10 Days Out (Blues from the Backroads)/ (CD/DVD)

Kenny Wayne Shepherd

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 23, 2007)
• Original Release Date: January 23, 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000IFQLSW
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (125 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,497 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #1 in	Music > Blues > Harmonica Blues
  #7 in	Music > Blues > Acoustic Blues
  #11 in	Music > Blues > Modern Blues

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This "back-to-the-roots" road-trip documentary CD/DVD from blues-rocking guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd can be viewed in two ways--it's either the culmination of a long-held desire to promote and play with some unheralded blues veterans before they pass away (as six had already done since the recording was made, 2½ years before its early 2007 release) or a way to regain the blues audience Shepherd all but alienated on his artistically and commercially disappointing 2004 hard-rock release, The Place You're In. Ultimately, it succeeds on both accounts. Regardless of the project's inspiration, the results by and large justify whatever the means might have been to get this show on the road--literally and figuratively. Shepherd hit the highway for a week and a half along with producer Jerry Harrison (ex-Talking Heads), a portable studio, and backup musicians including the rhythm section from Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble. He searched out blues artists both obscure (the late guitarist Etta Baker, who plays in her kitchen, is a highlight) and better known (Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown and B.B. King) for a series of acoustic and electric jams, all of which feature Shepherd--who, to his credit, generally keeps his hot-dogging tendencies in check. A closing concert featuring members of Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters' bands never quite generates the heat it should, but country bluesmen Cootie Stark, Neil Pattman, and harmonica ace Jerry "Boogie" McCain provide plenty of sparks. Shepherd seems sincere enough, but the real stars are the ageing musicians who have maintained their chops and intensity through a lifetime of performing music that clearly comes from the soul. --Hal Horowitz

Product Description
Kenny Wayne Shepherd's reverence for his musical roots are center-stage on Ten Days Out...Blues From The Backroads, a CD+DVD package that features the guitarslinger and Double Trouble rhythm section of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton performing with some of the greatest blues players of our time as well as lesser-known but historically significant bluesmen. Traveling to their hometowns to record everywhere from juke joints to front porches, from New Orleans to Kansas, Shepherd celebrates and becomes part of blues history with Ten Days Out...Blues From The Backroads.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not a "star turn", February 20, 2007

By	T. McCool "old married guy" (Lafayette, IN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sometimes these collaborations between famous rockers and old bluesmen don't turn out so well. Some do, such as Jimmy Rodgers' Blues Blues Blues, and Hubert Sumlin's About Them Shoes. In any case, the famous rockers too often take center stage. Kenny Wayne Shepherd takes a different approach on the brilliant 10 Days Out. Shepherd, his bandmates, and the Double Trouble rhythm section are the supporting cast to the real stars of this CD and DVD, weathered bluesmen (and blueswoman!) both well-known and obscure. From acoustic backwoods jams to live electric performances, this has it all. And even better, Shepherd took the audio and video crew to the hometowns of the blues musicians and jammed in kitchens, the backwoods, living rooms.... wherever the magic appeared. Even B.B. King performs in a juke joint in his hometown of Indianola MS. If you love the blues, you must own this CD!

POSTCRIPT: The DVD is absolutely a gem! Professionally produced and worthy of broadcast, the blues musicians talk about their lives and and the blues. And like the music, Shepherd stays in the backgroud. The DVD is not about Kenny On The Road, it's about the blues and the musicians who create the music. It's interesting that this package is marketed as an audio CD with a bonus DVD. It could have easily been packaged as a DVD with a bonus CD - it's that good!

45 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the DVD, February 5, 2007

By	Gaylen Halbert (Weimar, California United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is being sold as a "CD/DVD" which it is, but it is the DVD which needs to be promoted and praised. The CD is a nice bonus to have to play in standard CD players like in your car. The DVD really deserves some awards. The Grammys are a shallow and overly broad presentation of popular music and I am usually less than enthusiastic about the annual event. Still, I hope that this CD/DVD receives recognition there and in other venues throughout the year. The only thing left out by other reviewers who [like me] loved this production is more credit to Kenny Wayne's dad Ken Shepherd who as a co-producer supervised and contributed a lot to this magnificent documentation of the blues.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you are interested in the blues dont let the $$ scare you away for this one!!, January 24, 2007

By	M L Wright (Albany, NY) - See all my reviews

I know it's a bit more cost-wise than a normal cd, but if you even remotely like the blues you really need to check this out. The music is incredible and the movie (unlike some dvd's attached to cd's) is fantastic. A great trip through history and interviews with some really talented bluesmen. Hopefully some of the proceeds of the disc go to these talented men because as you'll see many live in impoverished conditions even though their music has inspired many of todays very successful musicians. Its definitely worth the purchase price!!