Customer Reviews

Born 2B Blue

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

 

 

I bought this because I had heard Steve Miller sing "God Bless The Child" as part of a Les Paul tribute and wanted a copy of that tune. The rest of this CD has been a very pleasant surprise. It's hard to categorize because while it is filled with standards and has a lot of jazz DNA it is also unmistakably the Steve Miller Band harmonies and all. So; if you like old standards and you like the classic rock of the Steve Miller Band you may well love this CD. The guitar solos are reminiscent of Larry Carlton's work with Donald Fagan (post Steely Dan) and in spots I felt more than a twinge of Steely Dan nostalgia while I was listening.

Rather than try to categorize this CD I would suggest that you listen to the samples and if you like what you hear climb aboard the Steve Miller Band's Pegasus and take a ride to a very different destination and a different time.

While this is certainly NOT the music Steve Miller will be remembered for , it's the disc he SHOULD be remembered for . This is NOT where steve made any money . This IS where a good portion of steve's heart really resides though . When i first got into Mose Allison , i noticed that Ben Sidran was producing and championing Mr. Allison as Mose went silver in the follicles . Here , Ben sees to it that Mr. Miller has every opportunity to succeed . And succeed he (Mr. Miller) does . The core band is excellent . Ben's on keyboards , Billy Peterson brings the bass , big time , and Gordy Knudtson provides tasteful and excellent drums . A LOT of "jazz" folk guest as well . Legendary vibraphone player Milt Jackson is featured on a song . Phil Woods provides alto saxaphone on a different song . Bob Malach brings the tenor saxaphone on four songs . Bruce Paulson is heard on trombone and Steve Faison can be heard on percussion on the disc's first song . The voice and ALL guitar work is obviously Mr. Miller's . I often enjoyed Mr. Miller's more popular music as i would hear it on the radio over the decades . It's great as well . This is clearly as labor of lust though . My "island" selection from the wonderful Steve Miller AND his jazz pal Ben Sidran . Thanks Ben....Blimjo

I'm too late to discover that Steve Miller's old bandmate co-produced this excellent album wich incorporates the same musical patern Sidran got his own recognition with. A cool blue-eyed soul-jazz that makes your toes tapping and lips smiling of joy. And involving Milt Jackson, Phil Woods, Bobby Malach and Ricky Peterson besides themselvs and Billy Peterson and Gordy Knudtson, promisses nothing less then dazzling performance!!!
Don't get late to give this one a listen and catch that YA-YA...Zip-A Dee-Doo-Dah feeling!!!

I had, like so many other people, forgot about this 1988 release from Miller. I like most people was still hearing the overplayed classics from Miller from the 70's, the songs radio still overplays. I would have not even thought of this album had I not seen the Miller Video for "Just A Little Bit", a song that Elvis Presley recorded for his forgotten "Raised on Rock" album back in 1973. I liked the Elvis version of the song and I liked Miller's updated version, so I asked my wife to get this Miller album for me for Christmas and she did. I looked at the song titles and thought oh no, after seeing "Zip A Dee Doo Dah" and "Ya Ya". However Miller adds his cosmic sound to "Zip A Dee Doo Dah and breathes life in the old Lee Dorsey tune, "Ya Ya" The album is a little too mellow in spots and towards the middle of the album songs start to sound the same but the fore-mentioned "Just a Little Bit" and the perky "Red Top pull the album back up and make the album worth having

Bought this thinking it would be nice to hear Steve do some blues inflected jazz, but it's just way too mellow and bland. I'd call it "muzak". Yes the musicianship and production are first rate and Steve runs through a few very watered down T-Bone licks here and there, but I was disappointed. It's good background music, but not something you's put on the CD player to sit down and specifically listen to. Use it as background music at your next dinner party.

I bought the cassette in 1990, and I'm back to buy the CD 13 years later. I remember being in shock with the first listen or two (this is not the Steve Miller most people know). I appreciate Steve for going out on a limb and making this album. He does so many of the jazz classics, and so very well. ...only I didn't know what a jazz classic was until this album. Over the years, I've heard these songs by other performers and have come to appreciate them more and more.

This one's timeless. His choice of covers and the fabulous renditions of them will always be among my favorites. It's the only Steve Miller I own, so maybe this isn't one for the hard-core Steve Miller Band fans, but it is for anyone who likes a soulful jazzy smooth-as-caramel take on some great songs!

This is the most different Miller album of all his career. Seems like Steve wanted to create a bookmark in his constant-style album list and change, just for a moment, the direction of his creativity process.

The only way to do it was to make a cover album, and what a cover album he recorded! All the songs are very good, jazzy, and full of a soul-ballad style, rarely listened on steve.

Ben Sidran on keyboards supports Stevie Guitar Miller in songs played with a lot of heart: God Bless The Child, Just A Little, Mary Ann...

The finest moments occurs when Miller croons: ooooooh! and strums his guitar very, very patiently.

Recommendable when you're happy and need to share your happiness with the one you love.

steve miller is an excellent guitar player. too often his ability is covered by the pop sound. on this cd he gets to cut loose with some different styles. it's worth the price to be surprised at how good of a player steve actually is.

This has to be the worst album I have ever heard. Don't get me wrong, the blues can sound good, but this is a total piece of trash. Do not waste your money. Stick with The Joker, on up through living in the 20th century. If anyone ever wishes to torture me to death, just play born to be blue over, and over again.