Customer Reviews

Smokin Joint

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I concur with the previous reviews of Kim Wilson's first live album. This is a tour-de-force, first class lesson in rhythm, swinging, rocking and blues. What sets it apart from anything else I have ever heard on CD with Kim, is the tremendous ensemble playing, where clearly all components make up for excellent listens. Make no doubt, Kim is clearly leading the proceedings, showing what a great musician he is in knowing what to play and when. The guitarists make a perfect foil for Kim's vocals and harmonica, I have never heard such terrific backing and soloing on any modern recording I can recall. You would have to go back to the days of Little Walter and the Myers brothers. What has been known to all people that have seen Kim live, is now recorded in splendid format, with near 74 mins of the best blues has to offer. The sheer joy and mutual understanding of various blues forms is simply unmatched. This CD should be heard by more people than blues-fanatics! This is a classic.

I'm a blues harp player and I basically like everything Kim Wilson does, and this is no exception. His band's rhythm section with Ralph Innes and Larry Taylor- swings like there's no tomorrow, especially on "Oh Baby" and "I Stay In The Mood". His harmonica prowess is all over, but highlighted on the title cut. His rendition of "Early In The Morning" invokes the Sonny Boy sound with utter ease. And his R&B side, a favorite for Thunderbirds fans, comes out in his stylistic singing and killer vocals on "I Can Tell". I do truly recommend this album to any Kim Wilson fan, or blues harp fan for that matter! You can't go wrong.

After a relatively long spell between new albums, Fabulous T-Bird frontman Kim Wilson comes blasting back with 2 new, blistering, but significantly differentiated "live" sets. Hard on the heels of the Fabulous T-Birds Live release (released in May, & only available from the T-birds website) comes this unexpected, but welcome, release featuring Kim's Blues Review, recorded @ 2 West Coast Blues (Phoenix & Hermosa Beach, CA) club venues over the last 2 years. Most of the material is new to (a Wilson/Tbird) disc ("Oh, Baby", from Wilson's "My Blues" CD and "I Can Tell", from the aforementioned T-bird album being the only covers of previously released material), but all the tunes included here perfectly exude the smoky "juke joint" feeling alluded to in the album's title. Wilson's harp playing is exemplary and his vocals & phrasing are distintive and emotional. It's obvious that Kim loves the Blues and these performances capture a master of the art form in his prime. Every song is a winner in my book and in many, the band is allowed to stretch out to capture the groove. Using the same rhythm section, but with 2 different sets of guitarists in each set, it's hard to say who get's top honors. Forget about it and enjoy them both. Five big stars!! And check out the T'Bird album, too. It's even better!

Kim Wilson's Smoking Joint is avarage of his ability. I like the record and I believe it to be a solid effort,but for some reason the record seems bland and uninspired. I have seen the T-Birds live a few years back, and have heard kim Wilson on the Jimmy Roger's album "Ludella" (This album is what I recommend for some serious Kim Wilson harp playing), but this album lacks that magic which we know of Kim Wilson. This is a good record though, and shouldn't be dismissed. Its a good effort overall, but not Kim's best.

Blues harp fanatics rejoice! There is LIVE Kim Wilson playing harmonica and singing the Blues in 2 different locations. It is definitely some of the best singing and playing I've heard from Kim in a long time. The highlights hear for me were "Oh Baby", a Little Walter cover and a song called "I Stay in the Mood". Kim is using young Blues guitarists Troy Gonya and Kirk Fletcher on these two particular songs. Kim allows them to shine in their playing while staying in the context of the song. An outstanding piece of work form one of the best harp players in the world, Kim Wilson! A must for any serious Blues lover!
Nominated for a Grammy traditional blues album from releases in 2001.

I'm afraid I disagree with the raving reviews above. Kim Wilson is an exceptional harmonica player and a good soulful singer, but this live album just doesn't cut it. It's a fine album per se, but certainly not on par with Kim's talent. After a few listenings, I found myself bored by the repetitiveness and the lack of originality in arrangements.
Blues, especially blues covers, can be tricky : on most songs of this album, Kim ends up sounding just like the other 399 covers of the same song. It's a shame because he's capable of so much better. I cound't help myself thinking this was just another live blues album...

Few can emulate the prowess on the harp of Kim Wilson. From the jaw dropping "Tigerman" to "Smoking Joint", he has carved out a niche as one of the Blues Harp masters.

Many of the classic players and entertainers have joined the choir invisible in the last few years leaving the pulpit of the harp to a select few that still keep a heritage burning in this age of guitar and horns. Harps can honk and cry, burn a vein and fill it with loss and sorrow. Kim Wilson does it with a grace and amalgamation of all his progenitors.

This CD is a must own for any, I mean any fan of the almighty tin sandwich. It will move you and groove you, grab that harp and learn. This is your masters demonstration.........

this cd is hot! it might even melt in your player. with rusty zinn, billy flynn playing guitar in one set and the notorious kirk fletcher in the other set, they provide the perfect back drop to kim's killer harp and the texas howl. you can feel the energy. pick it up.

He is just the master of his genre. At his prime... And great guitar work by Rusty Zinn and Kirk Fletcher... Classic rhythm section is as tight and groovin' as always... Richard Innes on drums and Larry "mole" Taylor on upright bass! KILLER BLUES!!!

Kim Wilson is one of the few musicians I know of who consistently delivers excellence. Smokin' Joint is no exception. The only bad thing about any of his CD's is when they come to an end. I can't wait until the next CD is released!

Support a national treasure and fundamentally pure musician - buy all of his CD's, along with the entire catalog of the Fabulous Thunderbirds!