Customer Reviews

Blues Preacher

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I don't want to imply that everything Mr. Ulmer does is great because I don't have his complete catalog and I've never been lucky enough to see him play live (I live on the West Coast and I believe he mainly stays and plays on the Eastern one).

However, if you are in the mood to groove and move and sing along this album has it all.

It seems from the reviews I've read about Mr. Ulmer that you either like him or don't, but to me the reviews don't matter because I like him and am always willing to take the chance. This one continues to pay off.

So I regularly pull this gem out and play it. I like his soulful voice, the lyrics are hopeful, comforting, and inspirational, and when he lets loose with his bursts of notes I am reminded of grape clusters except the grapes that shine are really diamonds and pearls.

When he plays his longer lines of guitar I am always amazed, and one should not overlook the rhythm work.

No one who isn't one with their instrument could play like this.

As a person who would love to play the guitar but knows it will never happen, I have to rely on other human folks to do it for me. As you probably have experienced, it never happens quite exactly the way you would do it. But this comes close, very close for me of one style I wish I could play.

I don't want to forget to praise the players, singers, and everyone involved with this album but I think I am going on a little long.

I'm sorry to see that as I write this review that this wonderful effort is now relegated to the cut-out bin and used section on Amazon.com.

If you can find it I hope you will give it a chance, it's not background music. May be best on a rainy nite with a friend willing to listen close and share something close with you. But will also work well in a random mix for a party. Works good any way you play it.

Apologies for any spelling or grammar errors . . .

The former accolyte of free-jazz greats like Ornette Coleman and Sun Ra shows that he can also follow Muddy Waters and Jimmy Reed, in one of the earliest of his long string of intense straight blues albums. Electric guitar is unusual in experimental jazz, but Blood's guitar work (and writing)is a bit unusual anywhere. I do detect some Jimmy Rogers influence in spots, and maybe some jazzier Texans like Gatemouth Brown. I like him, but it might be an acquired taste. Jazz is the teacher/Funk is the preacher.

This early JBU cd has its moments, but largely, it was a bad purchase for me. JBU's voice has mellowed with age and I prefer him now. I also didn't have much chemistry with Aubrey Dale, a rock drummer who can bang it out but who apparently doesn't have much of a blues connection. This one's going in the "sell" pile...Should really be 2 stars...NEXT!!

This cd has a good mellow feel to it, that makes it nice to listen to as background music, or when you just want to chill out. On the whole the cd is not badly put together and Ulmer takes his music seriousely. However, it is not an excellent album, and although all of the songs are alright, none of them are great.