Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions

James Blood Ulmer | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sin-Drome Records
• ASIN: B00008OTU7
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,089 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #79 in Music > Blues > Regional Blues > Memphis Blues

Track Listings

1. I Want to Be Loved

2. Dimples

3. Evil

4. Fattening Frogs for Snakes

5. I Love the Life I Live, I Live the Life I Love

6. Double Trouble

7. Back Door Man

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Disc!, July 28, 2003

By 

Whispering Veal- "whisperingveal" (Redington Shores, Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions (Audio CD)

This is a good disc, with one caveat.

The singing is great, and the rhythm section is world class. These are some of the best songs ever written, and a terrific survey of blues songs/styles. "Dimples" and "Death Letter" are classic performances.

The one caveat is Vernon Reid's guitar playing. I could never tap into the music of "Living Color" -- it always seemed like someone had subtracted the rhythm. On this disc, Vernon tries to play blues guitar, and on a couple of songs he succeeds. On the others, his playing sounds like Ornette Coleman is sitting in while suffering from a middle ear disorder. This is a matter of taste, but it didn't suit me.

In summary, this disc is similar to a blues sampler in the range of the material, all of the songs swing, and the singing is great. Four stars.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Raw and Soulful, December 4, 2001

By 

"bigfreezer" (Statesville, NC United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions (Audio CD)

I've never listened to much blues music, but I heard this one playing at a record store and had to have it. The sound is raw as if these musicians got together in the studio and just started playing from the hip with the red light on. I don't think they did much in the way of mixing, editing, or second takes. It's not the cleanest, crispest album I've heard but man it is good listening! Without a blues background, I can't really critique this album nor can I compare it to anything I've heard. But I can say that this album has opened a whole new genre in my music library.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blood Shows a Side That I Always Knew Was There, November 13, 2001

By 

Walt Hetfield (Rehoboth Beach, Delaware) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Memphis Blood: The Sun Sessions (Audio CD)

What a great CD. This man is a versatile genius! I get tired of people criticizing Blood's vocals - and here he turns in one of his best vocal performances. Blood's South Carolina blues roots come out in this wonderful CD. Vernon Reid and Charles Burnham sound great on here too! I always thought Blood had a lot of Howlin wolf and Muddy Waters in him.

All of these blues classics are interpereted in Blood's unique style. I particularly like the way he gives a nod to much of his avante garde work but still sticks to the blues. One of the best blues CD's of 2001.

Blood turned me onto Hammond B-3 trios when I interviewed him for Guitar Player about ten years ago - that would be a nice follow up to this (hint, hint). This guy is one of the most underated musicians in America today.