Nice & Warm

Tab Benoit | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 20, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Vanguard Records
• ASIN: B00000IIW3
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,888 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #81 in Music > Blues > Regional Blues > New Orleans Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Blues purists are sure to chafe at the sound of Benoit's heartfelt but eminently smooth guitar lines. Nevertheless, this 1992 debut is easily his best effort to date, an unstrained mix of Cajun, R&B, and blues stylings honed by his then-recent apprenticeship in the bars of Baton Rouge. Recorded live over a two-day period, Benoit's clean, spontaneous phrases avoid both New Age somnabulence and overheated roadhouse clichés. His extended solo at the end of "I Put a Spell on You" puts a silky, authoritative sheen on that rabble-rousing staple, and both "Bone Pickin'" and "Voodoo on the Bayou" acknowledge his Louisiana roots without ruffling the fabric of his own identity. Nice and Warm isn't perfect: Benoit's rendition of "The Killing Floor" is simply too antiseptic beside Howlin' Wolf's definitive version, and Benoit's vocals are merely passable throughout. But overall, the music here is indeed nice and warm, and played with a self-assurance that adds substance to its relaxed attitude. --Britt Robson

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A remarkable debut, August 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nice & Warm (Audio CD)

A co-worker of mine made me a tape of 'nice and warm' as a parting gift. I didn't know who played it or the name of the tape. I only knew it was blues. After listening to it I was floored. I was thoroughly impressed. His guitar playing was rawest, raunchiest, sweetest, and most refreshing sound I had heard in ages. His licks make my skin crawl with goosebumps. My favorite line is (paraphrased) "I feel like I'm drowning in dry land... and that's a bad way of going down". If you like blues and even if you don't love the blues, you'll be glad you got your hands on this hot CD.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Competes with the originals, July 31, 2003

By 

David Kn. (Newton, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nice & Warm (Audio CD)

This is a great blues album. His covers of three of my favorite blues classics "I'll Put A Spell on You", "Killing Floor" and "Drowning on Dry Land" are loving, soulful tributes...and great renditions in their own right. Benoit can wring a piercing cry from that guitar that makes your spine shudder and brings tears to your eyes.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MOMENTS OF BLUESY GUITAR EUPHORIA - IRRESISTABLE., April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Nice & Warm (Audio CD)

THIS ALBUM CONTAINS SOME OF THE CHUNKIEST, MEATIEST BLUES GUITAR COMMITTED TO DISC. AT TIMES THE LEAD BREAKS CAN BE OVERLY FRENETIC & EAR -DRUM DISTURBING BUT WHEN TAB RETURNS TO THE GUTS OF THE TUNE THEN ITS A GUITAR LOVERS FEAST. VOCALLY HE IS NOT EARTH SHATTERING BUT CERTAINLY MORE THAN ADEQUATE. AS A FIRM BELIEVER THAT SLOW BLUES ARE A NECESSARY EVIL I MERELY BIDE MY TIME THROUGH THE LESS UP TEMPO NUMBERS THIRSTING FOR THE START OF ONE OF A NUMBER OF BRILLIANT "KEEP STILL IF YOU DARE" BLUES BOOGIE SMORGASBORDS. THIS ALBUM LEAD ME TO PURCHASE ALL OTHER TAB BENOIT RELEASES.GET YOUR LISTENING FANGS INTO THIS AURAL DELIGHT AND I'M SURE YOU'LL FOLLOW SUIT. THE VERY BEST MOMENTS ON THIS ALBUM ARE WHAT MAKES MUSIC SUCH AN ADDICTION TO ME IN THE FIRST PLACE. WHEN AN ALIEN LANDS ON EARTH UTTERING "WHAT'S SO GOOD ABOUT MUSIC? " AN EARFULL OF THIS WILL SOON CONVINCE HIM HE SHOULD REMAIN ON THE PLANET FOR GOOD. PURCHASE NOW TO DO YOURSELF A MONUMENTAL FAVOUR.