Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Jimmy Smith - "The Definitive Jimmy Smith" (2002)



Cooking with music spinning is always fun and for me this is a go-to-album in the kitchen category. Jimmy Smith was one of the first musicians to use the Hammond B-3 Organ in jazz and blues, revolutionizing the instrument past its intended home of church choir lofts. This Verve label release is a nice sampling of the unique fusing Smith did through his career with funk, soul, and swing and it's worth it just for the remastered versions of The Sermon and Midnight Special. It also finishes up nicely with Night Train, the funky jam George McFly grooves to at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance. Something that really cooks? This album cooks for sure. -- Chris Baginski

1. "The Champ" (8:38)
2. "The Sermon" (20:10)
3. "Midnight Special" (9:56)
4. "Walk On The Wild Side" (5:57)
5. "The Cat" (3:25)
6. "Got My Mojo Workin'" (8:02)
7. "Night Train" (6:46)

Back At the Chicken Shack (video)

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Waylon Jennings - "Waylon Live" (1976)



When country music started become too sugarcoated in the late 60's and early 70's, Waylon Jennings was among the first musicians to push for a rawer, back-roads style that became known as Outlaw Country. The gritty, answer-to-no-one back bone of the outlaw movement is personified by Jennings, along with other giants like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, and Merle Haggard. This recently remastered and expanded live album jumps from 9 tracks to 42, and captures Jennings and his band at the top of their collective game during the course of three Texas concerts in 1974. -- Chris Baginski

Disc One

1. "T For Texas (Blue Yodel #1)"
2. "Stop The World (And Let Me Off)"
3. "Lonesome On'ry And Mean"
4. "You Ask Me To"
5. "Louisiana Women"
6. "I'm A Ramblin' Man"
7. "Me An Paul"
8. "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way"
9. "Slow Rollin' Low"
10. "Rainy Day Woman"
11. "Good Hearted Woman"
12. "Mental Revenge"
13. "Amanda"
14. "This Time"
15. "Laid Back Country Picker"
16. "The Last Letter"
17. "Honky Tonk Heroes"
18. "Willie The Wandering Gypsy And Me"
19. "Donna On My Mind"
20. "We Had It All"

Disc Two

1. "Ladies Love Outlaws"
2. "Big Ball In Cowtown"
3. "Just To Satisfy You"
4. "Anita You're Dreaming"
5. "Big Big Love"
6. "Me And Bobby McGee"
7. "If You Could Touch Her At All"
8. "Bob Wills Is Still The King"
9. "Look Into My Teardrops"
10. "Long Way From Home"
11. "The Taker"
12. "Mississippi Woman"
13. "Mona"
14. "Never Been To Spain"
15. "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line"
16. "Freedom To Stay"
17. "Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again)"
18. "Pick Up The Tempo"
19. "Ain't No God In Mexico"
20. "House Of The Rising Sun"
21. "Band Intros"
22. "You Can Have Her"

Luckenback, Texas Video


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Steve Young - "Seven Bridges Road" (1972)



It's funny how hard certain albums can be to track down these days. There are plenty of methods for acquiring music in the 21st Century but a decent amount of older music still remains out of print, having never moving past the age of vinyl, tapes, etc. But when you do eventually find a copy, it makes it that much sweeter to listen to. I came across Steve Young after noticing one of my favorite Waylon Jennings songs, Lonesome On'ry & Mean, was written by Young. I had no luck tracking the original Seven Bridges Road album down, but eventually found a limited edition (1000 copies issued) remastered version that was only released in South Korea. The songs are shuffled and it was put out with different album art, but it also contains eight previous unreleased songs not included on the 1972 version. Give this great album a listen to hear what was a major influence on the outlaw and alternative country movements that followed. -- Chris Baginski

1. Seven Bridges Road (3:37)
2. Montgomery In The Rain (4:08)
3. Ragtime Blue Guitar (2:45)
4. Long Way To Hollywood (3:49)
5. Down In The Flood (3:59)
6. Ballad Of William Sycamore (4:16)
7. My Oklahoma (3:00)
8. Wild Goose (3:43)
9. Days Of 49 (3:35)
10. Lonesome On'ry & Mean (3:37)
11. I Begin To See Design (2:57)
12. One Car Funeral Procession (3:06)
13. Many Rivers (2:59)
14. Come Sit By My Side (3:01)
15. True Note (2:56)
16. I Can't Hold Myself In Line (2:18)
17. Crash On The Levy (2:34)
18. White Trash Song (3:03)

See Steve Young on Tour