Reviews (6)

One Of Delbert's Best
Blues guitarist Anson Funderburgh leaves his mark all over this release, & the result is one of Delbert's best efforts. Funderburgh's bright, clear tone livens up everything from the opening uptempo blues "That's the Way I Feel" to the catchy, funky blues of "My Baby's Lovin'" & the mid-tempo, 50's-style swagger of "Go On". The great, bouncy "Got You On My Mind" pairs two of rock & blues' best vocalists in Delbert & Jimmy Hall (former lead vocalist for the Wet Willie Band).

Another one of my all-time favorite Delbert tunes is the title track. For me, the synthesizer & horns evoke a tropical island feel on this one. Another track worth mentioning is "The Real Thing", more of a straight ahead rock'n'roller with more punchy horns. Although I don't particularly care for the jump-bluesy "Crazy 'Bout You" & "Who's Foolin' Who", the only true dud in my opinion is the dreary ballad "I Want to Love You". This tune is totally out of place & breaks up what's otherwise a bright, carefree mood. All in all, this is a collection I never get tired of listening to.

Who's Fooling Who
I bought this in cassette before CD's were around. It knocked me out. I instantly became a fan. Now I listen to him for energy, to relax, to work by in other words. Can't get enough.

The Real THING
Delbert McClinton is in the company of Coca Cola and Jeep. He is the real thing. Let's also give credit to Anson Funderburgh on this great piece of music. It is a sound investment.

Discovery of a hidden treasure!
Thanks to Don Imus I recently "discovered" this hidden treasure. I'm not sure how one would categorize McClinton's music.....and all I can say is it makes me feel good; real good! Although the influence of "The Killer" shows through McClinton is very much his own man. He delivers with confidence, sincerity, and soul. Don't let this one pass you by.

Great Recent Delbert Tunes!
One of Delbert's best CD's of recent originals. Great production and some really good tunes combine to make this one of Delbert's best albums of the 90's. If you get a chance see him live- he may be playing at the local honky-tonk or small hall. He's great live! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Robert Cray adds a bit more soul to the mix on this album, which features the Memphis Horns most prominently. Most of the songs are Cray doing what Cray does best--slow, soulful, done-me-wrong (or, alternatively, I-done-wrong) songs chock full of great guitar. No complaints there, and when he adds a bit of vocal growl here and there, as on the album opener "The Forecast (Calls for Pain)" (also featuring some excellent bass from Richard Cousins), and the slow shuffle "Holdin' Court," it keeps things interesting. This album indicates a slight shift in Cray's direction; although he's always included a touch of soul in his blues, here it's more pronounced than before, a tendency he continued in subsequent recordings. --Genevieve Williams ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Not the most heard, but the best
This album followed _Strong Persuader_, which made Robert Cray famous. While SP is a terrific album, I tend to like Midnight Stroll even more. It has an excellent mix of upbeat songs that are catchy but have an edge ("Consequences," "Forecast Calls for Pain") and some excellent slow, sad blues as well. This album shows why Robert Cray is deservedly revered by guitarists, singers, and songwriters -- and why some of his more recent stuff is a bit disappointing by comparison.

Coming into his own
Midnight Stroll is an album I never get bored of listening to. Robert Cray and The Robert Cray Band are beginning to define their own sound which is deep and funky. From the raunchy "Forecast" with the historic Memphis Horns to the moving "The Things you do to me" and the classic "Bouncing Back" this is a must for any serious music buff.

Cray's best...
If you are a Robert Cray fan and you don't own this CD, shame on you!! This disc represents Cray's blues/soul/funk hybrid at its most refined and well executed. The recordings that preceded this one were excellent, but something was missing. The records which came afterwards are great but are also too smooth and overproduced. Midnight Stroll marks the pinnacle for Cray, it manages to be tough, smooth, edgy, humorous, mean and loving all at the same time, quite an achievement! The songwriting is brilliant, and the disc tells a story, which any great recording should. There is not a throwaway tune on here, in fact each tune is a tour de force in songwriting and muscianship. Finally the horns add an excellent touch for the first time on a Cray record. Go buy this CD, you will not be disappointed if you are a blues fan or a soul fan or simply a music fan.

A million listens and it's still good!
I just finished listening to this CD for the millionth time and it grabs me every time. Musicians--if you want to understand the blues/R&B feel, play along to this one. Doesn't matter what instrument, either. I played along on bass and was once again mesmerized by the groove on this disc!

My absolute favorite blues CD of all times!
This is my favorite CD from Robert Cray. This one is a must have ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Great Slide!
Whether you compare this disc to anything else Roger's has released, compare it to other slide guitar releases or compare it to other blues CD's released this year, it is not hard to justify a five star rating. This release is simply heads and shoulders above the rest. Like all "solo" releases, this release features an all star cast which serve up a creative rhythmic backdrop against which Roger's works his magic. No stranger to a Rogers CD is Norton Buffalo who performs harp on six of the thirteen instrumental tunes here. Joining Buffalo on two of the tracks is former Muddy Water's drummer Francis Clay. Freddie Roulette (CD "Back In Chicago"), one of the last of the living blues steel guitarist, appears on two tracks and Joseph Zigaboo Modeliste (CD "Zigaboo.com"), one of the premier funk drummers alive today appears on four tracks. The CD opens with a slide shred fest called "Avalanche", and then glides into the rockin' "Smoke and Mirrors" before settling down into what most folks will recognize as the blues. The intensity of the music retains its fairly relentless pace until the rather funkified "Gumbo Funk". Forget any notion you may have that a slide guitar instrumental CD might be a little mundane and prepare for a wild ride. This is great music.

You Gotta Get This CD
Oh My God, Oh My GOD, OH MY GOD!!!!! I've listened to a lot of instrumental music in my life, but always thought "slide guitar - are you kidding, that's for backwater hillbillies". Boy was I wrong. I heard the NPR feature the other day on Roy Rogers and this album and was intrigued to say the least.

If you have ears (even one will do), you must run out right now and get this CD. It made me jump, it made my laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to live forever, it made me feel like I died and went to heaven. There are no words to describe it.

Worth adding to any blues collection
This album has a level of energy that I haven't found on many recent blues albums. Overall I think many of the other reviewers are being a bit too critical--this one is great for driving or background music during a loud party. I play it at work frequently, and almost every time someone will walk past and say "that's good stuff--who is it?" Considering some of the major disappointments I've purchased in the blues vein recently, this one deserves a solid recommendation.

Could be better
I bought this after hearing the NPR piece, and thinking that this sounded like my kind of album. But...

Roy Rogers is certainly a virtuoso guitarist and he knows his stuff too. In this album you can hear echoes of Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Clapton, Hendrix, even John Fahey. But the problem is that all the compositions are by Rogers, and while Rogers is a great guitar player, he is not much of a composer.

This album would serve very well as a cv for Rogers if he was applying for a position as a studio musician, and I'm sure he would get the job. There are also a couple of tracks that I really like, particularly #6 which is a kind of atmospheric blues with a nice harmonica accompaniment, and #10 that reminds me a bit of Thorn Tree In The Garden, the final instrumental track on Clapton's Layla album. But tracks 1-5 and 13 are tiresome and do not improve on repeated listening.

The album could be improved by cutting out tracks 1-5 and 13 and add some good standards like, maybe, some Hendrix numbers like Up From The Skies or Little Wing, and some classic blues or gospel tunes. The mark of a really good player is that he can take someone else's tune and make it his own, as for example Santana with Tito Fuente's Oy Como Va, or Peter Green's Black Magic Woman, come to think of it.

So maybe Rogers is not quite up to that stature? Well, that's why I haven't given this album five stars.

This sounds like a pretty dire review, but I do think that Rogers has a great album in him, though this is not it.

Artificial, Disappointing
Like others here, I ordered this CD after hearing the artist on NPR. He has chops but to paraphrase Albert King's complaint about other players, he "just plays fast, ain't got no soul." I don't hear it, anyway. The tracks are mildly entertaining but there's nothing moving or particularly rewarding, much less memorable. "Uninspiring" and "two-dimensional" are references that come to mind. I deleted it from my iPod after just a listening or two. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Twenty years into his recording career, Robert Cray finds fresh nuances in his personal bent of soul-blues through interpretations of original songs from his keyboard player, Jim Pugh, as well as from the rich history of roots music. His singing throughout the new Steve Jordan-produced album is rich and strong, per usual, and his terse, economical, tremolo guitar now surprises for its similarity to the sound favored by Georgian Robert Ward. All in all, however, the tunes Pugh has given him are unexceptional, and the updates of two Elmore James songs and a Stax item show Cray's deep empathy for tradition without noticeably improving on the original performances. Still, Cray's songwriting about the distressing vagaries of romance has been a strong suit since he gained national fame in the early 1980s--"Already Gone" and "No One Special" are highlights--though the catchy first track, "Baby's Arms," sacrifices tension for sentimentality. --Frank-John Hadley ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Shoulda' Been Home - Buying this CD
Those familiar with the Robert Cray Band need no encouragement from my review - just click the order button and once again you will be treated with the best blend of passionate soul, blues, and r-n-b ever to grace our unworthy disk drives. Those of you less familiar with the work of these amazing talents, I envy you as you are in for a treat!

There is an evolution on SBH, (perhaps even more so than on the outstanding Grammy Winning release 'Take Your Shoes Off'), and it is something to behold. Yes, the 'tightest band' around still displays the genius. Jim Pugh continues to show he deserves the Handy for his keyboard and organ work every year. Kevin Hayes' work is impeccable as always, particularly shinning on the cover tunes. Karl Sevaried driving rhythm is flawless and on. The main evolution here comes from Mr. Cray himself. Gone is the guitar slinging 'Young Bob', self-professed road man of yesteryear. In his place the always confident, always humble, ever growing and creating 'not as young Bob' has obviously grown older and happier. It suits him well. There is a maturity here even beyond what we always expect. The subtleness and soft-spoken guitar work seems to fit perfect with his deeper, and closer to the mike vocals. While long ago Robert and his strat have been respected in the same class as his guitar hero's Collins and Copeland, with SBH perhaps he will finally truly be appreciated for his incomparable vocal talents with his Vocalist hero's Otis and OV.

The music seems to say: yah, we get the blues sometimes - relationships are tough - but I'm happy and life IS good, can I share it with you. The first track 'Baby's Arm's' highlights this fact...I popped this in my car stereo when I got back from a 7 day trip and it had smiling from ear-to-ear thinkin' about my baby.

The slow-burning bluesy-soul RCB is here with 'Already Gone' and 'Help Me Forget' recalling classic Cray love and relationship pain. One of the disks highlights 'Far Away' co-written with Mr. Cray's wife (the second such effort) shares a whole story in just a few versus. It seems to tell the painful too often occurrence of a man who still loves his family, but is having trouble loving himself, it makes you want to know the rest of the story and hope that it has a good ending. Another highlight, and one of the two tracks contributed by Mr. Pugh 'Anytime' is a perfect track for those that like their blues funky. While a retro feel, the groove is pure infectious and the albums best showcase of a band that seems to come together as one so effortlessly. The soft-spoken, mature 'No One Special could prove to be most listeners favorite as it drips sweet soul music. We can assume that the upcoming tour will feature the 10 minute plus blues jam 'Out Of Eden' as it offers excellent solo's from both Jim and Robert.

My only tinny-little wish is that in place of the 3 covers we had three more originals. While they provide some excellent blues for all us fanatics - I'm just greedy and would have liked more RCB. Also for those huge fans of the Memphis Horns like myself, we don't get them here - maybe next time.

My recommendation...add this disk and every other RCB disk you do not own to your shopping cart...and do it now!

Shoulda Been Home
Once again Robert Cray provides a great collection of soul and R&B
for all us Cray fans to enjoy. Robert is, as always, solidly backed by
band mates Jim Pugh, Kevin Hayes,and Karl Sevareid. Pugh contributes
two songs to this CD. The funky-smooth "Anytime" with it's
let's share a cup of coffee and "talk about lost love"
theme, and the gospel influenced "Out of Eden", a nine
minute tale of friendship lost. Both songs benefit from Cray's
beautiful, subtle guitar. Six of the remaining tracks are written by
Cray, with my personal favorites being "Far Away" co-written
with Sue Turner-Cray and "Help Me Forget". "Far
Away" is a heartbreaker about the end of a marriage and
"Help Me Forget" full of the pain and regret of a lost
love. Hidden in this song is the "shoulda been home" line
that provides the title of the CD. These two songs showcase the
beautiful, smooth, silky voice that makes Robert Cray irresistible.
For traditional Blues, Robert covers two Elmore James tunes, "Cry
For Me Baby" and "The 12 Year Old Boy". The jam on the
latter showing how well all four members of this band know and love
the Blues.If you don't have the CD, get it. If you haven't seen the
RCB live treat yourself to something unforgettable.

Robert Cray just keeps bringing us great music
I have been a Robert Cray fan since I first heard SMOKING GUN when I was 16 years old. Now some 16 years later, I am still a fan and can say that he keeps bringing us great music album after album. SHOULDA BEEN HOME is without a doubt continuing this feat and I can say that I think every song on this album is a great one, thats something you dont find much of these days with what is out there. In my opinion, I think that the songs that standout on this album are the slower tempo ones such as ALREADY GONE, FAR AWAY, ANYTIME. Mister Cray brings us a sound on this album that is Memphis soul meeting traditional blues with R&B also thrown into the mix. I have been fortunate enough to have seen him live and am looking forward to seeing him once again. In closing I will say that you the listener should also give BABY'S ARMS, LOVE SICKNESS, NO ONE SPECIAL a good listen to. I highly recommend this album for all of his fans.

Still Putting Out Good Stuff...
It's no "Strong Persuader" but, "Shoulda Been Home" is definitely worth adding to your Robert Cray Band collection. No doubt about one thing though, Robert Cray is brilliant plunking away on guitar! The two most fun songs on the disc, "Love Sickness" and "Cry for Me Baby", were not written by Cray or the band but, they will have your toes tapping and a smile on your face in short order! "Renew Blues" in a one minute puzzler that almost seems like someone turned down the record volume by mistake just as the vocals started. "Baby's Arms" is the lead-off cut and the most enjoyable of the Cray penned songs running a radio-friendly perfect three minutes. The remainder of this 52 minute album is mostly written by Cray and the Band focused on classic Cray slow vocal blues ballads. Keyboardist Jim Pugh wrote the longest at nine minutes plus called "Out of Eden". Give it a shot if you like Robert Cray and the price is right.

Juke joint inspired!!
I'm inspired to go find a juke joint in the Deep South after listening to this CD. To me it is reminiscent of the blues that is played there. This music is what we Southerners call "down home blues."
Cray reminds me of a young B.B. King and in this CD he covers everything from "he can't wait to see his baby" to "he's losing his baby." Those are tracks one and two respectively and it only gets better. This man can make a guitar talk as well as any blues musician, and the fact that he can make you feel his joy and pain doesn't hurt either. On this CD you can definitely feel his southern roots. I recommend it as muse music, heck I just plain recommend it. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Whew!
mr.mcclinton's rendition of al green's "take me to the river" left me bug-eyed,drop-jawed andsoaking wet.i thank heaven itself for this man's presence on our planet.

smooth, rough, fantastic
I find his music captivating. His voice is special. He has the ability to surround himself with the best in the business. What a rock!

Chestnuts from an underpublicized great Texas House Rocker
There are a number of great songs on this album. The production values are not up to current standards in terms of sound quality and clarity, but the goods are there. Delbert's one of the best singers of blues-based rockers and soulful ballads there is. His husky voice worn raspy after twenty five plus years in the business, his southern twang and his phrasing combine to produce a powerful, tasteful, captivating interpretation of well chosen songs that tell moving, funny and fun stories. My favorites on this album are Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams to Remember" a sadder-but-wiser ballad, Al Green's "Take Me To The River" which has been widely covered but nowhere better,and three rockers with stories "Giving It Up For Your Love", "Real Thing" and "Heartbreak Radio". If you like blues and soul, you'll like Delbert. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Mississippi-born, New York-based Olu Dara is the real deal: a modern day, 21st-century musical troubadour at home with jazz, blues, R&B, Latin, and African sounds. Although he's recorded numerous times with tenor sax titan David Murray and has played with Art Blakey and Taj Mahal since the 1970s, his debut recording In the World wasn't released until 1998. On the much-anticipated follow-up, Neighborhoods, Dara delivers more of his cross-genre African American autobiographical soundscapes. Backed by the diasporic grooves provided by his Natchesippi Dance Band, Dara's down-home elliptical vocals and blues-twanged guitar licks color this entire session. On the title track, with its urbane rimshots and catchy guitar hooks, Dara pays tribute to Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Queensbridge projects, where his son, Nas, initiated the next phase of hip-hop. The talking drum grooves "Massamba" along spiritedly. Dr. John lends his bayou-drenched Hammond B-3 organ to the Afro-Latin "I See the Light," the comical "Red Ant(Nature)," and the midtempo mojo-mooded "Herbman." Jazz chanteuse Cassandra Wilson adds her deep-Delta contralto to "Used to Be," and on "Tree Blues" and "Strange Things" Dara turns it out with just his voice, his guitar, and some percussion, just enough for the blues.--Eugene Holley Jr. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

First rate
This is a brilliant CD. I have had it for a while and just heard a cut on the local public radio station so I went on line to add his previous CD to my wish list for Fathers' Day. It's a shame he hasn't recorded more. He's and excellent, eclectic songwriter, vocalist, guitarist and trumpter fronting a slick but rootsy band that incorporates blues, funk, world beat and jazz. The lyrics are full of humor and evocative details. Yes, there are some similarities to Taj Mahal but it's not at all derivative.

Wish I could move to Olu Daru's musical "Neighborhood"
Original song writer and musician Olu Dara, reminds us that a deep, abiding reverence for Mother Nature, natural healing and earth-based spirituality is still alive and well, even in the heart of urban culture within his CD "Neighborhoods."

Daru lives in Harlem, yet his lyrics are so lush and green that they transport us to countryside. The ballads are saturated with the high perfume of spring flowers and the plethora of leaves that populate the forest. When one hears Olu Daru speak, his down-to-earth, straight forward manner bears a striking similarity to his lyrics. He credits lullaby's his grandmother sang to him as a child as the primary inspiration for his songs.

If you've grown weary from sexist lyrics Olu Dara's "Neighborhoods" will be a pleasant surprise, many of the songs pay homage to women. This CD contains a bouquet of styles; Blues, Afro-Cuban Jazz, American Roots Music, Soul and Rhythm and Blues. Dara's sultry voice exudes sex appeal heightened by the prominence of congas, tenor sax, and the harmonica.

I am drawn to "Herbman," "Used to Be," "Tree Blues," "I See the Light and a traditional spiritual that he rearranged "Out on the Rolling Sea." Reflecting on your relationship to earth and the sea while listening to "Neighborhoods" is the perfect way to journey within.

wow.
This album is a rich and varied musical feast. The title track, Neighborhoods, especially, is simply magical. Dara's masterful eclecticism of blues, funk, soul, and so on, is quality to core. Don't hesitate. ...but that's Como!

A Must have for any music fan
I first heard olu on the radio show world cafe.org, i was blown away. The different influences come shining thru...blues, world, funk...man this guy is incredible.......I have an extensive music collection covering all genres and olu has occupied a spot in my 5 disc changer for months. I have let friends listen to this and they are all blown away......My words can not truly express how awesome this album is from song 1 all the way thru.......I jsut ordered the natchez album and can't wait to hear it......Thanks OLU and thanks to david dye at world cafe for introducing me to this musical genius.........If you don't buy this album you are passing up a truly incerdible disc!!

Another solid effort
As the other reviewers have pointed out, this album really is a continuation of Dara's debut album "In The World." Now, this is both positive and negative.

The positive aspect is that the album is just as wonderfully musical as the first, and even more delightfully eccentric. The light-hearted "Herbman" is obviously parallel with "Okra" from the first album, and the folk song "On the Rolling Sea" has a lot in common with "Natchez Shopping Blues." In fact, the only notable difference in this album is the increased prominence of the Afro-Cuban sound, which can be heard in songs like "Massamba" and "I See The Light."

Ultimately, however, "Neighborhoods" is a little too much like "In The World." Dara really hasn't developed much as an artist since his last album. In fact, the artistic content of this album is rather diminished in favor of a more overtly appealing sound. But if you can appreciate Dara's simple creativity, or are merely looking for an enjoyable experience, you needn't worry.

At any rate, "Neighborhoods" is a fine album, even if it is sometimes bland. Dara's voice is still incredible, and his cornet and guitar playing is lovely. This album is just as good an introduction to Dara as "In The World," and is a must for any established Dara fan who enjoys his laid-back blues. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After decades as a bluesman, Taj Mahal has earned his place in the pantheon of American music. But this takes him to a slightly different place: Hawaii, where he made his home for a number of years. He's always had a relaxed approach to music, and the Islands must have been a perfect fit for him. But Mahal has also had a long interest in the music of the Caribbean, so it's interesting to hear him adapt Toots's ska classic, "Monkey Man," to his style, on the tropically flavored "Coconut Man." Whatever he tackles, however, the blues is at the basis of everything he does; it's part of his soul now. But there are, as he shows, as many ways to approach the blues as there are bluesmen. His experience and innovation have made Mahal one of the great second (or possibly third) generation blues figures. It's nice to know he hasn't stopped pushing the envelope. --Chris Nickson ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Nice laidback feel
This is an album to listen to when you're just chillin on the couch on a Sunday afternoon - definitely laidback. Taj Mahal combines his blues with a Hawaiian feel. Most of the time it's pretty successful.

The first track is very Tom Waitsish and is among the best on the album. The title track, an instrumental, is as laidback and lazy as it gets. It almost sounds like a lost Billy Vaughan classic. "No Na Mamo" is an interesting song sung in Hawaiian, and it contrasts sharply with the following tune "Mailbox Blues" which is definitely the bluesiest song on the album. The album closes with another instrumental "Kanikapila" which is more upbeat than the title track and is complete with Taj Mahal's yelps and laughs.

Overall, it's a pretty good album that needs to be played while daydreaming about the islands.

More great sounds from an accomplished artist
It's not every day you get to experience a new sound from an old friend. Sacred Island by Taj Mahal and the Hula Blues Band is the kind of CD that you want to play again and again. It's catchy rhythyms fused by Tajs love of Hawaiian Music blended together for upbeat arrangements.
Outstanding cuts include "Cocunut Man", "Sacred Island" and the traditional blues offering "Mailbox Blues". Not a bad song in the bunch and the only reason I gave it 4 stars was that it didn't have more tracks. An excellent effort from a master of blues. Stretch out in your favorite lounge chair, grab a cool one and let your mind drift away with Taj Mahal at the wheel

Wow...........loose and easy
What a happy little cd. We heard it playing in a store while shopping and HAD to have it. We have alot of Hawaiian music and love the blues......perfect combination. Don't miss this one, you'll love it.

Swinging and Swaying
Been a fan for quite a few years, and he just keeps getting better. This has a true island flavor, but it's well mixed with a solid blues sound. Sacred Island and No Na Maho show the former. Mailbox Blues is traditional. And Betty and Dupree is just solid lowdown dirty dancing music. Hard to pin it down to one style, so lay back and enjoy them all.

This is get-down, funky, beautiful, soulful, Taj at his best
From the very beginning, the Calypsonians, this CD grabs ahold of you. I listen to it in my car but I mainly listen to it while I stretch out and do yoga after I walk in the mornings. The 3rd cut, Sacred island, is a particularly haunting and beautiful instrumental that combines slack guitar, ukelele, kalimba, flute and saxophone in the most natural way. I can barely describe the effect this CD has on me every time I listen to it. I've always been a Taj fan (since I saw him in San Francisco in 1971 at the Boarding House where he sang to my fussy baby (now 28 yrs old). Every CD he puts out pushes the "coolness" envelope a little further and this is no exception. Thanks, Taj, and fans, don't miss it!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

"I make this music in the hopes that I may touch your soul," says Ronnie Earl. "It is not fame that I seek or need." These words explain his low profile and encapsulate the vision of an emotionally driven musician. The statement’s truth rings out in every blistering guitar lick and solo on this predominantly instrumental release. As an authoritative axe slinger, Earl is less concerned with how many notes he plays than with the impact each holds. Like Mike Bloomfield (who he sounds eerily like on "Blues for Otis Rush") his style is lean, hungry, and fiery. Recorded live in the studio, Earl shifts from the traditional gospel of "Mary Don’t You Weep" (with guest vocalists the Silver Leaf Gospel Singers) to a sharp cover of Howlin' Wolf’s "Howlin' for My Darlin'." A mouth-watering unaccompanied showcase appropriately titled "Alone with the Blues" and the Peter Green-styled "Donna," where notes drip like mercury from his fingers, are also highlights. Tough yet expressive and always soulful, this is intensely moving blues from a gifted guitarist whose humility and sincerity are as affecting as his music. --Hal Horowitz ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Great feeling and wonderful expression
As far as the tone thing goes, this is how the cats sounded back before all the state of the art compression and rack gear.I like it all.My mind is open.With that said, Ronnie's tone fits his style perfectly.Aside from this rather stunted and immature "tone" issue brought up in another review, Ronnie is loved by Carlos Santana, Greg Allman, and many other more rockish musicians.
Generally, I don't respond to other reviews, but this one deserves an address.
At any rate, if you love raw and real blues, buy this.If you want some guy who outgrew his spandex years ago.. well...

Good Disc, Ronnie Earl beginners look elsewhere first
Some interesting reviews below.The Gary Moore fan is probably representative of many people who aren't deeply into blues.I can understand these people, obviously coming from rock guitar, not being wholly into Mr. Earl at the start.Rather than dismissing Ronnie Earl he would be better of simply saying he wasn't ready to listen to deeper blues.If you feel you are ready, then this is a good disc.Personally however, I think you would be better served buying "Deep Blues", then "Soul Searching", then "Live in Europe".If you dig these then you will be sold on Mr. Earl! Also check out BlackTop Blues-a-Rama Volume 5 for some great Ronnie Earl.

Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!
Tom Boyle's review of this CD was filled with personal attacks, mistruths, and plain old nonsense about my opinion of this CD and I believe it deserves a response.
So what if i don't like the Earl's tone and playing? Isn't the reason we have been given the opportunity to write these reviews so that various opinions can be shared here? If we all l thought the same, and had the same opinions, what kind of world would that be? Also, to point to my reviews of artists other than blues artists as a testament to my "impeccable blues credentials" is also nonsense and a sarcastic attack on me. I never claimed that to be true and any reasonable person can understand.. that the fact that I enjoy other artists besides blues artist does not disqualify me in any way from commenting on this blues artist.
Now to Tom's attacks on me... I never claimed to be "the all-knowing guitar critic." That is sheer nonsense and that is all the response that statement deserves. I have seen Gary Moore play alongside BB King, Albert Collins, and Albert King, and I thought Gary's tone and playing was much better in every instance. Can Gary Moore, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and Jimi Hendrix not play the blues since they also played rock? Tommy! Tommy! I don't think it is I who is under the rock. I would heartily recommend counseling to deal with your hostilities. My intention was not to make anybody upset, but just to give my honest opinion.

Ronnie=Guitar God
I can't believe there's music like this out there that no one's heard of.This guy is absolutly incredible!!If you're really into blues or just starting, you need to pick up this album, especially if you like guitar blues.I feel the compassion coming from Ronnie's licks, like he knows what I'm thinking.He shows emotion through his playing and sincerley plays from the heart, where blues should come from.Pick up this album, you will NOT be disappointed!

eddie....Eddie......EDDIE!!WAKE UP!!
I have been listening to, and following the BLUES guitar career of Ronnie Earl since 1978, when I was lucky enough to take lessons from Ronnie for about a year. I can honestly say that he taught me everything I will ever need know about BLUES guitar. This collection of songs and everything else I have heard by him, beginning with the Sugar Ray & the Bluetones 45 RPM vinyl on the Baron Label released in 1979, on up to this most recent release, shows a masterful and unique approach to BLUES guitar. That includes the so called "elevator music" that he has drifted in and out of more recently. To me, it is just an extension of his various blues sides and shows incredible growth. One can not play I-IV-V shuffles and slow blues album after album without sounding redundant and getting bored. In all cases, whether straight head blues or the variations that Ronnie explores, he does so with a combination of taste, restraint, and balls-to-the-wall emotion...all of it coming from the heart, straight to the guitar, into the amp and out thru the speakers...no gimmicks or gadgets in between.
Edward Voorhees, the all-knowing blues guitar critic (see his comments below) also wrote reviews about Little Feat, The Allman Brothers, Stevie Winwood, Larry Carlton, etc, as a testament to his impeccable blues credentials (what a joke!)and compared Ronnie unfavorably to ROCK guitarist Gary Moore. All I can say is that I believe that Gary Moore, a fine ROCK guitarist who has paid homage to the blues in his own way, would be the first one to tell "Eddie baby" that, yes, Ronnie does deserve to be on stage with Gary. Gary may also say that Ronnie could teach Gary something about acquiring great tone without all the electronic processing that constitutes Gary's sound. Real BLUES guitarists draw thier inspiration and power from things inside, not things that hook up to their instruments. Eddie...WAKE UP! Go back and check out T-Bone Walker, Magic Sam, early Buddy Guy, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Otis Rush, etc. Then check out the current bluesmasters Anson Funderburgh, Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, Little Charlie Baty, etc....then you can qualify to write your reviews on real BLUES musicians and people may take you seriously. You say that you have been playing guitar for a million or so years and that... blah, blah, blah...you just found out about Ronnie Earl? What rock have you been hiding under? ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Blue-Eyed Soul at its Best
Browse through the rhythm and blues section of your favorite CD cyberstore, and it's unlikely that you'll find a copy of The Slide Area. Too bad. Guitar champion Ry Cooder (along with his buddy John Haitt) has more soul in his little finger than contemporary artists the likes of Boyz II Men dream about.

The Slide Area opens with outrageous and funky 'UFO Has Landed In The Ghetto.' The song includes Tim Drummond's ground-shaking bass rhythm, and a list of every funk and dance cliche every written. With visual impressions of an alien doing the funky chicken, I believe Cooder takes a cynical swipe at 160 beats per minute dance tempo music. Cooder's voice is at its soulful best, and with the help of his backup singers (Bobby King, Wilie Green, Herman Johnson) love songs such as Curtis Mayfield's 'Gypsy Woman' recall the sweet soul music of the Inspirations. The band rocks 'Mama Don't You Treat Your Daughter Mean.' The songwriting team of Cooder/Keltner might very well be penning R&B numbers for the Rolling Stones. I can imagine Jagger swaggering on stage, and Richards/Wood dueling guitars to 'I'm Drinking Again.' On a final note, I believe 'That's The Way Love Turned Out For Me' is Cooder's finest moment. If soul music is supposed to reach deep into the heart, then this composition is a winner - lonesome and heartbreaking.

Technical Note: The CD material makes no mention, but I suspect this is an analog recording. The recording and mastering is first-class - pushing the limits of analog to the edge. Note the sparkle of the percussion on 'That's The Way.' I can't detect the slightest hint of distortion on the ground-shaking bass chords of 'UFO.'

Great improvisation.
Is he from Asia or Middle east? I really don't believe that he is American. You can feel full of improvisation on this album. If you have a chance,you should get analog record which made in Japan. It has two extra tracks. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

love at first sight
By accident, I saw Ry Cooder live in Austin in 1981. He played 634-5789, and I was hooked. If you like the Texas sound with a touch of blues and new twists on old songs, you'll love this cd.

Ry loves different musical styles...
I guess some people son't realize that many excellent performers like to change their musical direction. This is an excellent album that is not like his jazz/slide stuff...BUT SO WHAT??? It is great at what he is doing. 50's-60's DooWap not interest you? Buy a different album.

This is good!
I am fascinated by the mix of opinions posted for this recording. For me, it's always been one of my favorites. Perhaps it's a matter of what you are looking for.

If you prefer to hear Ry Cooder the slide guitar virtuoso, then this album may not do it for you because it doesn't really come forth with that kind of performance.

On the other hand, another one of Mr. Cooder's talents is to come up with unique interpretations of other writer's pop tunes, both famous and obscure ones. If you enjoy that type of thing, Borderline is just that kind of record. The first seven songs all deliver, at least to my ears. Not only is it a great band, but the arrangements all have great energy and more than your usual share of humor laced in there too. I agree with one other reviewer: it's pretty fun at loud volumes on a car stereo!

I would say that the last three tunes rarely get played in my home...they just don't grab me. But I wore out a couple of copies of Borderline on vinyl.

And the cover painting is difficult to misinterpret. (It was so much better when it was in a 12" x 12" format!)

Guitar Wizard Takes A Break
Ry Cooder is a guitar master with a unforgettable slide-quitar technique. Unfortunately, his virtuosity, the assistance of John Hiatt and drummer Jim Kelter can't save Borderline from mediocrity. The album starts off with a hell raising bass driven '634-5789': the soul backup singers do a stellar job with the chorus, and the guitar work is inspired. Unlike '634-5789,' it's all downhill from here. The nine remaining covers are poor choices for Cooder's and Hiatt's guitar attack, much less the emphasis on "doo-wop" chorus work (Joe South's 'Down In The Boondocks' is barely recognizable). File Borderline with Eric Clapton's There's One in Every Crowd, or under "Guitar Wizard Takes A Break."

Borderline
I can't wait to drive in the car just so I can listen to Borderline by Ry Cooder. I do not fancy myself an expert on music but I know something is quality when I hear it. Can't get much better than this in my book. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Graitt, Funky, Piano master!
This is a great funky groove start to finish by a guy and his band that is
only getting better. Its great to see him with Bonnie Raitt
on tour and as her keyboard player. He just brings out the best
in so much of Bonnie's newer stuff. He is by far the most funky
keyboard player I've heard in a long, long time. I love this new collection!!
See this guy LIVE whenever you can!

New- New Orleans Funk
I've been listening to New Orleans Funk for 3 decades & traveling to Jazzfest since 1990, and have heard a LOT of N.O. funk. Cleary performs and writes for Bonnie Raitt, and has a wonderful ear for arranging. This CD is very diverse in its musical jendre but still draws you to listen over and over - I've had it in my car's player for weeks at a time. It is the BEST - and just a little askew of what we commonly hear as N.O. Funk. Cleary's a fabulous songwriter and a creative arranger of 'old standards' such as "Just Kissed My Baby." This is definitely one of my top 10 CD's I own.

Funk and Groovin' New Orleans Style
Not the George Clinton and P-funk kind of funk music but in a funky groove all of its own. Cleary (originally a Brit now adopted by New Orleans) gives this album a distinct New Orleanian flavor and passion with a cruising kind a funk---meaning that you can listen to it in your car to jam, at cocktail hour, at a club or even jazzfest. The best part of this CD is that I didn't feel the need to say---he was better live. It's just that good!

TIGHT FUNK
The cuts on this CD are smooth and tight, with heavy bass, great vocals and lyrics, and amazing, SERIOUS grooves. Mr. Cleary and his crew encapsulate the New Orleans vibe with their high energy, excellent musicianship, and soulful expression of funk. I've enjoyed this CD for months, and all the tracks always sound fresh and lifting. An overall high-quality collection, this has become one of my favorites.

Turn It Loose
If you can sit still through this rhythm pounding sound, you are from a planet where there is no music. Take a slice of Neville Brothers, some Tower of Power, throw in a dash of early Little Feat, stir heartily with New Orleans R & B, funkify the whole thing, and, man, you got a get-down sound that'll make you feel better than JB. When I listen, I can't stop grinnin'. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paul Pena should have been a star. Maybe he would have been if this album had been released in 1973, when it was recorded. Instead, it's taken 27 years for this brilliant collection of Pena's songwriting to see air. Well, except for two of its numbers: "Jet Airliner" was such a big hit for Steve Miller it sustained the blind singer-guitarist through the lean years, and "Gonna Move" has become a favorite of R&B bands. But the best tracks are numbers like "Let's Move and Groove Together," on which Pena makes like Marvin Gaye--his husky voice working the magic of eros. Or "Cosmic Mirror," which recalls nothing less than Hendrix's "Machine Gun," testifying to Pena's brawny-toned guitar virtuosity. (He also outplays Miller's version of "Jet Airliner" with Clapton-like bends and vibrato.) If spirituals and country are your bag, Pena captures a seeker's fervor in the title track's freedom prayer and turns "Venutian Lady" into a tripped-out reflection of hippie-era Nashville. The good news is that now Pena may get his shot. He's making a new album, and this time there will be no waiting. -- Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (36)

You gotta buy it!
I stumbled on Paul Pena's NEW TRAIN cd a few months ago, and I can't stop playing it. The first track lays down a groove that is so infectious it makes me smile as I repay it over and over. I told my brother, who is usually the one to turn me on to a new great sound, you've got to hear this guy Paul Pena. I'd vaguely heard of Paul from god knows where, and I bought the cd on pure inspired hunch. I hit pay dirt, and you will too. The track Cosmic Mirror is reminiscent of the best of Jimi Hendrix, even better. With each playing, the album reveals new layers of artistry. You gotta buy it. It has everything- songwriting mastery, great licks, soulful singing that just sends me. And now I've learned more of Paul's immense humanity, as chronicled in the documentary film Ghengis Blues about his remarkable journey into the singular culture of Tuvan throatsinging. His struggle with isolation born of his condition of blindness and feeling like a stranger in his own land, and his recent life threatening illness. The last straw was learning that his talent and this fabulous album was suppressed for 28 years by recording industry machinations. This man needs to be heard. I can just tell you again, you gotta buy it!

It Took 27 Years, But the Train is Finally Here
This album works on several levels. First of all, it's a tribute to a talented and neglected artist. Who knows what would have happened had this album been released right after it had been recorded. It might have made Paul Pena a household name or it might have quickly disappeared, like so many fine albums.

Secondly, this album serves as a time capsule of what was going on musically in the early 1970's. It's a synthesis of several musical genres. One can hear a marvelous blend of rock, country, reggae, blues and R&B throughout the album.

The ten track CD gets off to a fine start with "Gonna Move." This soulful number (with wonderful background vocals by the Persuasions) will have you snapping your feet and/or tapping your toes in no time. It has a wonderful loose feeling like a jam session that is so refreshing to hear. The title track follows and keeps a nice pace going. Pena's rocking pre-Steve Miller version of "Jet Airliner" quickens the pace a bit. "Wait on What You Want" then takes the listener into a more psychedelic mode.

Things mellow slightly with "Venutian Lady," then move back into the psychedelic mode with "Cosmic Mirror," before settling down into "Let's Move and Groove Together." The latter is a cover of Johnny Nash's Number 4 R&B hit of 1965. It's one of only two songs on the album not entirely written by Pena.

"Indian Boy" follows in fine form followed by "A Bit of All Right." In the latter reggae influenced song, one gets to experience Pena's piano playing (he sings and plays guitar on all tracks).

The set closes with the country flavored "Taking Your Love Down" (a/k/a "Bringing My Love Down"). It'll make you want to tap your feet also. At just under three minutes, it's the shortest track on the CD. It leaves you wanting more.

Pena is a gifted vocalist with a warm, somewhat raspy tone. His singing possesses a feeling of emotion so rarely heard in contemporary popular music. Also, he's a fine songwriter with lyrics that stay with you. As a footnote, both "Venutian Lady" and "New Train" feature Jerry Garcia on steel guitar.

In short, NEW TRAIN is a CD for people who like music. Not homogenized pop fodder, but music with texture, feeling and depth. The kind of music that was heard everyday in the 1970's. In other words, real music played by real musicians.

Hopefully, there won't be as long a wait for Pena's next album. In the meantime, check him out in the very entertaining documentary, GENGHIS BLUES.

Amazing & Timeless
Every song on this album sounds like a classic. Like many others, I had never heard of Paul Pena until watching the documentary GENGHIS BLUES. I finally bought NEW TRAIN and it hasn't left my CD player yet. A must buy for anyone into the blues, rock and music in general. You won't be dissappointed. Now if only we could get his first album re-released...

I hope this review helps Paul get his just due.
Maybe it wasn't right for the time when this was recorded. In any case, buy it. You certainly won't hear anything like this released today. "Cosmic Mirror"...., do I detect Jimi Hendrix? I do believe he would have been proud. I would like to thank the Genghis Blues project for introducing Paul Pena to me. It has been a long time since I have been moved by some "new" music.

A Hidden Treasure
When I first heard this album, I fell in love with it. I wondered why I had never heard of Paul Pena. Then I was outraged to learn that this album was kept from being released for twenty-seven years! It is truly one of the most remarkable and inspired collections of songs I have ever heard. Were I rich enough, I would buy a copy of this CD for everyone. Nobody writes like this anymore, with such passion, such conviction and sincerity. His vocals are so versatile that I did a double take when I heard "Cosmic Mirror". It sounded so much like Jimi Hendrix. But that's not why you will love him. This man is the real thing; nothing phony about him. There is a quality in his music that is missing from today's music. There are NO skip over tracks! From start to finish, New Train by Paul Pena is a gem, a treasure that is thankfully no longer hidden from us. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I keep coming back and wanting more.
Three independently good solo jazz singers meld together compellingly. I keep giving copies away. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Here's a bountiful blues buffet from deep in the heart of Texas, courtesy of the long-running Austin City Limits television series. Texas talents--including Lightnin' Hopkins, represented by a suitably idiosyncratic "Rock Me Baby"; the razor-sharp Albert Collins, ripping through "Travellin' South" in front of a horn-powered band; and W.C. Clark, the godfather of the Austin blues scene, who sparkles on a song by hometown hero Willie Nelson--make the most of their spotlight time. And, naturally, there's Stevie Ray Vaughan, who leads Double Trouble through a tight and tasty "Love Struck Baby." Jimmie Vaughan's tribute to his blues brother, "Six Strings Down," follows in an example of the collection's creative sequencing. In like manner Gatemouth Brown's "Born in Louisiana" leads into Dr. John's New Orleans version of "Since I Fell for You," and Clark's rendition of "Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away" segues into B.B. King's personalized cover of Nelson's classic "Night Life." The honorary Austinites, including a rambunctious Buddy Guy and a solo Rory Block, also make considerable contributions, the best probably being Taj Mahal bouncing through "Queen Bee" with Ben Harper on slide guitar, although Keb' Mo's straightahead "Tell Everybody I Know" isn't far behind. --Michael Point ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A great compilation!
This is a great sampling of the blues. B.B. King does an excellent "Night Life", his guitar is fabulous! One of my favorites is W.C. Clark, who I had never heard before. "Queen Bee" is the best Taj Mahal I have heard. Miss Lavelle White, Stevie Ray, Lightnin' Sam, Collins....I could go on and on. The recording quality varies very little from track to track, which is expected from Austin City Limits, as they are one of the few TV program which delivers excellent sound. Don't pass this one up!

Enjoy!

This is a Texas blues mirror!!
Texas is a State,full of hot deserts,but this cd shows that not only hot deserts...Texas always have hot blues with great icons of this musical style. We must reverence this contribution,specially the legendary SRV,and the great melodic voice of Delbert Mc Clinton! If you don't know what is the Texas Blues Twister,just buy this cd and.........

Vintage Guitar magazine review:
This greatest hits collection assembles fifteen performances from the famous television series "Austin City Limits." As a tribute to the televised music venue, it's a fine CD. And as a live blues disc it doesn't get much better than this. The recordings range from Lightnin' Sam Hopkins' "Rock Me Baby" from 1978 to Delbert McClinton's "Leap of Faith" from 1997. In between, are hot numbers from Albert Collins, Jimmie Vaughan, Keb' Mo', Gatemouth Brown, Dr. John, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Miss Lavelle White, the Neville brothers, Rory Block, and W.C. Clark. That's quite a lineup. Among the best tracks here, however, is Stevie Ray Vaughan's blistering performance of "Love Struck Baby" from 1983, when he was near the peak of his powers. B.B. King also turns in a fine "Night Life" from 1982 packed with his trademark vibrato and phrasing. Hot stuff.

Feel it to your bones!
Not only is this the Best of Austin City Limits, it is the best collection of blues I have heard in a long while. From Taj Mahal to Miss Lavelle White, each performer gives their all to make one feel like they are sitting in front of the stage, listening to the souful sounds being emitted. Fantastic! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

Robert Cray's spent the '90s evolving from West Coast bluesman to Memphis soul belter. So Cray's restrained guitar playing on his first CD for Rykodisc--after his unhappy departure from his longtime label Mercury--comes as no surprise. What's shocking is the utter perfection of his emulation of the signature sounds of the classic Stax and Hi Records singles of the '60s and early '70s. Cray's voice exhibits the delirious growl-to-falsetto flights of a young Al Green on numbers like "What About Me," "Love Gone to Waste," and the prisoner-of-love weeper "Pardon." But his arrangements--heavy on kick drum, fatback horn grooves, and organ flourishes--retain a grit that Hi in particular lost over time. And when he launches into a guitar solo like the probing corker that climaxes his take on Willie Dixon's "Toll the Bells," Cray rekindles the influence of his late mentor Albert Collins and reasserts himself as a torchbearer of stinging blues. --Ted Drozdowski ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Just great music
On this album, Cray has made a transition of sorts from a bluesman, to more soul sounding music. His guitar playing is still top notch, but there seems to be alittle more of a R&B sound to his music here. "Love Gone To Waste" is a heartfelt plea of a broken heart. "That Wasn't Me" is more of the same. "24-7 Man" is a good rockin' song to get you moving. There are more standouts here such as "Pardon", "All They Way","There's Nothing Wrong", and "Let Me Know". I think if you are a Robert Cray fan or a true fan of music, then you will enjoy this album. For those Robert Cray fans, I think you will enjoy the departure from his old sound to this totally fresh sound.

Someone could take your heart to school someday...
This is the middle of a trio of great CDs I have from Robert Cray (the others: Sweet Potato Pie and Shoulda Been Home). Cray's songs, voice, guitar, and the band are full of soul. The songs are about relationships--some happy, mostly sad--written from a man's perspective. They're honest songs, touching real emotions.

This CD is full of tight, sparse playing and arrangements. The tempo is generally laid back, hence, perhaps, the title. But it's not slow.

The standout songs are "(I'll be your) 24-7 Man" which swings
like mad; "(Grant him a) Pardon" about a guy who's never quite recovered from a lost love; and "Let Me Know (Love, was it that bad?)," with its awesome 'crying to the sky' guitar solo.

If you like the Memphis sound and the Stax records that came out in the 60s, Cray is the one artist I know carrying on that tradition. And he does it in a contemporary fashion without losing any of the feeling.

Great Soul/Blues Blend
Many 'blues purists' (which to me is just a term for an elitist that wants to hear the same exact thing over and over again rather than give something else an objective listen) detract from Cray's work because of its general appeal in comparison to other Blues legends. I think this is silly. His music is great, and he plays a wonderful axe. This album is probably the most 'Soulful' of his albums, but it has some great traditional blues themes and motives.

Had to follow the instructions
At first listen, I wasn't really into this CD. I was questioning where did the great guitar work get off to. But then I did what the title said and took my shoes off, kicked back and relaxed. Wow, amazing. The more I listened, the more it reached out to me. Much praise to 'Young Bob' for sharing this mellow, soulful work.

He shoots, he scores
I don't think Cray can make a bad record. And he plays, arranges, and sings blues & soul like nobody else around (Al Green seems to have retired). It doesn't hurt to have Steve Jordan helping out, because Jordan's contributed to some great records and can write a song. I believe there's at least four great soul blues tracks on this offering, and the last two tracks allow Robert Cray to cut loose and have some fun. I have a feeling I'll end up filling a shelf with Cray albums. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The blues-Mali connection has been much pondered, and Mali to Memphis attempts to illustrate the tie with selections of both Malian artists and American bluesmen (and women). The Malian cuts, especially those from Rokia Traore, Boubacar Traore, and Lobi Traore, are the most persuasive, setting up long, monochromatic, loping grooves not dissimilar to John Lee Hooker's, over which are laid some spine-chilling vocals, tinged with the Arabic influences of Islam. Hooker himself, who comes in with an acoustic "I'm in the Mood for Love," is the most obvious U.S. stylistic link. Muddy Waters, Eric Bibb, and Jesse Mae Hemphill also provide interesting comparisons, but some of the other blues choices, nice as they are, aren't as convincing examples of musical similarity. The point is well made that it is within the vocal styles that any cross-cultural pollinations are found, not in the 8-, 10-, 12-, or 16-bar structures that dominate the blues idiom. The blues are a vehicle for stories, emotion, and tradition, and the griots of Mali share the same responsibility, only they are much more deeply embedded in, and fundamental to, the culture of the land, something that oozes out of every note they play. --Derek Rath ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Africa. America. Less Different Than I Imagined.
Jeanette Belliveau seems a little disconnected about the source of the connection of the sounds in the two contrasted styles of music. Although the attitudes of blues originated in Africa, the sounds originated when black musicians picked up white instruments and tried to win acceptance through music. The only African instrument to make the journey from Africa to America and gain wide acceptance is the banjo -- which is almost never heard in black music, but rather has been adopted wholesale into white music.

On the whole, however, the sound you hear in the blues music on this CD is examplary, and the Malian sound, though influenced by blues and played partly on Western instruments, is magical. My girlfriend, Sarah, was so influenced by this CD that she bought Taj Mahal's album _Senor Blues_ (q.v.) and I invested in some John Lee Hooker and am fishing for some Muddy Waters. As a way of finding out about black music, either in Africa or in America, as well as examining how the two cultures have traded off one another, this CD is unmatched and unmatchable. A definite five stars.

African Culture Across the Atlantic
When many westerners think of African music, they expect something exotic, something primitive, something mysterious. Yet for all their expectations, few Americans seem to realize that they are sitting on a goldmine of African traditions. The African musical traditions served to feed what would develop into the traditions of Blues, Jazz, Rap, Reggae, Rock, Gospel, Salsa and the like. And the purpose of this particular CD is to explore the African roots of the Blues.
Like most Putumayo CDs, this one jumps from Mali to the US, back to Mali (and neghboring Guinea), and to the US again. However, this only serves to show the similarities between these two musical traditions. Excellent selections from big namessuch as John Lee Hooker, Habib Koite, Muddy Waers, Taj Mahal, Rokia Traore and Boubacar Traore characterize this CD. The music, whether Mande or southern, always maintains a uniquely Blues feel to it.
And, as an added bonus to Blues fans, this CD really expands the entire genere. Compare John Lee Hooker's "I'm in the Mood" to Taj Mahal's "Queen Bee" and you'll see what I mean.

awesome
This cd is smooth and mellow. I've been addicted to it since I first got my hands onto it. A real pleasure.

I really love this CD
I love the music of Mali--the home of Timbuktu and some really amazing musicians. Their music and its five-tone scale is supposed to be the roots of the Blues. Though the slave trade was mostly a coastal event (Mali is land-locked), wars in the area resulted in prisoners who ended up on slave ships heading for America. The rich Mali music tradtion may have created our American blues.

Here, side by side, Mali musicians play their music with a mix of electric guitar and traditional harp-lute along with cuts by John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters. The music is arranged cleverly--you can hear the similarities quite clearly. But aside from being interesting historically, this music is just plain great to hear. The cd has fascinating liner notes, too.

I've already played this twice through just out of the box, and I know this is going to be one of my play-all-the-time CD's.

awesome
this album is unbelievable. the transiion from the african rythms to the delta blues is incredible. It evokes an indescribable emotion when you listen to it. ... Read more

Album Details

Live, Eclectic Body of Work by Famed Producer/Slide Guitarist Cooder. 'show Time' is a Mixture of Ry's Incredible Guitar Playing, the Vocal Stylings of Singers Terry Evans and Bobby King and the Handy Accordian Talents of One Flaco Jimenez. Includes the Tracks 'jesus on the Mainline', 'Do-Re-Mi' (A Woody Guthrie Original), the Mezo-American Standard 'volver, Volver' and Much More. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Solid Live Ry Cooder
"There is so little live Ry available, it's great to find a live CD from a great era of Ry's work. This CD comes from the era of transition from Chicken Skin Music to Bop Till You Drop, with most from the former (along with similar stylings).

Classic Americana, Cooder-Style
Ry Cooder put this incredible band together in the late '70's, combining the soul stylings of vocalists Bobby King and Terry Evans with conjunto king accordianist Flaco Jimenez, and Ry's own amazing slide guitar work. This is a band in the truest sense, traversing American music and bringing fresh, creative interpretations of songs like Woody Guthrie's "Do-Re-Mi", r&b classic "Smack Dab In The Middle", and the Mexican torch standard, "Volver, Volver". This album introduced me to Flaco, and led to a series of trips to furniture stores in Denver's Mexican neighborhoods--the only places you could find his albums,at that time. Leave it to a master musician and musicologist like Ry Cooder to find these talented people, and create something so unique. This is a live album in every way. ... Read more