Customer Reviews

More Friends: Small World Big Band 2

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A terrific follow up to Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues, More Friends boasts an impressive array of guest singers from Bryan Ferry to Chrissie Hynde. All the usual suspects are back of course; Sam Brown does a nice turn dueting with Sam Moore on Together We Are Strong. Bono's remake of the U2 track If You Wear That Velvet Dress is actually sharper and superior to the band's version of that track. Holland and his band bring a sophistication to the tune that was totally lacking before.

Holland's collaboration with Robert Plant is a wonder; Plant hasn't sounded this invigorated in years. The same could be said for the MIA Ray Davies. He hasn't recorded an solo album or with his band The Kinks in years. His performances seem to have taken over his life at the moment so it's nice and refreshing to hear him again particularly on such a great tune as Yours Truly, Confused. Badly Drawn Boy makes an appearence on a self penned tune which fits in neatly with Holland's style (not a surprise given Holland's past membership in Squeeze). Holland also continues working with a roster of talented he admires but that has been overlooked by mainstream radio including Jimmy Cliff, Tom Jones, Marianne Faithful (performing Dylan's You Gotta Serve Somebody), George Benson (!), Dionne Warwick, Edwin Starr and more popular contemporary talents such as Stereophonics, Huey (from Fun Lovin' Criminals), the ever popular Robert Plant and the obscure but great Blind Boys of Alabama.

It's clear on all the tracks that this was a labor of love for Holland and that the performers got caught up in the spirit of the recordings. If you're concerned that Holland has forgotten any of the major talents of the 60's and 70's, Jeff Beck drops in for a searing performance of Drown in My Own Tears. There are a couple of omissions--I'm surprised not to hear Holland work with Glenn Tilbrook, Elvis Costello or Paul McCartney on this follow up. I also think that Tom Petty, Roger McGuinn and Peter Green would make interesting collaborators for future installments (should there be any).

While More Friends won't benefited from any high profile deaths a la George Harrison and Joe Strummer from the last CD, perhaps it'll win sales and airplay on merit alone; it's every bit the equal of the previous album although it lacks the extra guest star power that a former Beatle and member of The Clash brought to Big Band. More Friends is a step forward and back; the collaborations and performers gathered on this collection are more diverse and, arguably, some of the songs are better as well. Again, there isn't anything that quite matches the stand out track on the last album (Harrison's searing Horse to the Water)but the overall quality is higher. The step back? Well, it doesn't have anything that jumps out at you as being radio ready (meaning crap I suppose)material. Kudos to Rhino for putting this out and to Jools for continuing to do the music and stuff he loves best.

What a joy listening to this great orchestra of Jools with those fantastic artists like Norah Jones, Chrissie Hynde, Stereophonics, Bono ect. And the way old tunes come to live again in a sparkling new arangement. A joy for the ear!

Saw a few names with JH on the "friends 1" installment, that I passed on because of the Big Band thing (will likely pick it up after listening to "More Friends" CD). It starts off with a rollicking tune by Sam Moore & Sam Brown (one of my favorite female vocalists) cooled off by a nice cover by Norah Jones. Then turn up the volume, Edwin Starr rocks through "Snowflake Boogie". Above average tunes with Dionne Warwick, Tom Jones (never thought I would ever be listening to Tom Jones!), Chrissie Hynde, Blind Boys, Marianne Faithfull, Beverley Knight & Jimmie Cliff. One of the highlights for me is the haunting cover of "First Time Ever I Saw you Face" with the Stereophonics. Overall a very good CD (it was worth the price just for the first 9 tunes!), good enough to make me go back and buy Vol I. Cheers!