Customer Reviews

Redneck Jazz

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is it: the best album ever. Danny and Buddy made it sound so natural, so joyful. It's pure music. Somehow Buddy Emmons gave Danny a freedom not heard on his other recordings, and the two had an almost telepathic rapore. "Relentless" is the other Gatton album with a virtuoso partner (Joey DeFrancesco), but great as that album is, this one has something more. It's magical.
If you have "Hot Rod Guitar" (the anthology) listen to "Canadian Sunset". That was recorded the same night.
The other reviewers describe accurately how great this album is, so I will add just one more point: The tone Danny got out of his 1961 Gibson Les Pual Custom guitar is unique and beautiful. He used something called a Magic Dingus Box which he had invented. He said "You can disconnect speakers, hook up smoke bombs or sirens...You can start your car or open your garage door...but it basically controls echo,reverb,Leslie and playback...It's worth its weight on gold to me."
This is definitely the mad genius at his magical mystical best.

I have to concur with all the previous reviews. This is just a remarkable CD. I am new to Gatton's work, but starting with "Opus de Funk", this CD proves he was one of the great guitarists. Impossible to describe the content (a potpourri of styles if there ever was one), truly original. Gatton had the chops, but unlike some others, he also had taste and didn't overwhelm you with fast runs. This is one CD you should definitely take to that desert island with you!

I found out about Danny Gatton about 5 years back, and only recently discovered this album. No joke, this is the best LIVE album I have pretty much ever heard. If you think that Hendrix, Les Paul, Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny, Trey Anastasio, Jerry Garcia, Eddie Van Halen, Frank Zappa, John Abercrombie, Marc Ribot, Duane Allman, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, or Stevie Ray Vaughn is the man then think again because Danny Gatton will shock your world. Combined with Buddy Emmons and his super smooth Lap Steel guitar, Danny will blow you away with everything from funk to rock to jazz to blues to soul. This is truly an amazing piece of music by a man that never received his due.

THE FINEST ALBUM OF INSTRUMENTAL STRAIGHT AHEAD JAZZ WITH COUNTRY INSTRUMENTATION I HAVE EVER HEARD. THIS IS NOT SOME SIMPLE REPETITIOUS WESTERN SWING LIKE ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. IT IS FAR BETTER. GATTON'S PLAYING THROUGH A LESLIE SPEAKER IS SOMETHING ELSE. HE IS THE FINEST INTER-GENRE GUITARIST THIS WORLD HAS EVER PRODUCED. SWING, ROCKABILLY, BLUES, COUNTRY, AND STRAIGHT AHEAD JAZZ. HE CAN DO IT ALL. THIS IS DEFINITELY STRAIGHT AHEAD STUFF. HE COULD TRADE LICKS WITH THE COLTRANE, SONNY STITT, RAY BROWN, AND OSCAR PETERSON'S OF THE WORLD ANY DAY OF THE WEEK. EMMONS IS QUITE FRANKLY THE BEST STEEL PLAYER EVER. HE DOES NOT PLAY TWANGY PEDAL STEEL BUT ATTACKS THE INSTRUMENT WITH A FLUIDITY AND PHRASING THAT IS PURE GENIOUS. "SONG OF INDIA" GAVE ME TEARS OF JOY JUST LISTENING TO IT. A MASTERPIECE. IT'S NOT 5 STARS BUT 500 STARS

Note: This has been re-released as "Redneck Jazz Explosion Vol. I," so you don't have to pay collectors prices.

The "Redneck Jazz Explosion" band showcased on this live album by the same name does indeed feature Gatton at his best, but in my view, this is also the best Buddy Emmons recording ever made. Emmons, who is a Nashville legend, single-handedly rewrote the book on steel guitar. Listen to this and you'll know why. The two of them together is well, just buy this and hear it for yourself.

Please also note: Some of the reviews below refer to "Redneck Jazz," which is actually a different recording from a slightly earlier period in Gatton's career. The "Redneck Jazz" recording in it's original form featured the "Danny Gatton Band" and was primarily a vocal record first released in red, and later gold vinyl. Evan Johns, who is credited with originating the term Redneck Jazz to describe Danny's style, wrote the buoyant title track. This earlier recording included cameo appearances by Buddy Emmons and Steve Wolf who became mainstays of Gatton's later band: "The Redneck Jazz Explosion." To further confuse the issue, when "Redneck Jazz" was finally released in CD form, two "Explosion" songs by the later band were included as bonus tracks. Like the live "Explosion" CD, "Redneck Jazz" is a landmark album in Danny's career and should also be a part of any complete Gatton collection. Unfortunately, it's currently out of print and can only be had at collector's prices.

I have probably listened to RJE a few hundred times...I'm still getting new things out of it. Because Danny Gatton was such a perfectionist, this album was not released until after his untimely and tragic death. It really is the zenith of his art in the quartet format. Much of the credit should go to Steve Wolf who performed the time-consuming and difficult task of producing and mixing the material.
Another live album which is some ways is similar is 9/9/94, Danny's live recording with Timm Biery and John Previti. It is an extraordinary achievement as well, articulate, imaginative and, in Danny's usual style, ignoring all boundaries.
If you go to sleep and wake up hearing Danny or Eva Cassidy, you'll know you were good enough to get to heaven.

Danny was a fantastic player, and his albums are all worth listening. He had charisma, talent, technic, sense of humor, deepness.... he really had it all! I'm so sad the world doesn't know justice! He never got the attention he deserved!! This live in particular is astounding..... that night, as he always did, he played a fantastic blend of styles, all with the right convinction and feel! He was a true monster, but you have to love the true music, the true american tradition. Jazz, rockabilly, blues, western swing, country..... he played all those style better than the best players in the single style respectively. And he had enough personality to remain in the history not only of the guitar but of the best american music. Thank you Danny boy!!

The music here defies description. Such is the case with Danny Gatton himself. Was he a jazz muscician or a blues musician? Perhaps a country or even rock musician? The answer is yes. (or E, all of the above)As the title suggest this is a hybrid albumn itself. No one style is clear. What is clear is the eminence of his talent as a guitarist. Along with peddle steel giant Buddy Emmons, Gatton takes the guitar to new plateaus. The amazing aspect for me is the apparent simplicity of it all. The pair blend seamlessly into on style of play, into another and then yet another in any given song. This is all done live without the benifit of studio overdubs or editing. One of my life's regrets is that I did not discover Danny Gatton's remarkable recordings until after his death at his own hand. I would have loved to have seen this master perform.

I had a translucent red "original press" copy of this record years ago. It has since gone missing, so this cd is VERY valuable to me. The extra "bonus" cut is great too, and I am so glad I bought this.

I'm french and I love american music since 25 years. I know Danny Gatton since several years and this cd is great ! It's very good and very nice music. I'm very happy to hear him with Buddy Emmons and to hear what he did with his Les Paul.