Customer Reviews

Sugar Cane's Got The Blues

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

 

 

RECORDED LIVE AT THE BERLIN ROCK FESTIVAL IN 1971, THIS CD IS JAM PACKED FULL OF SOME GREAT JAMMING WITH SUGAR CANE HARRIS ON VIOLIN AND INTERNATIONAL ALLSTAR CAST OF MUSICIANS PLAYING BESIDE HIM, INCLUDING WOLFGANG DAUNER ON KEYBOARDS, NEVILLE WHITEHEAD ON BASS, ROBERT WYATT (FROM SOFT MACHINE) ON DRUMS (HE KICKS A**), VOLKER KRIEGEL ON GUITAR AND ALSO THE GREAT TERJE RYPDAL ON GUITAR. BUT THE STAR HERE IS UNDOUBTEDLY SUGAR CANE, THE FIRST GREAT ROCK VIOLIN PLAYER. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED HIS MUSIC, FROM HIS EARLY DAYS OF "DON AND DEWEY", TO HIS COLLABORATIONS WITH FRANK ZAPPA ("DIRECTLY FROM MY HEART TO YOU", AND "LITTLE HOUSE I USED TO LIVE IN" ARE TWO OF MY FAVORITES), SOME GREAT MSUIC WITH JOHNNY OTIS, THE JOHN MAYALL BAND ("USA UNION"), TO THE BAND "PURE FOOD AND DRUG ACT", AND HIS SOLO WORK. SUGAR CANE LED A SAD LIFE, PLAGUED BY DRUG ADDICTION AND OTHER DEMONS, BUT THERE IS NO DENYING THAT THE MAN COULD PLAY HIS HEART OUT. THIS IS A GREAT CD OF ROCK FUSION MUSIC FROM THE EARLY 70'S. MY FAVORITE CUT ON THE ALBUM IS A GREAT VERSION OF THE HORACE SILVER CLASSIC "SONG FOR MY FATHER".

The historical value of this recording stems from two facts: first it is one of the rare live recordings by Don "Sugarcane" Harris where he shows off his improvisational skills and second it is reissue of long out of print record on a now defunct BASF label. The music is very typical early 70s jazz-rock fusion played skillfully by the leader and a group of cream of the crop European musicians. The pieces are long and extremely enjoyable albeit not groundbreaking but excellent examples of jazz rock fusion of the era
The packaging is gorgeous with LP like gatefold cardboard case with the original liner notes reproduced and augmented by new and insightful essay by Eugene Chadborne. The CD itself has been made to look like the original record.
Although not breaking new ground this is a solid set that is a welcome reissue.

Sugarcane Harris was a virtuoso of the violin and the blues was his pallet. This concert from Germany features local musicians assembled for this concert only. Its amazing just how well these guys all perform together considering the fact that they never played together before. Sugarcane's playing is so emotional and soulful that I can't think of a blues guitarist that has chops this strong. Peter Green maybe. Those looking for more Sugarcane blues can go directly to John Mayall's Back To The Roots cd or Mayall's USA Union album to hear more superb blues violin playing. This album is largely a jam session that jumps right into a hard grooving piece called Liz Pineapple Wonderful. This is followed by Sugacane's Got the Blues. Here is where Sugarcane shows his chops. Such raw emotion has rarely been exhibited on stage before. His pain and suffering pours from his violin as the band ably backs him up. Two more tracks and its over leaving you wanting more! Well there is more if you can find it. His Fiddler on the Rock album has a fine backing band made up of Larry Taylor on bass, Harvey Mandell on guitar and a drummer. This is the band Mayall made his own on the USA Union album, These all are fine representations of Sugarcane's immense talent. check out the Mothers of Invention, Weazels Ripped My Flesh or Zappa's Hot Rats album for more excellent violin playing from Sugarcane. Discover Sugarcane and you will be rewarded for years to come.

If you expect to hear some blues from this CD you're going to be disappointed,
but if you also like mostly furious jazz fusion this concert's not too bad.
I don't know why I thought I was going to hear some blues. Oh yeah, the CD's title
kind of threw me off! I remembered that I had heard him play the great track "Directly From My Heart To You" and love that earlier track.
This CD races along like a locomotive most of the time, but slows down from time to time also. The musicianship is very good, but it was not what I was hoping for,
a blues album. It caught me by surprise. So Sugercane, what else have ya got that's
much bluesier? Eh?