Customer Reviews

I Got Dem Ol' Kozmic Blues Again, Mama

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

Myra Friedman (who also was Janis' first biographer) writes above that "Big Brother loyalists were determined to hate" Janis' second band. Even critics who found Big Brother sloppy and amateurish were dismissive of the Kozmic Blues Band. That may have had as much to do with the way it all happened (rather suddenly and right on the heels of the major success of CHEAP THRILLS) than with the fact that it did happen. Janis tried to explain that she "loved those guys" but that they were stagnating artistically. That may well have been true, but it was hard to sell the public or the emerging rock-crit establishment on that point so soon after a major hit album.

And, of course, it seemed like a violation of the hippie ethos. Forget the fact, that virtually all bands of that era had internal strife and endured nasty break-ups that would probably have made Janis' departure from the group that brought her into the public eye seem like small and underdone potatoes. It was viewed by many as an unforgiveable offense--worse than Dylan going electric.

All that seems very far away now (as indeed, it is) and Janis' recorded legacy is so slight that many who resisted this release at first have come to accept it as a valid stage in Janis' musical evolution. More importantly, it happens to be pretty darn good on its own terms.

Friedman's comments above that the band never quite jelled is probably a fair criticism, but they certainly had their moments. And the idea of Janis' working with a horn section always had real appeal, even if the ideal was never quite realized. When people complain about the horns proving to be musical "sludge," I think they're primarily talking about the intro to the track "As Good as You've Been to this World," which is just a bit too long and gets a little draggy. You can sense Janis straining just a bit at the beginning of her vocal, as though she were trying to inject a little energy into a track that's been kind of sputtering along up 'til that point.

But that's just one song (and it's really not a total disaster even so)! Elsewhere the horns seem to give Janis a kind of push that leads to some triumphant moments. Two of those moments, I've always maintained, come on the album's opening track "Try," with those two scalding wails at the song's end. Those are hair-stand-on-end notes and serve as proof positive that Janis' had lost none of her power in the transition from hippie band to soul revue.

That song segues into Janis' version of "Maybe," the old Chantels classic, that is as good in its way as the original, with Joplin improvising on the lyrics and slipping easily into her upper register to provide a soaring end. The sassy self-penned "One Good Man," follows with excellent guitar work by guest instrumentalist Mike Bloomfield.

The album's only real weaknesses are the two attempts at "Ball and Chain" style epics, the aforementioned "Good as You've Been" and Nick Gravenites' "Work Me, Lord." I had heard advance word on "Work Me, Lord," that suggested that it would be the album's highlight. Janis gives it quite a work-out, but it is one of those moments that really doesn't quite crystalize. Over the years, I've come to develop an affection for these tracks, despite their minor failings. As I say, there's not enough in the Joplin oeuvre that fans can afford to be picky. And more importantly, there's something about Janis' efforts to overcome the musical stumbling blocks that is--dare we say it?--almost heroic.

KOZMIC BLUES is indeed Janis Joplin's most underrated effort. I wish she had lived long enough to reach her potential. I can see her working with horns on some projects and with a tight boogie style band (a la Full Tilt) on others. (Big Brother styled psychelic wildness was wonderful in its way too, but that was music that was definitely "of its era" and not to be repeated). I've never bought the myth that Janis' death was inevitable, nor that her musical light would necessarily have burned out even if she hadn't died.

She was a talented artist and would likely have continued growing and evolving. I'm grateful for what we have.

(PS--for fans of this album in particular, you might want to consider looking into the latest release by Joplin's contemporary, the equally powerful but shamefully ignored Tracy Nelson. TRACY NELSON LVE FROM CELL BLOCK D is a great album, complete with an excellent horn section. Nelson, who was often compared to Joplin back in the day, is a distinctive blues stylist in her own right--less raspy and with a tinge more gospel--but fans of the legendary Joplin would do well to check out this record and others form Tracy's extensive catalog.)

What a kickin album this is, when we heard Janis had gotten a horn section for her new band back in the day we did not imagine just how powerful they would be. Her friend Lydia Pense had done this for sometime with ColdBlood and Janis always wanted to use horns Lydia says. Of course there was the always present Sam Andew on guitar who had been with her for sometime now, but the new players were an awesome choice. Richard Kermode on keys and trumpet player Luis Gasca from "Malo", also from Buddy Miles fame was Baritone Sax player Cornelius'Snooky' Flowers and tenor sax Terry Clements. This band was so tight she took them with her to Woodstock which you can see on the new version movie, this is a great Cd and Janis really gets off on all tunes here. Three bonus tracks and two of them being from Woodstock so you really get all you need in this cd and besides if your just a straight out janis fan you'll get it just for that reason!

I feel that this is Janis' best album that wasn't released posthumously. The Kozmic Blues Band (a.k.a. The Band From Beyond, Main Squeeze) is an exceptional match with her incredible voice. Unfortunetly, the band, Janis, concerts, and the album was criticized by the press, especially ROLLING STONE, which is a reason why the band was disbanded so quickly. Yet this album is proof that they had an incredible sound. All tracks are VERY well done, especially "Kozmic Blues", "Little Girl Blue", and "Work Me, Lord" and all show a combination of Janis styles--blues, soul, and rock. The extra tracks are above-average also, but "Dear Landlord" is really quite shallow and doesn't have much meaning (therefore it wasn't origninally released), and there are certainly better versions of "Summertime" (like from Amsterdam, April '69), and "Piece of My Heart" is fantastic, with it's bright, brassy sound (although there is a better version performed at Frankfurt, April '69). Overall, this is one of the best albums of Janis Joplin's ever released.

Janis Joplin's farewell album PEARL was a pretty good album, but the music didn't vary and a lot of the songs sounded the same. Here, there is blues, soul, rock, pop, and jazz, plus some old-fashioned 50's R&B. "Try" is rockin', "Maybe" is smooth and classy, "One Good Man" is Janis' best blues number, "As Good..." isn't bad, more of a spotlight on the band. "To Love Somebody" beats Bee Gees into the dirt, "Kozmic Blues" is heartfelt and soulful, "Little Girl Blue" is tearjerking, and "Work Me Lord" is a great spectacle for both Joplin and Sam Andrew, guitarist. Do not pass this album up, there is something for everyone, the horn section is an excellent addition, and it certainly remains my favorite solo Joplin studio sessions. :-)

Kosmic Blues is a great album. I bought it when it was first released and listened to it obsessively. Janis, alive and dead, was a huge presence in my adolescence. But that's not why I'm writing this. In her editorial review for Amazon, Myra Friedman refers to "Little Girl Blue" as "a song that was first performed by Doris Day." That's laughable. Indeed, Doris sang the song in the 1962 film version of Jumbo, but Jumbo started life as a Broadway show in 1935. Lorenz Hart died in 1943. Doris Day's first hit record, a cover of "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," was released in 1949. The long and the short of it is that "Little Girl Blue" had been a standard for decades by the time Doris sang to the elephant. Frank Sinatra, Nina Simone, Nancy Wilson, and Ray Charles all recorded the tune. If I had to guess, I'd guess that Janis was most influenced by the Nina Simone version, which many regard as the definitive one.

Wow. This is the type of music that takes you to another place, an amazing place. Janis's voice is incredible, the band is amazing. This is true blues, this is the definition of music. Talk about soul, she belts it out to a ridiculously amazing level.. I'm not a corporate executive music reviewer. I'm just a person, who likes what they heard. If you want to feel something, something real and undeniable, then listen to this album. Janis sings from her gut, from a place few artists today dare to go. Challenge yourself to go to a place that is unfamiliar, a place that will enhance you as a person. Thanks Janis...

First of all, several other people and I reviewed this marvelous CD and for some reason, all the reviews are absent! Oh well, now I can just let everyone know AGAIN how great this album is! "Try" starts off a rockin' album with booms and bangs of the band and Janis singing at her loudest. "Maybe" is soothing and breathtaking. "One Good Man" digs deep into Janis' Texas blueshouse roots. "As Good as You've Been..." is more of a showcase for the band and shows how talented the entire troupe really is! "To Love Somebody" beats the Bee Gees' version into the ground, the band cooks, as does Janis. "Kozmic Blues" is believed by almost all her fans to be possibly her best song and is more of a complete feeling, a complete moment than just a song. "Little Girl Blue" is undoubtedly Janis' best song ever because it reflects Janis' inner blues perfectly, better than any other song ever did (except perhaps "Kozmic Blues", which nearly tops it). "Work Me Lord" finishes off the original album with pizzazz and tear-jerking vocals. There is no doubt in my mind that the Kozmic Blues Band were Janis' best solo band and that this album is MUCH MUCH better than PEARL ever will be. And yet this album is highly underrated by critics and fans alike. Now that I think of it, the majority of Janis fans' favorite album is this one! Now for the bonus tracks....pretty mediocre. "Dear Landlord" was on JANIS 3-CD and just grates my nerves, the band and Janis do not as well as they usually do on this track. Fun for one listen, though. "Summertime" from Woodstock is not only edited, but some outstanding organ work is toned down. "Piece of My Heart" from Woodstock is fantastic rockin', even though it doesn't come close to the Big Brother version. The horns and organ play wonderful parts in the whole thing. Following the last track is a special KOZMIC BLUES radio ad, which is nostalgiac, but nothing worth hearing more than once. I would have given this 5 stars, but the bonus tracks bring it down a notch. Oh well, this is still her best album and the most-played CD in my entire collection! Forget PEARL, this is real Janis at her best!

I am lucky (and old) enough to have seen Janis Joplin perform this material in 1969 (at Tanglewood, of all places). It was without doubt the best performance I've ever seen. I love her work with Big Brother, but here she is in her element and her glory, clearly in charge of the material, the instrumentation, and her voice in a way she had never been. And her (musical) judgement was sound: horns suited her voice and style much better than feedback (not that there's anything wrong with feedback). The tunes I remember best were Try and Maybe, and these are my favorites on this album as well. I think they easily carry the few weaker songs. To Love Somebody is also great, an example of how her heart and talent could read a world of depth into what had been (let's face it) a whiny pop tune. A great album, in my opinion.

Interesting that Myra Friedman now concedes this album was underrated. She certainly didn't have much positive to say about it (or Cheap Thrills) in her much overrated biography of Janis, calling Big Brother a "minstrel show," Cheap Thrills "abominable," and Kozmic Blues "Janis at her most shrill."

Still, hardcore Janis fans generally cite Kozmic Blues as their favorite, and for good reason. "Try," "Work Me Lord," Little Girl Blue," "Kozmic Blues," "One Good Man..." The entire work showcases Janis in her finest form vocally, moreso than the posthumous "Pearl," where she shows some evidence of losing her upper range. And to think that Janis pulled this one together on her own, under intense scrutiny and criticism after having left Big Brother, with a band that had barely been together a year and had some turnover in musicians. It's absolutely fantastic, and holds up to this day. Even the horns, slightly obtrusive in only a few places, come together really well throughout and don't sound outdated. It's been said by some that the horns compete with Janis's voice here, but I don't think so. If anybody can pull it off singing with horns, it's Janis.

At the time of its release, Rolling Stone dismissed this album with a horrifically cruel and off-base review. Some contemporary record guides have taken the same tack, giving it one star, etc. But time has proven the excellence and artistry of Kozmic Blues, and one only need watch some of her live performances in Germany with the Kozmic Blues band to realize that she was on the top of her game when this album was produced, and the band was as tight as it gets while in Europe.

Sam Andrew adds the perfect complement with his guitar work, especially on "Little Girl Blue," Janis's most poignant recording ever.

Keep an open mind about Kozmic Blues and it will grow on you in ways that you never expected. I never get tired of listening to it and it is one of my favorite Janis records, a true triumph for rock's most legendary singer.

I love joplin and while I might be in the minority, I like this one the best.