Customer Reviews

The Very Best Of J.J. Cale

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

For those musing into J.J. Cale for the first time, this is the first CD to purchase. A concise overview, "Special Edition," is available at a lesser price, but the sound suffers. The most comprehensive compilation, "Anyway The Wind Blows," is also available, as are standard versions of Cale's entire catalog. All said and done, "Very Best" is the recommended starting point with J.J. Cale.

In my 45+ years of collecting and listening to popular music, J.J. Cale stands out as being truly unique. How so?

The easiest way to explain this is to talk about my iPod song list of some 1700 selections. What I've done to create this song list is to choose only my favorite tracks on any particular album to be ripped onto the iPod.

Some albums are represented by one selection; others two or three. And for the very select few, perhaps the whole album gets included in my 'pod.

J.J. Cale is the prime example of this kind of personal special and favorite musician. Why? Well, as we all know, there is no accounting for taste. Each of us has our own musical preferences, tastes, and favorite genre.

For me it is blues based music, whether it be the hard blues rock of Jimi Hendrix, the early Elvis of the "Sun Sessions," or the mellow country blues of J.J. Cale, I love the blues.

Here is what I experience with J.J.: deeply felt, genuine, and totally organic blues expressions. The instrumentation is always tight, together, and in the groove. Each musician, each track within a song, each overdub blends perfectly with the whole.

And, J.J.'s lyrics, melodies, vocals, and guitar work are the essential and masterly glue that makes it all happen. What this means, for me, is that his music has a timeless quality. It doesn't get out of date, it doesn't get "old," and I don't get tired of listening to it.

This is why when I ripped a J.J. album onto my iPod, I almost always did the WHOLE album. I have 123 J.J. cuts on the 'Pod, but I won't buy "The Very Best of J.J. Cale." I have no need to because I already have all these cuts.

However, if I could only own one J.J. album, it would be the double set "Anyway the Wind Blows." Without checking it cut by cut, I'm fairly certain "Blows" will have all the best of "The Very Best." But, with "Blows" you get at least twice as much J.J.

This is a very good thing, but if aren't convinced by my opinion, at least try out "The Very Best of J.J. Cale." If you're able to appreciate good music in any genre, you just gotta dig J.J.

No ordinary pop singer, John Not-Associated-With-The-Velvet-Undeground Cale of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is something of an acquired taste. He has maintained a solid cult following for forty years, but most people probably associate "After Midnight", "I'll Make Love To You Anytime" and "Cocaine" with Eric Clapton, "They Call Me The Breeze" with Lynyrd Skynyrd or Johnny Cash, and "Cajun Moon" with Randy Crawford, rather than with Cale.

Here they are, though, played and sung by Cale himself in his (very!) laid-back style which emphasises the songs and their rhythm over fancy solos.
J.J. Cale is an idiosyncratic vocalist, and some people may be turned off by his singing voice, or lack thereof, but Cale's loping sense of rhythm and shuffling boogie patterns became a blueprint for the adult-oriented roots-rock of men like Eric Clapton and Mark Knopfler, and if you are into that kind of music you really owe it to yourself to at least give Cale a chance. You might come away preferring Clapton's covers over Cale's originals, but then again you might not.
Me? I'll take Cale's "Cocaine" and "I'll Make Love To You Anytime" and Clapton's "After Midnight". But one thing is for sure: J.J. Cale grows on you.

I would venture to guess that more people know JJ Cale's work than have actually heard his own renditions. Obviously Eric Clapton's covers of "After Midnight", "Cocaine" and "I'll Make Love To You Anytime" and Santana's version of "Sensitive Kind" are well-known; I came to JJ Cale via way of Widespread Panic's covers of "Travelin' Light" and "Ride Me High" (from "Troubadour").

This compilation is great from start to finish. Cale is straight-shootin' and to-the-point. Most songs clock in around 2:00, but don't think you're not getting a lot for your money. With Cale, less is definitely more! His vocal stylings (I would hesitate to term it 'singing') are raspy smooth and understated, his lyrics the counterpoint to a unique lyrical guitar style.

"Devil In Disguise" sounds like what every Steve Miller song wishes it was, while "Carry On" conjures up something from Johnny Cash's part of the universe. "Rock And Roll Records" is one of my favorite tracks on this disc; it is indeed a "real, funky deal". No mistaking that Cale is a 100% American original!

J.J. Cale is one of those underrated artists, whose recordings are most appreciated by other musicians. Eric Clapton and Dire Straits are direct evidence of platinum selling artists love for the down home bluesy guitar grooves of J.J. Cale. The man wrote two of the most appreciated modern day blues rock songs, "Cocaine," and "After Midnight." What's interesting is hearing his original versions. They are more laid back and have a groove that cannot be easily replicated.

I find myself embracing J.J. Cale's versions of his tracks the most. He reminds me of Johnny Cash in a way. He is so real and raw in his recordings. This is music that warms the soul and invokes a certain comfort. Like other artists who have been covered and sampled to death, J.J. Cale stands above the heap of commercialism in music. He is a true artist. An Oklahoma road warrior. There are other examples, including a band called Cymande - on the album renegades of funk, where the power of hearing the true original voice of an artists' music is always a more authentic listening experience. This best of collection is highly recommended. I hope J.J. Cale knows that he is a true original in American music.

This album is one of the best representations of Cale's work. Growing up in Cale's hometown, Tulsa Oklahoma, I have been enchanted by his music since a young child. I have had the blessed privilege to play on stage with J.J. and his recordings have captured the same "at home on the porch" sound as his live performances. The songs he writes are so much like his true life personality, earthy and warm, that it is virtually impossible to not like his work. This is definitely one to have for your collection if you love original "Tulsa Sound" material.

JJ Cale is a songwriter best known for having his works covered by other artists like Eric Clapton, Deep Purple and Lynyrd Skynyrd. While I don't generally favor 'best of' albums prefering to dig into an artists body of work, this one stands as an exception. It's a wonderful introduction to the world of JJ Cale with his layed back bluesy guitar sound and country-like sensabilities.

An excellent look into the world of JJ Cale. Highly recommended.

Bought this album as I like the Texas singers/songwriters and this was recommended to me. The first time I heard the album, I thought it was okay, but after subsequent listenings, the songs have grown on me and I find myself playing it more and more. Like one of the other reviewers said, its a great album to have on while you are doing things, like grilling out, working on the car, etc. Nice bluesy, laidback record. Smoooooth guitar playing.

This is must own album for lovers of blues/rock. JJ Cale's music reached other artists including Lynrd Skynrd ("Call Me The Breeze") and Eric Clapton ("Cocaine" and "After Midnight"). It is laid back and smooth as glass blues at it's best. Cale is a master craftsman though he may be too modest to admit it.

This is my first CD by J.J. Cale. I am really happy that I bought it He does sound a lot like Ray Bonneville which is a good thing for me...I would reccomend this CD to all music lovers.