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Editorial Reviews
Chuck Leavell pays homage to the early pioneers of blues piano including Leroy Carr, Little Brother Montgomery, Otis Span, Ray Charles and others. Guest appearances by Keith Richards, John Mayer, Danny Barnes and more. Notes by Chuck and blues historian Larry Cohn.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Most people, when the think of the blues artists, will think of blues guitarists or vocalists. Leave it to Rolling Stones keyboardist, Chuck Leavell, to broaden our knowledge of the genre by turning us all on to great and often little known blues piano gems from the past.
And turn us on he does!
This album came about in large part because of a suggestion made by Leavell's son-in-law, Steve Bransford, and we should be darn glad that he did because this disc is fun to listen to. The CD pays homage and a thank you to early piano blues pioneers like Leroy Carr, Memphis Slim, Barrelhouse Buck McFarland, Otis Spann, Little Brother Montgomery, Charlie Spand, Charles Calhoun, Ray Charles, Skip James, Leola Manning, and Jesse James. To paraphrase Leavell's intentions shared in the album's notes, this is his interpretation and treatment of these great blues tunes and not a replication of them.
Listening to this album, the listener can almost smell the liquor, smoke and food that would waft from the honky-tonks, juke joints and barrel houses that was home to piano blues players. Leavell's signature sound permeates the album. His light touch on the keys - a tickling, if you will - has a way of bringing sounds and feelings out of 88 keys like no one else can. While Chuck has help from well known and incredibly talented people, I'd pay extra to have this CD of just his piano work sans the other instruments, it's that great.
Speaking of the help Chuck brought in on Back To The Woods, it will come as no surprise to hear that band mate, Keith Richards, plays acoustic guitar on Evening Train and electric guitar on Boots and Shoes along with John Mayer. John Mayer also plays electric guitar on Wish Me Well. Incidentally, both of these tunes are flagged as the top two Boomerocity favorites and have been worn out by continuous slaps of the repeat button.
Other guests who might sound familiar to you are Randall Bramblett, Candi Staton, Col. Bruce Hampton, Davis Causey, and Danny Barnes. Rounding out the band are Tom Ryan on baritone sax, Neal Fountain on guitar and bass, Chris Enghauser on stand-up bass and Louis Romanos on drums.
I said at the beginning of this review that Leavell broadens our knowledge of the blues. When I say that, I don't just mean by giving us his interpretation of the 15 songs he selected for this project. He also gives the listener a great, brief written history and background on the genre and the songs. Just as he does with his playing, Leavell's love and appreciation for the songs and the artists originally responsible for them comes through in the booklet. Heck, the booklet is worth the price of the CD by itself!
Not only will Chuck Leavell fans want to snatch up this CD but musicologists, blues enthusiasts, pianists, just plain lovers of great music will most definitely want this album in their listening library.
Hey, Steve, got any more great ideas to nudge your father-in-law with? If you do, don't be shy about it.
And turn us on he does!
This album came about in large part because of a suggestion made by Leavell's son-in-law, Steve Bransford, and we should be darn glad that he did because this disc is fun to listen to. The CD pays homage and a thank you to early piano blues pioneers like Leroy Carr, Memphis Slim, Barrelhouse Buck McFarland, Otis Spann, Little Brother Montgomery, Charlie Spand, Charles Calhoun, Ray Charles, Skip James, Leola Manning, and Jesse James. To paraphrase Leavell's intentions shared in the album's notes, this is his interpretation and treatment of these great blues tunes and not a replication of them.
Listening to this album, the listener can almost smell the liquor, smoke and food that would waft from the honky-tonks, juke joints and barrel houses that was home to piano blues players. Leavell's signature sound permeates the album. His light touch on the keys - a tickling, if you will - has a way of bringing sounds and feelings out of 88 keys like no one else can. While Chuck has help from well known and incredibly talented people, I'd pay extra to have this CD of just his piano work sans the other instruments, it's that great.
Speaking of the help Chuck brought in on Back To The Woods, it will come as no surprise to hear that band mate, Keith Richards, plays acoustic guitar on Evening Train and electric guitar on Boots and Shoes along with John Mayer. John Mayer also plays electric guitar on Wish Me Well. Incidentally, both of these tunes are flagged as the top two Boomerocity favorites and have been worn out by continuous slaps of the repeat button.
Other guests who might sound familiar to you are Randall Bramblett, Candi Staton, Col. Bruce Hampton, Davis Causey, and Danny Barnes. Rounding out the band are Tom Ryan on baritone sax, Neal Fountain on guitar and bass, Chris Enghauser on stand-up bass and Louis Romanos on drums.
I said at the beginning of this review that Leavell broadens our knowledge of the blues. When I say that, I don't just mean by giving us his interpretation of the 15 songs he selected for this project. He also gives the listener a great, brief written history and background on the genre and the songs. Just as he does with his playing, Leavell's love and appreciation for the songs and the artists originally responsible for them comes through in the booklet. Heck, the booklet is worth the price of the CD by itself!
Not only will Chuck Leavell fans want to snatch up this CD but musicologists, blues enthusiasts, pianists, just plain lovers of great music will most definitely want this album in their listening library.
Hey, Steve, got any more great ideas to nudge your father-in-law with? If you do, don't be shy about it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
My first knowledge of Chuck Leavell came from ERIC CLAPTON: UNPLUGGED. Next I found him on the Mike Figgis directed RED, WHITE & BLUES DVD from Martin Scorsese's THE BLUES series on PBS. In both cases, I loved that sort of 'cathouse in New Orleans' feel his music had.
Here Mr. Leavell plays homage to the Blues piano pioneers who influenced his playing style. Most of these songs were originally recorded during the stretch from 1920 to the mid '60s. These are all songs that have stood the test of time - first thing these tunes do is entertain.
For the people who wrote and first played these for a juke joint audience, if you failed to entertain... you were soon out of a job. So you might say that the steel ribs of these tunes, the melodies and the lyrics, have been tempered in the fire. They stand up because they were well-written in the first place, and the listeners enjoyed what they heard. With Mr. Leavell's respectful treatment here, you will, too.
The intros alone have that 'hook' quality that makes you want to hear where these songs are going.
Great recording quality and some really solid liner notes put the last of the shine on this wonderful album.
If you're a fan of Blues piano, you'll do more that just 'like' this one.
Here Mr. Leavell plays homage to the Blues piano pioneers who influenced his playing style. Most of these songs were originally recorded during the stretch from 1920 to the mid '60s. These are all songs that have stood the test of time - first thing these tunes do is entertain.
For the people who wrote and first played these for a juke joint audience, if you failed to entertain... you were soon out of a job. So you might say that the steel ribs of these tunes, the melodies and the lyrics, have been tempered in the fire. They stand up because they were well-written in the first place, and the listeners enjoyed what they heard. With Mr. Leavell's respectful treatment here, you will, too.
The intros alone have that 'hook' quality that makes you want to hear where these songs are going.
Great recording quality and some really solid liner notes put the last of the shine on this wonderful album.
If you're a fan of Blues piano, you'll do more that just 'like' this one.
12 of 16 people found the following review helpful
By mataleao
Format:MP3 Music
I love Chuck, but he is not a very good vocalist. His piano playing is phenomenal but he should not sing. It sounds amateurish, the singing and the piano playing do not fit together. He is not very evocative, and his voice is not very strong. His other albums and Cd's are fantastic, until... he sings. Another problem is that he sounds as if he misses the point of the songs.He sounds like he is correct in the reconstruction of the song, but he misses the intangibles that make the songs great. These are songs that exist with energy and emotion, not just note for note replaying. I love Chuck, and I will probably buy this because I will listen around these faults and enjoy the sound of his piano, but I wish that he could do another album like "Forever Blue", that was a perfect Chuck vehicle.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Very disappointing
Was hoping for some hot licks and good songs. There's a couple but in general quality is low and production is poor with overmodulation and undermix prevalent. Read more
Published 11 days ago by redfan66
4.0 out of 5 stars
Piano Blues for the aspiring student.
I wanted Blues piano examples, this CD with its notes is OK by me.
As Chuck says, the guitar has taken over and the
piano as a jazz instrument overshadowed.
As Chuck says, the guitar has taken over and the
piano as a jazz instrument overshadowed.
Published 28 days ago by kenneth c read
5.0 out of 5 stars
Play it again, Chuck!
I'm an old German blues boy, loving such "old" music for over 50 years (!) and always thought: Sometimes there will be a pianoman who brings that music into year 2000 or later. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Raffi
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterful piano
with a masterful pounding of the keys, a well versed rendition to well played piano tunes in for a blast into da past....
Published 3 months ago by Gerardo Martinez Casas
5.0 out of 5 stars
Back To The Woods
Excellent recording. Chuck Leavell included wonderful selections for this album.
This is an album that is specific to blues piano and a particular time period in music... Read more
This is an album that is specific to blues piano and a particular time period in music... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Kim N.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great blues
Great album for blues lovers and anyone who just enjoys a good listening experience. The piano is one of my favorite instruments and this CD does the instrument justice.
Published 4 months ago by Rebecca P. Wilkinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this!!
I saw Chuck sitting in with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon recently and had totally forgotten about him. I play piano, too, and love blues, boogie woogie, etc. Read more
Published 4 months ago by L. Hicks
5.0 out of 5 stars
This artist is un-noticed, he is great!
This album is awesome! I really love this album. I have purchased several this year, but this is one of my favorites!
Published 4 months ago by Helen LeFevre
4.0 out of 5 stars
Ever hear of the Allman Brothers?
Maybe it's just me but Chuck is NOT "the Rolling Stones keyboardist". Ever hear of a little band from Georgia called The ALLMAN BROS? How about SEALEVEL???? Read more
Published 7 months ago by vinceg in reno
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good piano
Good piano, Good order processing. good deal.
Make it fun! Who says you can't be informative and entertaining?
How about a little
Make it fun! Who says you can't be informative and entertaining?
How about a little
Published 8 months ago by David P. Mullen
