Customer Reviews

I Got What It Takes

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

 

 

This is Koko Taylor's first Alligator album, forty minutes of tough electric blues and one of the very best of her many post-Chess recordings.
It is not as polished as some of her later efforts, and she is backed by a tight little combo which includes guitarists Mighty Joe Young and Sammy Lawhorn, pianist Bill Heid, and saxist Abb Locke.

Taylor tears into the driving "Trying To Make A Living", and does a great, funky rendition of Ruth Brown's "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean". The title track is a rather obvious rewrite of Willie Dixon's "The Same Thing", and "Happy Home", although credited to producer Joe Bihari's alter ego "Joe Josea", is obviously "Dust My Broom" with different lyrics (and some terrific piano playing, by the way). But who cares, really, when it is delivered with such gusto?

Koko's supremely funky take on "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" rides high on Abb Locke's sax and Bill Heid's piano, and Locke also lends both additional soul and additional power to Taylor's own "Voodoo Woman" and the magnificent opener, the aforementioned "Tryin' To Make A Living".
Koko Taylor also supplies the rollicking bar boogie "Honkey Tonkey", which offers some more terrific piano playing, and a terrific saxophone solo to boot. Yummy!
And Denise LaSalle's swaggering "Find A Fool, Bump Her Head", one of the finest songs of Taylor's long career. The band was supposedly hand-picked by herself, by the way, and she acts as co-producer as well, alongside guitarist Joe Young and Bruce Iglauer.

Koko Taylor has one of the most memorable voices you'll ever hear, right up there with Muddy and Elmore James, and second only to Howlin' Wolf himself, and anyone who loved Muddy and the Wolf should take comfort in the fact that Koko Taylor is still around.
This is one terrific, muscular slice of Chicago blues by one of true greats of the genre. Start off with Taylor's classic Chess sides, and then pick up this one and work your way up!
4 1/2 stars. Highly recommended.

This is quintessential Electrified Chicago Blues at its very best! If you like the Blues Brothers sound, if you like horns-This CD is for you! My blues collection spans the earliest recordings to the most recent, and this CD is on my short list. Truely outstanding!

Koko Taylor lets out all of her power onto this cd. She really shows that she puts effort into the blues. Buy this CD and I mean it. She is the only woman I have ever heard make such growls and have such energy. Koko Taylor is The Quen and get it straight. Buy this Cd and I know you will not be dissapointed.