Customer Reviews

Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band - Greatest Hits

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Maria Muldaur first showed her potential with the splendid version of Richland Woman which appears on this collection. But it is a bit unfair to single her out. Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band worked because of a delightful sense of humor, the interplay between various voices, and solid jug band musicianship. Never Swat a Fly is a humorous piece that has remained in Maria Muldaur's repetoire - see her album with her daughter. Both That's When I'll Come Back to You and Chevrolet, duets with Geoff and Maria Muldaur appear in the Folk Duets anthology - a solid recommendation of the quality.

The album is a mix of jug band classics and humorous pieces done with very solid musicianship and a comfort in the recording studio often missing in "authentic folk" jugband music album. This results in an album that is an excellent introduction to the jugband sound.

...between boogie-woogie, jazz, blues, klezmer music, and folk rock. I've been humming these diddies in my head ever since I originally heard Kweskin's Jug Band back in the 1960's. This digitally remastering produces brilliant sound. One of the 10 albums I'd take with me if I were banished to a tropical island. A must have!

I've stood in many a long cold line in front of Club 47 in Cambridge Mass in the winter of 1964 & 1965 just to watch these guys. They layed the foundation of my musical journey. I've owned all their albums which are now in really rough shape.I was thrilled to see this tape, for now they'll come back into my life after such a long time.......although I still occasionally wake up Geoff Muldour's Newport News or Whoa Mule drifting through my head.....thank you thank you thank you.....these guys are the VERY BEST

This an outstanding collection and overview of Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band; through the ears of 60's folk-music, it recalls the best of the 20's and 30's good-time whoopie music, refreshingly, and with a bit of modernism (Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" for example,) thrown in for good measure. This CD compiles selections from all three of Kweskin & the Jug Band's 60's Vanguard records,lamentably, NONE of them are "Coney Island Washboard"). Just as you'll find a lot of influences from the great 1920's Jugbands like "Cannon's Jug Stompers" or "The Memphis Jug Band", you'll find a LOT of Jim Kweskin & The Jugband influence on a number of bands and acts to follow them--off the top of my head--Tiny Tim, The Captain Matchbox Whoopie Band, Leon Redbone, the Fugs, Country Joe & The Fish, Mike Gross, Loke E. Coyote, all show (IMHO) some heavy signs of Kweskin & Jug Band exposure! The Grateful Dead's proto-band, "Mother McCrea's Uptown Jug Champions", for example, [available directly from GDM Inc.] had a repitiore that was largely derived straight from Kweskin's 1st LP.

This is a very accessible collection, play it at any party and watch the smiles! Kweskin's Jug Band doesn't touch some of the more "difficult" (for modern minds) traditional Jugband subject material (often a problem in these politically correct times) that some might find overly risque, or racist, but it doesn't miss a thing when it comes to the double-entendre, and you'll hear this in tunes like "Borneo" and "Beedle Um Bum."

In the 1960's folk revival many musicans delved back into time to find some aspect of roots music in order to gain a reputation. The members of this band came up with jug music, especailly highlighting old-time Memphis Jug Band tunes and original compositions. However, they bring their own style and musicanship to the effort.

Not all folk music has to have a deep message. This band proves you can have fun, be witty and pay tribute to a great musical tradition at the same time. For those who have never heard jug music you will be surprised what a washtub, stringed broom, etc. can produced musically. Of course it never hurts to have original talent like Jim Kweskin, Geoff Muldaur and the great voice of Maria to back it up. Enough said.

To call this a "Greatest Hits" compilation is stretching the definition of "hit" just a bit, especially given that The Jim Kweskin Jug Band never had what could even be remotely called a "hit single" in North America. So too is declaring them to be "better than The Beatles" as one reviewer so boldly states.

But they were very good at what they did. Which was to take a kazoo and a tambourine (Maria D'Amato, who also did vocals), a clarinet, washboard and guitar (Geoff Muldaur - also a vocalist), a "white lightnin' jug" and washtub bass (Fritz Richmond), a banjo and steel guitar (Bill Keith), and a guitar (Jim Kweskin - also a vocalist) and turn it into a virtual jug band revival in 1963.

The band would stay in business for close to six years, taking on fiddler Richard Greene and harmonica player Mel Lyman along the way, and wherever they appeared they were well received. In the midst of their career The Lovin' Spoonful would add some of the tunes the band had introduced to their repertoire as well.

When Lyman left to form "The Family" - a no-nonsense religious sect - Kweskin went with him, whereas the husband and wife team of Maria and Geoff Muldaur went on to perform as a duo before splitting up. Maria, of course, would have several hits in the Seventies, the most notable of which were Midnight At The Oasis (# 6 in 1974) and I'm A Woman (# 12 in 1975).

Ignore the "greatest hits" notation and just enjoy some of the greatest light sides of the sometimes morose Folk Music genre.

I listened to Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band back in the late 60's and find that it's just as great today. I regret that "KC Moan" isn't in here, but Maria D'Amato (Muldaur - wha' happen?) singing "I'm A Woman" is almost worth the price of the whole CD (which, by the by has 22 selections). "Ukelele Lady" is in here too.

I live in the U.K. and in 1968 I got hold of a copy of an album by Jim Kweskin and his Jug Band and I was totally knocked out. Their music is really great,shades of Spike Jones with a really up feel,great harmonies and good musicianship- brilliant kazoo playing and mandolin.These guys were as good as the Beatles.Other fans please get in touch.

bought this Jim Kweskin record used for the holidays. was delivered quickly, the product was in advertised condition, and my dad enjoyed it immensely, so...all in all, was a good purchase.

These are bouncy tunes that capture some of the humor vintage roaring twenties that is presented with cleverness and love for the genre. Try not to smile when you hear the comb solos on Beedle Um Bum. Nice to hear Maria Muldaur singing on some of these songs, "I'm a Woman" is one of my favorites from this CD. Worthwhile.