Customer Reviews

Chasin' Gus' Ghost

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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Chasin' Gus' Ghost is a great album featuring a variety of musical styles from straight ahead jug band music to the calypso feel of "One Step Forward", on which John plays a garbage can as a bass. This is certainly a welcomed return to his roots. "Wild About My Lovin" is one of the standouts with Geoff Muldaur on lead, and a song Sebastian did with the Spoonful. This album contains a nice blend of vocals featuring not only John Sebastian, but Geoff Muldaur, Jimmy Vivino, Paul Rishell, and Yank Rachell. Annie Raines also plays a mean harmonica on a couple of the tracks. Bluesman Yank Rachell's last recorded performance is a fitting conclusion to the album.

John and the band, featuring jug band folk hero Fritz Richmond, pay their due respects to their favoured musical heritage. The CD pays tribute to one of Johns earliest influences Gus Cannon.Worthy original tracks by John and the band, together with the re-writing of earlier tunes, mixed with some new arrangements of classic jug band tunes, make this a CD not to be missed by lovers of Sebastian and jug band music.The first J band Cd featured tracks by blues mandolinist Yank Rachell. John was estatic at being able to record with Yank. Sadly Yank died not too long after it's release. It is therefore a fitting tribute and a great source of joy to John and the band that " Chasin' Gus' Ghost ",that the CD contains possibly Yanks last recordings.

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Before he got into rock 'n roll, John played in jug bands. On the first couple Lovin' Spoonful albums he included some of his jug band songs, which were some of my favorites: "Bald Headed Lena," "Fishin' Blues," and "Jug Band Music," which included the lines, And the doctor said give him jug band music/It seems to make him feel just fine. Well, with the able assistance of the J Band, John has returned to his first love, with great results. This is his best record in many a moon, featuring such great songs as "Stealin'," "My Passing Fantasy," and "Wild About My Lovin'". If you're feeling blue, listening to this CD can't help but make your foot start tapping, and before you know it you're feeling better. Welcome back, John Sebastian.

john sebasian's legacy is to make us all smile...whether it is just on his own(Welcome Back) or with the Lovin Spoonful(Nashville Cats)or adding harmonica to the legends(Tim Hardin's first album).In this incarnation with jug band legends fritz richmond et al we are all smiling again.Then he adds the magnificent voice of geoff muldaur(ex geoffand maria andsome of thebest butterfield vocals like small town talk and otherswhen he was with butterfield and the unpredictable amos garrett) and we are really grinning. True,john's voice isnt as strong as it used to be but if you are a fan of what he is best at(which isnt rock and roll) then you will find that this record goes just fine with your morning coffee.....nothing new but you'll be grinning

I recently saw John and Fritz perform here in Santa Barbara. They were great! They played most of the jug band songs on the album and John told great stories about working with Yank. The range and power of John Sebastian's voice has decreased with the years, alas, but his charm, personality, joy, and vibrant guitar playing are still there. (He's a good-looking man, too!)He was a delight and this album is too. Jug band music rules!

This album is living proof that love and talent can make a product greater than the sum of it's parts, as great as they are. Stunning singing,I like Sebastian's "Passin' Fantasy" but ALL the songs and performances are real 'rememberers'

I saw John and Paul and Annie a few years ago so was alerted (alarmed?) at what's happened to John Sebastian's beautiful voice. NEVERTHELESS, this is Great! The selections, all the harp playing, and the spirit of this is wonderful. I'm not real fond of the last three cuts, but that's my problem I guess.