Alligator Lips & Dirty Rice (Dig)

Jon Cleary | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 3, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Megaforce
• ASIN: B000I2KS02
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #264,700 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wait 3-6 weeks for this one -- It's worth it!, April 8, 2002

By 

Josetta Caudill "Josetta" (Indianapolis, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Lips & Dirty Rice (Audio CD)

This is one of the best (albeit short) albums on the planet. It'll leave you wanting more -- so get Moonburn, too.

Jon does a version of "Big Chief" that's better than any Professor Longhair version I've ever heard (and I've probably heard most of them).

It's hard to pick a favorite, but "Go Ahead Baby", written by Cleary, is flawless. I don't think there's a girl anywhere who wouldn't love a guy who says "Anything you want, you just let me know baby". It's raunchy in such a charming way, with one of the best lyrics -- "I'm just waiting for a girl like you. She likes to do what you think of, don't like to think what you do".

"Burnt Mouth Boogie" -- You've never heard fingers fly so fast over a keyboard and sound so effortless.

All I can say is thank God for CDs, because if this album were on vinyl, I'd be on my third or fourth one by now. You WON'T be selling this one to the second-hand CD shop.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jon Cleary is such a funky guy!!!, January 31, 2007

By 

Eli Marcus (Tel Aviv, Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Alligator Lips & Dirty Rice (Dig) (Audio CD)

"British born Jon Cleary is a triple threat-with a salty-sweet voice, masterful piano skills,

and a knack for coupling infectious grooves with melodic hooks and sharp lyrics."

- from the Bonnie Raitt website

Jon Cleary's name appears in the credits of close to 100 Blues albums from the past 25 years, not least of which is backing up Bonnie Raitt on keyboards and vocals. But the music that Cleary plays on his own recordings is not strictly Blues, it is an infectious and funky combination of real New Orleans groove music with infusions of R & B, Soul, Blues, Jazz and Cleary's own original songwriting.

This first recording of his as a leader has been out of print for a while, so it's wonderful that this gem is available once more.

Cleary is backed by some of New Orleans' finest on this 1989 recording

including George Porter Jr.(the Meters) on bass and backing vocals, Willie Singleton on trumpet, Mike Ward on percussion, Bunchie Johnson on drums and backing vocals, and Doc Paulin on trombone.

Jon Cleary plays some mean boogie woogie piano on this recording, recalling the style of Professor Longhair. Some of Cleary's melodies also remind one of Dr. John and Stevie Wonder's music. But Cleary is no imitator or impersonator, he has made all these influences and styles his own, these are just the tools he uses to play his very joyful music for us.

I highly recommend this album to anyone who wants to get a start in Cleary's world, and also to those who prefer the more traditional blues and soul styles of New Orleans music. His later recordings with his band "the Absolute Monster Gentlemen" go into funkier and more fusion oriented rock/jazz/soul

territory. I love all of his recordings, they are very infectious, but this album is probably the best place to start.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The best kept secret in New Orleans, December 26, 2001

By 

Paul Schmitt (Orlando, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Alligator Lips & Dirty Rice (Audio CD)

With a heart full of soul and a left hand that would make Professor Longhair proud, Jon Cleary brings the essense of New Orleans piano to life in this outing.
Cleary has obviously done his homework as he opens with "Go ahead baby" and from here he never lets up.A transplanted Englishman, he has more than adopted the blues, he's living them.
Every now and then an artist comes along that really understands the genre he or she chooses to work in. We saw that with the late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan. What Stevie did for Texas blues and the guitar, Jon Cleary does for New Orleans piano.I have not heard this much feeling and groove since James Booker.
Other standout cuts include the soulful"In the Mood", the classic Professor Longhair cover,"Big Chief" and the gospel tinged," Pick up the pieces". The only reason I would give this release 4 stars instead of 5 is that he can only get better.Other
than that, it's a must for any aspiring blues pianist. Kinda like the way Bluesbreakers is for guitarists. Or even if you're just a lover of great blues,jazz and soul, this may just be what the doctor ordered.
Finally, in case you're wondering, his live show is just as good,
as he picks from cuts off of Alligator Lips and Dirty Rice to his latest release, Moonburn with a few suprises thrown in.It should be a crime to be this talented!