Customer Reviews

Relaxin With Chet

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

 

 

"Relaxin' with Chet" is exactly that- a laid back album with some fine playing. Chet (or RCA Camden) seemed to want to make an album similar to his two masterpieces from 1957-8, "Chet Atkins at Home" and "Hi-Fi in Focus". This is confirmed by the presence of four tracks from the former (#7-#10 on this album) to pad out the six tracks newly recorded, as well as the fact that the liner notes are almost exactly the same as on "At Home". Also, the repertoire of the new music is similar to that of the older albums, as the theme of all three is "what Chet plays for his own enjoyment". Here Chet really lets his love for jazz shine through, tackling Tin Pan Alley as well as names like Jerome Kern and Duke Ellington. He also plays solos that are much more jazz-inflected than what is expected of him, although his finger-pickin' talents emerge notably on "Vilia" and "Say Si Si" through his use of his "Octabass" Gretsch (which is a guitar with the two lowest strings replaced by bass strings!).
Why do I say this is a weird album and dock a star from its rating? It's because of a really cheesy electronic organ that "graces" its surroundings (they even overdubbed it onto the older tracks!) for most of the album. The only times that it does the proceedings any good are on "Blues for Dr. Joe" and "Sophisticated Lady". On the former it changes the mood from bluesy to creepy, and it is far enough in the background on the latter to provide just enough color. Despite that shortcoming, "Relaxin' with Chet" is definitely worth every penny.

Like me, you remember the Beverly Hillbillies' Ellie Mae and the sort of music that would accompany her and her chimps around the foyer and cement pond of the mansion......well this is that kind of music - exceptin' even better! Recently I had a steel post pounded into my jaw (by a paid professional tooth installation dude) and this awful process was somewhat lessened as I laid there with a headset playing this cd. 27 minutes later I had the post, Chet ended, and I can *still* listen to the cd! It's THAT good! (and at about 1/80th the cost of a new tooth) Relaxin' with Chet is exactly what you'll do!