Customer Reviews

Gatorhythms

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

 

 

I first heard this while painting sets (for a play) late at night after a long day. It was so envigorating that we played it several times. Marcia Ball has so much fun with her songs, whether slow ballads or catchy numbers, that it's impossible not to tap one's foot along with her. Great stuff!!

This is the best of the cds put out by Marcia Ball and I recommend it highly. The performances on other Ball cds is equally good, but the quality of the songwriting on this one sets it apart from the rest. (I realize 4 stars around here amounts to damning with faint praise, but geez, there ought to be some shades of gray between the ridiculous and the sublime).

I've seen her performance live and this CD easily captures all the energy of her live performance. "La ti Da" is "awsome. Probably the most moving (and my #1 fav) cut on the CD is The Power of Love".

On this set, Marcia demonstrates her skills on a variety of songs, beginning with How to carry on, an up-tempo rocker, which sees her attacking the piano in a manner reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis. There's nothing else quite like that here, but there is a nice mix of tempos. The mood of the album is generally upbeat.

The power of love is her own song - of course, there have been many songs with this title - I've come across about ten totally different songs. The most famous was the one that was a huge hit all over Europe in the eighties for Jennifer Rush. It was a flop in America, but later became an American hit for Laura Branigan, then in the nineties it became a monster hit for Celine Dion. Marcia's song is not as dramatic, but it is still a great song.

Mama's cooking explains in song why Marcia manages to avoid getting fat - she could eat plenty, but always burn off the excess by dancing the night away. The cover picture provides the proof.

Lee Roy Parnell, who eventually achieved success as a country singer in the nineties, wrote two of the songs but he was unknown at the time this music was recorded. What's a girl to do and Red hot show that he could write great songs.

Marcia's music should appeal to anybody who likes rock music with a touch of blues, particularly fans of Bonnie Raitt.

Marcia Ball is just one Lady that Jamms and is so much fun to listen to.

When I need to be in a up mood,

Ohhhhh my goodness Marcia is the best to get me there.

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I do believe she received a Grammy for this album, if not this one it's been a recent one.

She is New Orleans, She is Blues for anywhere in America or the World.

I have most of her albums and listen to her often.

Try doing the same,

I am sure she will have you up and smiling,

Cause she sure has fun doing what she is doing so well....

Great, Great, is what I will say.

I love the South and she sure brings those Southern Blues out.

You keep going girl,

You are fantastic.

There's something haunting and envigorating about her style. Even though you can get lost in her vocals don't forget her piano playing, which is second to none. She's just a true musician.

I heard from Marcia on a Blues webcast.I bought 3 of her albums including her Live Down the Road. It was mainly based on a single review on the album page." Great sax on the many solos".. That sax man is awful. Bad notes, phrasing, and amature style. Gator rhythms was not what I expected either. Marcia is a terrific talent we saw in Bay St Louis some time back before the town was blown away. These Albums miss the mark. sorry.

I like Marcia Ball and love her music. I see her around town now and then and have gone to many of her local gigs. However, eighteen bucks for 34 minutes of music is a nasty rip off. Folks, that is worse than a cheaply mastered LP! Rounder (more like Bounder) records conveniently neglects to list a total time, or track times, on the exterior packaging so you have to open the package before you learn you've just been seriously gouged and it's too late to take it back then. It's companies like Rounder that are driving the various sorts of music piracy.