Joe Cocker - Stingray (CD)

Underated Gem, Victim of the Disco Era

By __A_YAHOO_USER__  Oct 23, 2006

Pros: Style, voice, musicians, production, songs

Cons: pitchy in spots

Here comes Joe Cocker out a self imposed exiled to Jamaica and a failed effort to recover from his booze blues, yet manages to punch out a premiere showcase of his raw unapologetic vocal intensity. Forget the overly produced, commercial and cautious ...material Joe put out in the 80s and 90s to restart his career, this is Cocker working his chops with integrity moving his voice from a smoky whisky whisper to squeal of a screeching gravel truck. Imagine, just as disco bursts on the scene and Hot Chocolate and Play That Funky Music are sweeping north America, Cocker had the balls to buck the trend put out a true soft soul blues reggae album. But it just goes to show that despite the slickest session musicians, session backup vocals, great production and choice songs, this would be just another casualty of the disco era, relegated to the vinyl bargain bins, where a few lucky souls might take a gamble and land themselves a gem they would never let go. Isn't that what Saturdays at the record shop was all about? Right from the opening track, Jealous Kind, the feel is instantly infectious. Cocker also chooses and does masterful job of interpreting a couple of obscure Dylan covers, the bluesy Catfish and a melodic reggae version of The Man In Me. I found my first vinyl copy in the early eighties and just wore it out, only to rediscover it years later on the internet and I now play it practically every week. Everyone I play it for begs of a copy. Feeling sexy, want to get cozy? This is just what the doctor ordered. You'll be shaggin by the time Joe closes out with Leon Russell's Song For You. But don’t kid yourself, this isn’t just a shaggin album. If you’ve got a good car stereo, shut the windows and crank it up. But let's not overlook the players and producers on this album. No less than Peter Tosh, Eric Clapton, Albert Lee, Cornell Dupre and Sam Lee on sax. Then you've got some of the strongest singers and back up vocalists that include Patti Austin, Deniece Williams, Bonnie Bramlett, So do yourself or a good friend a real favour and find this album or cd whereever you can and have a listen to what real music is all about. Read more Less