Southern Jazz Music

So sure, if you like early Allman Brothers, you'll probably like JJ Grey and Mofro. But its unfair and limiting to leave it at that (since the comparison with the Allmans probably ends with the fact that Greg and JJ both have powerful, raw voices). This album has a number of sounds/influences pervading it that I think make it more accessiable to other musical tastes. For instance, there are parts of Country Ghetto that remind me of the Faces instrumentals, parts reminiscient of the Stones at their Bluesy best from late 60's-eary 70's, and others that have that "alt country" thing going on. Chalk it up to JJ Grey -- in addition to having a raw "blue-eyed soul" singing voice, he's also able to play a wide variety of instruments that allows him to range across musical genres. He also knows how to write a hook that is catchy but doesn't end up in pop land. The result is I've been able to turn on friends to this album with just one play -- be it a buddy from New Orleans or another from SFO -- with the differnet musical tastes that suggests. Definitely recomend this for folks how like good storylines in their music as well as a good driving sound. Hope that's useful -- one of the cool things about this album is that its a bit hard to typecast!

Mofro is the man. Download this and then thank yourself for doing so now.

There are several songs on this CD that are great including "A Woman ..." I first heard it at a Southern Miss baseball game and decided I wanted it. More songs like this one in another CD would be appreciated! If you like southern music this is the CD to get!

I was introduced to Mofro less than 2 years ago and they have quickly become one of my favorite bands of all time. K. Sullivan's reviews hit the nail on the head. There is not much more I can add, except that these guys are even better on stage, and if you get a chance to see them, do NOT miss them - ever. Many wonder why they aren't big time stars, and they absolutely should be, but lucky for us who get to see them in small, intimate blues bars mere feet from the stage. I've seen them about 6 times in the past 18 months, and JJ's soul and passion never cease to amaze me. Every time, he sings each song as if it's the first time, and his charisma and stage presence know no bounds. The chemistry between him and his band is genuine, and the fun they have on stage translates into transcending tunes.

JJ Grey and Mofro are one of the best live shows I have ever seen. Buy this album and the two previous and you will not be disappointed. I would go see them live again and again.

Haden's pleasant miscellany of neglected but deserving ballads is indeed a mixed bag, but somehow his focus, purpose, and method elude this listener. Neophyte writers are frequently enjoined to compose with a sharp, definitive, unified "thesis." Haden could have used a bit of coaching along these lines before producing this collection. Even drawing upon a common composer (as opposed to ranging from Kern to Rachmaninoff to public domain) might have provided the needed coherence to the project.

In any case, it's always a welcome experience to hear Shirley Horn; the revival of a touching ballad like "In Love in Vain" merits our appreciation; and though I was never a big fan of Bill Henderson (an acquired taste), he deserves to be recorded based on the evidence of this recording.

In sum, this album is more than anything else a "sampler" and should have been priced accordingly.

Despite its problems, I think this album still deserves a five-star rating. Seemingly inspired by the music of moody classic cinema, a listener might well envision a seedy nightclub in a fog-swept black & white San Francisco of the 1940s or a tearful Ingrid Bergman about to board a twin-propellor leaving Rick and Casablanca behind her forever.

Regardless of which side of the Atlantic you envision on your moody musical journey, this is definitely a lounging type of music, perfect for lazy Sunday afternoons, after-theatre drives around town on warm summer evenings, warm candle-lit baths, or romantic dinners for two. The beautifully romantic ballads range from the longing "Lonely Town" to the mostly-resolute "I'm Going to Laugh You Right Out of My Life" to the quietly complacent "The Folks Who Live on the Hill." Interspersed with these great standards, however, are wonderful instrumental pieces which frame the remaining vocals with stunningly dramatic moods.

The only flaw is the rather unappealing voice of Bill Henderson, who seems to be suffering from a weak set of lungs, if not from lack of enthusiasm. Henderson seems to strive for the vocal capabilities of Shirley Horn, who sings on 1, 4, 7 and 10, but is incapable of achieving those same dramatic pitches of his fellow artist. Nevertheless, he does an adequate job on "Ruth's Waltz" and "Easy on the Heart" even if "Why Did I Choose You" is downright painful to listen to. Haden, who sings on 13, seems similarly incapable of reaching Horn's heights, but "Wayfaring Stranger," the traditional song he chose to render, is capable of carrying itself with the slow somber tone it evokes in the listener.

Regardless of its faults, this remains a beautiful album. I definitely recommend it to anyone who loves the kind of sit-at-home music it captures so very well in its beautifully jazzy tunes that are, at the very least, easy on the ears.

The outstanding Quartet West album is 'Always Say Goodbye'. On that CD, Broadbent demonstrates his skills at orchestral arrangement, and Haden deftly selects great oldies to intermingle with some of his own superb compositions. Haden also takes some historic performances -- such as Jo Stafford on vocals -- to bring a resonance to the new covers. The experiment was very successful.

You can see the logic behind this subsequent album: instead of using dusty old recordings, why don't we use today's state-of-the-art production to capture the voices of several current artists? And why don't we let Alan orchestrate the whole album?

The trouble is that the orchestration, beautiful though it is throughout, constrains the band terribly. And the vocals swamp the album. (Actually the Jo Stafford track on 'Always Say Goodbye' is one of the weakest on the album.) They say that the saxophone is the instrument closest to the human voice, and it is Ernie Watts who suffers most on this album, The sax is simply crowded out by all the singing. It is only on the stand-out track, 'Prelude en la mineur', an instrumental re-working of a Ravel piece, that Watts finally gets a chance to let rip.

Shirley Horn's vocals are fine, particularly on 'Lonely Town'. But I simply cannot listen to any of the tracks containing Bill Henderson's voice, and sadly, there are four of them.

The most touching song is the last one, where Haden himself bravely takes the vocal lead. It's a song his mother used to sing on the radio, back in the early 1940s, when the entire Haden family would appear on KWTO Springfield. It is a farewell to the dead, and also a reassurance that one day they will meet again.

If you want a quick survey of this CD, check out tracks #1, #9 and #13. It's a long way from the days of Haden's playing with Ornette Coleman and the Liberation Orchestra, and it's very mellow.

I first heard of Charlie Haden on Dublin's best radio music show - The Mystery Train presented by John Kelly on RTE Radio 1. I bought this CD and it has never been off my current play list. This is beautiful music that touches the heart. Listen to Wayfaring Stranger, Lonely Town, I'm Gonna Laugh You Right Out Of My Life, or Ruth's Walz after a tough day at the office or jammed in traffic and you will be back in touch with the good things in life. As someone who has evolved though Thin Lizzy, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Queen, U2, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, BB King, Grant Green etc, Charlie Haden is proof of my graduation. After since buying other and even better Haden CD's, I am looking forward to seeing him in concert with Quartet West here in Dublin on April 29. BUY IT NOW!

The criticisms miss the point. This is an effort that does a rare thing - it brings together men and women who can put the experience of life to judicious use in their art. Unlike listening to the deterioration other performers have faced, in later years, at the hands of studio production teams that no longer know what to do with them, Charlie Haden has found a way to create a beautiful volume of space in which to let the years of these venerated performers shine through. It is in this space you shall hear the notes of lives lived and savored.