Customer Reviews

Too Many Cooks

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This reissue of "Who's Been Talkin'", Robert Cray's first recording, is of obvious archival interest, but it also introduces us to the winning instrumental format Cray would use throughout his career.

As comfortable with Memphis style soul as he is with blues, Cray enlisted the help of saxophonist David Li for all the horn arrangements on this project. Joining Li is trumpeter Nolan Smith, a veteran of the Gap Band, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. This horn section would set the standard for Cray's later recordings featuring the Memphis Horns (saxophonist Andrew Love and trumpeter Wayne Jackson).

Soul singer and harmonicist Curtis Salgado started his career with Cray, and he shares lead vocal duties on O.V. Wright's "I'm Gonna Forget About You". This number and Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talkin'" are two highlights of the disc showcasing Salgado's talent. A Cray original, "Nice as a Fool Can Be" is a catchy blues waltz (think Buddy Guy's "No Lie") that features Cray's clean, bright Stratocaster.

Any fan of Robert Cray's who is familiar with the hits like "Strong Persuader" and "Midnight Stroll" will be pleased with this stellar first effort.

Robert Cray's first record, originally entitled "Who's Been Talking," is a classic blues recording. From "Who's Been Talking," "Too Many Cooks, "The Score," and "When The Welfare Turns Its Back On You," this record has great guitar playing, great vocals, and great backup music and arrangement.

This was a sign of great things to come, and this record definitely deserves more attention and recognition.

This was my first Cray cd, and I have to say after to listening to only the classic first track, I was hooked. This album, although it is now over 25 years old, is startingly fresh and contemporary, in a word, timeless. His signature sounds are all here-the searing guitar, witty lyrics, and the soulful vocals. This early record, often overshadowed by Cray's more commercially successful releases, is a must-hear for any Robert Cray fan. He is surely a master chef of the blues and Cray serves a delectable dish of tunes on this one.

This reissue of Robert Cray's debut album for the Tomato-label was originally titled "Who's been talkin' ?". Right from the start, Cray captures you with his soulful voice and crisp guitar-playing. In a set where he mixes originals with long-time favorites, Cray makes a brilliant entrance into the world of contemporary blues. Highlights are hard to pin down in this constantly entertaining CD; perhaps "If you're thinkin' what I'm thinkin'" could serve as a good token of the over-all high quality of this album. The presence of Curtis Salgado on harmonica adds a nice extra.