Customer Reviews

Crumb

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

 

 

This disc is the soundtrack of one of the best documentaries of all time so naturally the soundtrack has to be just as great,and it is.While even Terry Zwigoff himself says that because editing a movie can take so long at least the music should be something you could listen to over and over again.Being a collector of vintage music on old 78`s,he used originals when he could (like the spooky and incredible Last Kind Word Blues) and had modern musicians interpret on,piano and guitar, some really fine jazz and blues songs from the 20`s and early 30`s from the likes of originators like Jelly Roll Morton,Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb.Add in a couple of songs from the Cheap Suit Serenaders (an old time string band that includes Zwigoff and Crumb)and you have a great cross section of really great music.

The film is worth a peek and the Cheap Suit Serenaders are also worth checking out if you love this old time music as much as I do.Have fun.

a more accurate discription of the album is in order. Terry Zwigoff (the director of the film, fellow member of Cheap Suit Serinaders,friend of Robert Crumb, and fellow 78's of 20's & 30's music collector) wanted to use King Oliver, Tiny Parham, and Bix Beiderbecke for the soundtrack, but a restricted film budget didn't allow it. So he got a friend that played really great piano rags (David Boeddinghaus), & a street musician guitarist he met and then played with weekly at Pauline's in San Francisco (Craig Ventresco). They perform all but 2 of the songs. Terry also brought in 2 really good songs recorded in the 30's by Geechie Wiley ("Last Kind Word Blues" and "Skinny Leg Blues"). In both cases of song & performance, the Publisher is unknown, but the songs are great. David Boeddinghaus & Craig Ventresco are not members of the Cheap Suit Serinaders, and CSS is nowhere on this album.

However, the music is great. First of all, I've never heard of either one of these musicians, but I would definately pay to see them (some intimate small places like "The Ice House", "The Troubidor", "House of Blues", etc.)

Second, I've heard lots of musicians on stage that weren't famous that have sounded very good. A few that come to mind are Casey Anderson, Peter Alsop, Teddy Lee Hooker, and Joe Marchiano. Just because you're not well known doesn't mean you're not good. David plays piano better than Joshua Rifkin, and Craig sounds every bit as good a Leo Kotke.

Third, I'm not sure how much longer this album will be available, so it might be worth your while to check it out.

Snap it up. This is obviously not being reprinted now and I've never seen a new copy. If you like this music, grab this disc. It's vital for one reason above all others: "Last Kind Word Blues" is probably one of the loveliest American songs ever recorded, and I don't know if it is available anywhere else. The rest of the disc doesn't fall far behind in listenability. And see the movie too - it'll broaden your horizons.

This soundtrack is composed mostly of old blues and country however they they are all amazing. Some are original some are performed by David Boeddinghaus (I don't know if that's spelled right.) But if there is one track that stands out it's last kind word blues by Geeshie Wiley. If you listen to it you'll know what I mean. It is amazing I mean if you listen to this soundtrack you will definetly want to buy the movie.

First of all I must admit that I am not a huge fan of phrenetic instrumental music. I don't mind -- and enjoy -- fast riffs, but when entire pieces are so-fasted paced and instrumental only, it makes me feel too high-strung. I adore Crumb, own the movie, and should it left it at that, but for my love for the song I heard in the film where the woman was singing, "The last kinds my Daddy said."

I have played this CD about four or five times hoping it will grow on me, but instead it makes me feel antsy. Though I LOVE "Last Kind Words," I am sorry to say I could not make out hardly any of the words in the song, leaving me very disappointed, because that would have made the entire CD worthwhile. And it still does, if I don't mind playing just a couple tracks and putting it away. I think I would call the piano and (what is that, banjo?) music on this CD mostly "ragtime." I love blues, country, jazz and boogie woogie, but ragtime always felt too -- I don't know, high-pitched and fast-moving -- for me and that plus the lack of songs with words on this CD leaves me very disappointed in this CD.

I watched Crumb the movie as a DirectTv pay for view back in 96, I guess, and was surprised by the soundtrack. I associated Crumb with the poster art and album covers he did in the late 60's and 70's for acid rock bands and didn't realize he was a 78 collector. The record from the soundtrack that jumped out at me at the time was Geeshie Wiley's "The Last Kind Word." It's quite a unique record and I didn't find it until I recently found this collection. Her singing and guitar playing are haunting and robust; her harmonic riffs are incredible.

Much of the rest of this record is Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin material. I have a large collection of this material, mostly on reissue LP's, and I agree with others here that David Boeddinghaus (piano) plays Morton and Joplin with a much better feel than most. Same with Craig Ventresco's guitar playing. Its really a shame they are not better known to collectors of this music.

Anyone who loves ragtime and 1920's jazz ought to get this package fast.