Doug Wamble

Wamble's new recording proclaims that he is for real. The music is fueled with a touch of soul and spirituality...Mark F. TurnerAllAboutJazz.com

For a jazz guitarist, Doug Wamble is one hell of a soul man -- not just his playing, but his writing, and especially his voice, which lies somewhere between Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. His background is evident in some of the chords he uses, but he hides it well, and the songs come across as lovely soul, as on the delicious "Sweet Return to Madness" and "It May Be a Dream," where the violin and voice of Carrie Rodriguez add some lovely delicacy to the proceedings. Wamble's guitar work takes a back seat for some of the disc, although he takes off on slide on the gospel-flavored "Bitter Angels" and works with Charlie Hunter on the opener, "Think About It All," while the slow build of "Oh Heaven," with its piano backdrop, offers a superb frame for his restrained solo. But this is an album that's about the song, not playing technique, and Wamble shows himself to be a songwriter of true talent. After all that soul, the jazz of "I Needn't Try," although definitely displaying Wamble's roots, stands out like a sore thumb. It all closes with a cover of Fiona Apple's "I Know" that returns Wamble to acoustic guitar, his natural instrument, giving a spare, aching version of the song. It's a soft, ideal closer to a lovingly crafted disc.Chris NicksonAll Music Guide

...Country Libations is, so far, the debut recording of the year. Thoroughly integrating rural blues, gospel, swing, and free jazz into an organic musical conception that owes little to any model, this acoustic guitarist, singer, and composer is a one-man compendium of avant Americana.The New Yorker

...music that is as fascinating as it is idiosyncratic...Country Libations is an impressive introduction to a guitarists-singer-composer with a bright future.Don HeckmanLos Angeles Times

...Mr. Wamble, the guitarist who has been heard with Wynton Marsalis, Cassandra Wilson and Steven Bernstein's Millenial Territory Orchestra, blends bebop, country, blues, gospel, soul and his own blue-eyed soul singing.The New York Times

...it's definitely good. Wamble, a young guitarist and singer, takes us on a soulful foray into the roots music from the Deep South.The Boston Globe

The constants throughout the disc are Wamble's razor-sharp yet honey-sweet baritone; the bluesy tone of his vintage hollow-body Gretsch guitar, recorded without a pickup; the tuneful quality of his original compositions; and the easygoing cohesion of a working ensemble.JazzTimes

...jazz, blues and gospel are equally important parts of what acoustic guitarist/singer Doug Wamble does on this promising debut album...he makes everything fit together on this unpredictable yet focused debut.AllMusicGuide

Merging blues, jazz and gospel with unimagined ease, Wamble has devised a unique style all the more impressive for its distinctive personal nature. These days, in particular, a rare, inclusive talent like this comes as nothing less than a gift.Steve FuttermanBarnes and Noble

One of the unique aspects of (Doug) Wamble's style is that he plays strictly acoustic. In a post-Frisell/post-Scofield age in which young guitarists tend to load up on digital devices and all manner of foot pedals, that is rare indeed.
Bill MilkowskiJazzTimes

Wamble's Tennessee Baptist infused tenor voice is as big as his guitar sound, and his band helped him create one of the most distinctive current conceptions in jazz.Jon GarelickBoston Phoenix

Wamble is a quadruple threat: accomplished singer-songwriter, eclectic composer, killer guitarist, and heady improviser. His second album, Bluestate, illuminates the broad well of influence from which he draws.Steve FuttermanBarnes & Noble

Wamble seems ever intent on forging new ground while always retaining certain valuable aspects of jazz tradition.Matt CollarAllMusic.com

Wamble's new recording proclaims that he is for real. The music is fueled with a touch of soul and spirituality...Mark F. TurnerAllAboutJazz.com

Bluestate is one of those breakout albums that brings startlingly to attention a musician who has developed a distinctive sound of his own, one that flows naturally from his personality and who he is. Bluestate is one of the unexpectedly enjoyable releases yet this year.Don WilliamsonJazzreview.com