Mad Dogs & Okies

Jamie Oldaker | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 30, 2005)
• Original Release Date: 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Concord Records
• ASIN: B0009W5J0A
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,812 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Mad Dogs & Okies is a one-of-a-kind, country, rock, and blues recording project that brings into sharp focus the distinctive talents of artists that are either from Oklahoma or have been major contributors to--or have been profoundly influenced by--Oklahoma music. The musical vision of Jamie Oldaker--one of the world's most respected drummers and producers--Mad Dogs & Okies is a consistently awe-inspiring recording that spotlights an incredible, all-star cast of country, rock, and blues greats (artists with whom Jamie has worked over the years): Eric Clapton, Vince Gill, Taj Mahal, Willis Alan Ramsey, Tony Joe White, Bonnie Bramlett, Peter Frampton, Ray Benson, JJ Cale, Willie Nelson, and others.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grab this CD---excellent music and highly underrated, July 2, 2007

By 

R. Kyle (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mad Dogs & Okies (Audio CD)

You've got musicians banding together from everywhere with one person in common, Oklahoma sideman Jamie Oldaker. There are two Oklahomans besides him, JJ Cale and Vince Gill. But you've also got Peter Frampton, Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson and a whole passel of other folks singing and playing on this collection. What's the music about? Oklahoma, mostly--but the theme is for the most part, very upbeat.

It's hard to pick a standout from this CD. Probably my favorite is "Positively" by Clapton, the song rolls out like a good Spring day in the country.

"Magnolia" was a surprise. I first came to know Tony Joe White because of his trademark "Polk Salad Annie" and his funny and funky live session at Austin City Limits, but this slow thoughtful ballad really makes use of his voice.

Hadn't heard any Frampton since the 70's and "Sending Me Angels" was nothing I'd have expected from him either, but it's a gorgeous gospel feeling song and Peter's voice has not changed a bit.

If you like any of the artists I've mentioned and want a various collection that will show the depth and breadth of their talents in ways that you have not expected, this is definitely a CD you need to get.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An album to make you smile!!!, June 24, 2009

By 

Jonathan Browne (London United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mad Dogs & Okies (Audio CD)

Jamie Oldaker has been one of my favourite drummers since, in common I suspect with a lot of British music lovers, he first entered my consciousness with his work on "461 Ocean Boulevard". My immediate reaction after I bought "461" on the day of its release in 1974, having applied needle to Side 1, was to sit open-mouthed at the driving yet loose-limbed drumming on "Motherless Chidren". I've loved his work ever since.

So it came as a complete surprise then to discover only a month ago that Jamie had put together this wonderful CD FOUR YEARS AGO. Having listened to it I'm kicking myself for not having music of this quality in my collection for all that time.

Looking at the names on the sleeve (do they still call them that?) I was half-expecting a pedestrian "fun if you were there" type album (I never read reviews until I've heard the music myself) but this is a consistently entertaining set of what I'd call "fully formed" tracks, recorded at various locations and encompassing a wide range of styles from the unique, gently swinging, Tulsa sound to country, blues, boogie-woogie and gospel (yes, folks, Peter Frampton singing gospel....and it works).

Every track, each so different from the last, is a highlight in itself, but the two great pleasures of "Mad Dogs...." are:

A. Hearing the superstars genuinely enjoying themselves - Eric Clapton's "Positively" is performed in just that spirit, Taj Mahal has the time of his life on a swaggering "Don't let your feet git cold" and country-flavoured "Stagger Lee", and JJ Cale contributes two excellent songs in "Daylight" and the up-tempo "Motormouth" (the latter featuring a cameo from Willie Nelson).

B. Discovering artists I haven't come across before, like Willie Alan Ramsey, Wiley Hunt and Ray Benson (all of whom I shall be investigating).

I unreservedly recommend "Mad Dogs..." and if you loved "Testifying" (the third volume of the excellent "Country Got Soul" series) you'll REALLY love this. The genius that is Tony Joe White and the still extremely sexy Bonnie Bramlett appear on both albums by the way.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A blues album tride and true, October 12, 2005

By 

George Dionne (Cape Cod, MA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mad Dogs & Okies (Audio CD)

The brainchild of Jamie Oldaker, Mad Dogs & Okies is a collection of artists, musicians, and writers that are wither from Oklahoma of have been involved of influenced by Oklahoma music over the years. It includes artist such as Vince Gill, Eric Clapton, Peter Framton, Taj Mahal, and Willie Nelson. The song selection is a combination of original material and covers. Some songs work ("Promises") and some don't ("Can't Find My Way Home"). One things for sure, it a blues album tride and true.