Tenured blues fans are well accustomed to requests from friends for "the ultimate blues album" or a good introduction to a specific artist or genre. While "the ultimate album" easily escapes definition, the Rounder and Tradition labels have kicked off the summer listening season with two entries to this category.
Steeped In The Blues Tradition (Tradition TCD 1016) does an excellent job of defining the folk blues genre with sides from Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Leadbelly, Lightnin' Hopkins, Leadbelly, Fred McDowell, Big Bill Broonzy, Big Joe Williams, and Blind Lemon Jefferson. While the release is equally split between pre-revival cuts and recordings made during the folk blues boon of the early 1960s, the earlier cuts represent the genre "revived" in more recent years.
With uniformly excellent performances and sound (the noise on Jefferson's Black Snake Moan #2 is easily ignored after a few bars of his plaintive vocal), the CD serves equally well as an introduction to folk blues or the soundtrack to your next road trip. Although its difficult to pick outstanding cuts from this collection, the Leadbelly cuts (Bourgeois Blues, Linin' Track, Pretty Flower), present Leadbelly as a vocal powerhouse, and leave a strong impression. Potentially the most powerful combination on the CD is a cut from a 1963 session featuring Terry, McGhee, Hopkins, and Broonzy. Cuts from this session have appeared on dozens of compilations and albums from each of these artists individually, and these cuts typically have a loose almost-falling-apart-but-having-a-hell-of-a-time quality. The cut selected for this release unfortunately lacks this spontaneous quality, and falls short of expectations. All in all, however, an above average compilation and highly recommended as a soundtrack for your next BBQ.
Its hard to go wrong with a compilation of Professor Longhair, and if you throw in a handful of other Crescent City ivory ticklers, so much the better, right? That was apparently the thinking at Rounder when they put together Collector's Choice featuring Professor Longhair, Irma Thomas, Tommy Ridgely, Eddie BO, Al Johnson & Others (Rounder CD 2082). And they were partially right. They didn't go wrong. But the Professor Longhair cuts (complete with alternate takes) push this release dangerously close to esoterica for the converted. After listening to Everybody Blowing (an exercise in the bizarre) and its alternate take, many listeners with less than a driving passion for late 1950s R&B could be forgiven for having second thoughts about their purchase. This CD gets a thumbs up, but its wavering...
Jazz guitarists with a taste for effects pedals and digital delay have given me a serious bias against jazz guitar, but three recent releases from Concord have given me serious pause. Jimmy Bruno's Like That (Concord CCD-4698) featuring Joey DeFrancesco on trumpet and organ quickly achieves an airy, wide open feel, and the interplay between Bruno and DeFrancesco (especially on trumpet) comes across as a conversation between old friends. Thumbs up, no reservations.
When Lights Are Low (Concord CCD-4083) is a CD retread of the 1979 Kenney Burrell album. Consisting entirely of standards, there are few flights of fancy or pyrotechnic displays here, but rather an understated ambiance from one the genre's greatest practicioners. Music to seduce your intended.
Another digital debut of a 1978 session is Windflower from Herb Ellis and Remo Palmier. This release could convert avowed string haters to fans and should be required listening for all jazz guitar students. Although recorded at Ellis' suggestion (Palmier had never had top billing on a recording in nearly 40 years of performing and recording), Ellis turned over song selection and arranging to his long time friend Palmier. The result is one of the finest examples of guitar jazz I have ever heard. Both players put in outstanding performances, and are doubly impressive together. Absolutely recommended with a double thumbs up.
Phil Woods is regularly referred to as the greatest living alto player, and is unquestionably the heir to Charlie Parker's mantle as king of bebop. His latest release, Into the Woods (Concord CCD-4699) does nothing to diminish this reputation, and showcases Woods on clarinet and soprano as well. Its hard to criticize excellence, but Woods fans will want to double check the list of songs on the album, as all cuts are previously released.
Finally, space prohibits me from a complete review of Sarah Brown's Sayin' What I'm Thinkin' (Blind Pig BPCD5030), but fans of no-b.s.-three-chord-power-rockin'-blues won't be disappointed. The last cut here also features Angela Strehli, Marcia Ball, and Lou Ann Barton on background vocals, reminiscent of 1990's Dreams Come True. Sure to be a hit with the Texas blues/rock crowd.