Customer Reviews

Memphis Barbecue

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

 

 

Big Jack Johnson has made other records but this is his first without his band the Oilers. Kim Wilson was called into help produce an acoustic record with Jack Johnson and the result is this fine record. The set is a mixture of original tunes (Humming Blues,Lonesome Road),and some covers (Dust my Broom, My Babe)are done over well by Kim and Jack.

I think though that it could have been done better, on some tracks Jack seems tired and almost unable to phrase vocally. Kim's in top notch shape though, but at times it seems that some of the magic slips away, he plays impeccably though and he is still probably the best old school blues harp player playing today. This record proves it(as do his other records).

I like this album alot but I still think they could have done better. You should buy this record though, the performances are solid and its all from the heart. Thats all we ask for really isn't it?

I only bought this album because of Kim Wilson. I had never heard of Big Jack Johnson. He is one of the best bad guitar players I've ever heard. This album is rough-hewn blues in the raw, and once you hear it you won't be able to turn it off. The dynamics are moderate, and Big Jack will tickle your ears from start to stop.

This is simply great acoustic blues, and (overall) it is very well recorded. It is easily one of my favorite blues records. Very nice indeed.

My only complaint concerns the harmonica--and I do NOT mean that it is poorly played; in fact, I cannot remember ever hearing the harmonica played better! But the harmonica is not well recorded here: it is too loud in the sound mix in relation to the other instruments. The harmonica overwhelms everything else, which is somewhat annoying.

On that basis I was tempted to rate the CD at 4 stars, but I like the CD so much that I had to go with 5 stars (though I wish they had recorded or mixed the sound to make the harmonica less prominent). Well recommended in any event.

...that there is still blues like this being recorded. I bought this one because of Big Jack. I've heard of Kim Wilson, but I don't own anything he has recorded except for this. Big Jack's laid back style conflicts a bit with Wilson's intensity, but overall it's a great blues album. The second piece, Humming Blues, with Big Jack, Kim Wilson and Pinetop Perkins is a real treat.