Customer Reviews

Is Here: Rides Again

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Big Joe does it again with his second album of Kansas City jazz & blues. Featuring Coleman Hawkins on sax, the album falls a little short of his "boss of the blues" triumph, possibly because of the abscence of Pete Johnson. Still, he lets loose with an extended version of Rebecca which gives you an idea what he must have sounded like back in the late 30's, early 40's when he would stretch songs out for quite a while.

This album compares with "The Boss Of The Blues" in musicians, content, style, and quality. It is only slightly less classic than that album by only a hair. In fact, it almost sounds comparable to the stretched-out jamming on much of his Pablo output from the 1970s; just some here are shorter songs than what was typical on Pablo.

Great musicians appear on this CD including Pete Johnson, Coleman Hawkins, Lawrence Brown, Freddie Green, Walter Page, and Jerome Richardson. In fact, one of the songs, "Pennies From Heaven", was an outtake from the sessions that produced the "Boss Of The Blues" LP, from 1956. The rest of the songs were recorded in 1959. Just so you know, the Johnson/Brown/Page/Green lineup only appears on "Pennies".

There is great musicianship and great vocals from Joe Turner, whose roaring voice is almost like an instrument itself. There are some very memorable sax solos from Coleman Hawkins but the arrangements keep the horn section together. Very strong songs including "Rebecca" which roars away for over 7 minutes, the longest song on the set.

This album was paired up/reissued with the LP "Big Joe Is Here" in 2002 by the Collectables/Rhino label. The sound quality on that reissue is excellent for the period. Unfortunately, the "Is Here" LP is pretty weak compared to "Rides Again". In fact, the musicians on that LP are not even identified. The "Is Here" LP includes some weak Doo-Wop tracks along with some lesser blues-rock numbers. Some might like that style but to me, despite that it represents rock and roll from the 1959 time frame, I like the jazz and urban blues of "Rides Again" much better. To each their own.

Highly recommended to Big Joe fans. Be sure to also pick up "The Boss Of The Blues" reissue on Collectables, and the "Joe Turner/Rockin' The Blues" reissue on Collectables. They all have excellent sound and good track and personnel information with essays. That will give you a great collection of his Atlantic records period. Then move on to the Pablo period from there to get a more updated and looser sound (in the key of 'C'). Big Joe rocked until the end, as I saw him sing his heart out in KC in the summer of 1985. We'll never have another to fill his shoes.