs for your new album ("Unlovable Habits", "What Kind Of Man Is This"). But you wrote "Grown Ass Man". So, what's the motivation for that?

Karen = (Laughs). Well, Actually there was not a big motivation for that. Just needing material for the album and I thought about us women so I had to have something for us women. I know women would relate to this whether it be mothers, wives or girlfriends they would relate since this world is like 98% women (laughs).

BC = And have you noticed a response?

Karen = Yeah I've had a very good response. That particular song has gotten a very good response. The whole CD has got great reviews. Better than I expected. I am my own worst critic and actually it's turned out better than I had imagined.

BC = The liner notes says "all music by James Jackson".

Karen = Yeah that is my producer and he also the keyboardist for Denise. I guess he's been with her for quite a while now.

BC = How old were you when you got the music bug?

Karen at 22 with daughter

Karen = When I was about fifteen. My father sings and I used to follow him around. he sang Gospel and I started my own Gospel group. me and my sister had a quartet. I did Gospel for 28 years. But singing for Denise got me thinking 'I could do this and you know I like singing. It's like Dr. Jekyl and Ms. Hyde when you're on stage.

BC = The track that seems to be jumping out is "Backdoor Love Affair"

Karen = That one is requested a lot. James Smith, who wrote "Plumber Man" and other songs wrote that one and the Denise songs she also cut for her own CD and I asked her to do those songs.

(editor's note: "Unlovable Habits" and "What Kind Of Man Is This" first appeared on LaSalle's "This Real Woman" album)

BC = So when you were performing those songs about "unlovable habits" in the studio was there any man you were thinking of?

Karen = (laughs) Ummm..I'm gonna stay on the safe side!

BC = What are your plans now?

Karen = I'm looking forward to going on the road and do gigs. You know just enjoying myself. Taking this CD to it's highest potential. I love the road. And my producer called the other day and we're already gonna go back in the studio and work on the next one.

CD REVIEW

Karen Wolfe "First Time Out" (B & J) LISTEN 

*** The Southern Soul Blues realm has no shortage of tough talking disciples of the Queen Of Soul Blues, Denise LaSalle, but some just do it better than others. This now includes Wolfe, who's blessed with a fantastic, meaty voice just like her mentor.

Female Blues singers, especially since Koko Taylor, have struck a pose of sexual liberation from cultural norms and "equal opportunity" for the sexes. She may want to get down with you but don't even think of walking all over her. That stance is best exhibited in the defiant, self-penned "Grown Ass Man". A buoyant shuffle bumper where Ms. Wolfe lets her man know he can pick up his own clothes 'cuz "I ain't your maid" and she's not in the business of raising a "grown ass man", a job normally reserved by a mother. "If you're gonna keep causing drama you can go on home to your mama!". You can be sure gals across the Chitlin' Circuit will be applauding. Wolfe also wrote the uplifting "Broken Hearts Don't Last" and the contemporary R & B jam "Confusion", which also appears as a remix.

Interestingly, two LaSalle covers seem to contradict that Homey-don't-play vibe of "Grown". "Unlovable Habits" has a lover comparing her tolerance of the man's less attractive "invisible" side to what a new woman might put up with, while "What Kind Of Man Is This" is told from the viewpoint of a co-dependent woman who loves her man despite his unlovable habits. "I know he's no good but I love him to the end of time....because living without this man is my greatest fear". Considering that LaSalle is the main purveyor of sassy Blues it's intriguing to hear her write from a foreign perspective. Whatever the case, these are two great songs and two great performances by Wolfe.

For a "First Time Out" this disc is a dynamite showcase that will shoot Wolfe to the upper echelon of female Soul Blues singers. The disc, produced by James Jackson, would easily garner a higher rating had a couple more tracks been added. As it is there's seven songs, 1 remix and 1 "Special Thanks" track, an admirable endeavor but better left to the liner notes. Highly recommended.