Reviews Written by Booker T
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September 26, 2002
Not perfect, but that's the way I like i
I have become very fond of this album, which just simmers with raw energy from the start. There’s a fun introduction that leads into one of the most smoking versions of “Green Onions” I’ve heard. Duck Dunn’s impact is felt immediately. He thumps his bass a little louder and digs into the groove a little deeper than his predecessor, Lewie Steinberg, who played on the Green Onions and Soul Dressing albums. Granted, this is a live recording and Steinberg would have probably been more aggressive live, but nobody can groove like Dunn. He rips through “Red Beans and Rice” and the rest of the set with swinging authority. This was recorded live in 1967, not 1997, but the sound is really good. Booker T. Jones played superbly on this night. His B-3 sounds amazing. The album’s energy dips somewhat when The Mar Keys come on. Except for Steve Cropper, Dunn, and trumpeter, Wayne Jackson, the original Mar Keys basically ceased to exist after their 1961 hit “Last Night”. What they became, in fact, was Booker T. & the MGs plus The Memphis Horns, the heart of soul music in the ‘60s. The material and sound of The Mar Keys is similar to high school R & B bands and fraternity circuit bands of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, and thus, is just not as creative or as exciting as the MGs’. It’s good, solid dance music of that period. The horn section leaves Booker T. and company to finish things off. After Cropper’s soulfully sly guitar solo on “Booker Loo”, the group, led by Al Jackson’s “get out your seat” drumming, hits a groove so strong, if you can’t shake your backside to it, you’ve got a hole in your soul. The first time I heard this album, I wasn’t overly impressed. I had silly thoughts like, hey, that’s not how Cropper played on the original “Hip Hug-Her”. But, this album is deceptively addicting. Seems the longer I own it, the more often I play it. Just as almost anything from the MGs’ catalogue, or all of Stax Records, for that matter, it gets better with every listen. ... -
August 21, 2002
Get the throne ready
1 of 1 Yahoo! Users found this review helpful The “King of Rock & Soul” ascends his throne in all his glory with this tremendously refreshing comeback album. It’s refreshing in every sense of the word. It’s sound is refreshing and intimate. It’s refreshing that a soul album on a soul artist, legendary or not, (But in particular a legendary one) is just that, soulful. Recorded live in the studio with a great cast of musicians, this album should bring deserved attention to the small Fat Possum record label in Oxford, MS. The songs on this album were all proudly contributed to Burke by some of the most respected people in the business. Van Morrison, Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, and Brian Wilson are just the most famous of the lot. Morrison’s songs are two of the better ones on the album, particularly “Fast Train”. Both have Morrison written all over them, and in fact, he’s using them on his upcoming outing. Like Morrison, Waits’s, Wilson’s, and Costello’s songs are also instantly recognizable as theirs. Bob Dylan submits what is probably the most generic song on the album. Another highlight is the Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil/Brenda Russell written “None Of Us Are Free”. The two aforementioned titles, as well as the rest of the album, are graced by a superlative organ player in Rudy Copeland. Copeland, who is blind, is the organist at the church where Burke pastors. The title cut is written by songwriting cohorts Dan Penn and Carson Whitsett, along with Hoy Lindsey. Penn wanted to write an Otis Redding type ballad and had wanted to use the title “Don’t Give Up On Me”. Whitsett sat down and started laying down Otis like chord changes and the result, in my opinion, is a song that sounds like a classic ‘60s country soul hit. Copeland’s playful interplay with Burke is uniquely splendid. To say Burke sounds great would be an understatement. His voice is smooth and strong. The Joe Henry produced ensemble deliver a package that should be titled “Don’t Give Up On Music.” ... -
August 21, 2002
How could anyone forget?
Fantasy issued this wonderful collection aptly titled, Remember Me. This is not just an album for listeners who are already fans of Redding. Truth be told, almost anything the man recorded is worth checking out. The album’s selling point is that it’s full of outtakes and alternate versions of classic songs by Memphis’s other king. There are legendary stories of Otis walking into Stax Records, smiling ear to ear, the McLemore Avenue studio buzzing with a new found energy. This album is certainly also a delight for fans of Otis. You get to be right there along for the ride for takes one and two of “The Dock Of the Bay”. Take one will take you off guard as Steve Cropper’s earnest guitar starts a strummin’ and Otis lets out some tongue and cheek “caws”, which would apparently give Cropper the idea to later overdub the familiar ocean sounds. This song was recorded just days before Otis passed. After take one, we hear engineer, Ron Capone, yell out, “Well, he won’t make it as a whistler.” The most compelling outtake on here however, is “Try a Little Tenderness”. Bassist, Duck Dunn said if Al Jackson ever created one, it was this one. Jackson’s metronome like timing creates tension and then the MGs just explode. The only word for it is orgasmic. The fact that these guys did this on take one is just mind blowing. Cropper plays beautifully on this as well as on “I’m Coming Home”, a great Redding original that boasts one of the most infectious hooks you’ll ever hear, with the help of Duck Dunn and has Steve Cropper playing his cooler than the other side of the pillow arpeggios. Other highlights include a late night jam of “Respect” and a killer alternate version of “Open the Door”. The king of soul. Staxman, too, Rob Bowman contributes liner notes on this well thought out and thoroughly enjoyable set. ... -
August 21, 2002
The king of soul
If Ray Charles is the genius of Soul, James Brown it’s godfather, and Aretha Franklin it’s queen, then undoubtedly, Otis Redding is it’s king and Booker T. & the MGs, Soul’s crown princes. He’s the only singer I’ve ever heard who sounds like he’s in the room with you. If the world was to face disaster and maybe only some would survive, we would have to place Otis’s recording of Sam Cooke’s “Change Gonna Come”, his definitive version of “Try a Little Tenderness” and “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long”, a song he wrote with the legendary Jerry Butler, in a time capsule. This was soul music. It’s rare when a box set can be enjoyed by someone who is not familiar with the artist. (Another one being Otis’s Stax cohorts, Booker T. & the MGs’ Time Is Tight) But Otis’s voice, along with the MGs’ majesty made some of the greatest music of all time. What set Otis apart from people, and what eludes many artists, was his ability to turn someone’s song inside out and make it his own. He frequently covered songs by one of his biggest influences, Sam Cooke. Cooke’s “Change Gonna Come” is a perfectly beautiful record. Why would anyone touch it?!? Otis and the MGs with The Memphis Horns make what could be the most gut wrenching and beautiful and “soulful” track ever recorded. Also fun is Otis’s cover of Sam Cooke’s “Cupid”. Cooke’s version is again, quite perfect and way ahead of its time. Redding’s version is stripped down and playful as can be. And when he sings, “Cupid, please hear my cry”, man he’s crying. Not to be overlooked is Redding’s songwriting talents. Not many black guys are considered when the subject of singer/songwriters are brought up. But he, like Al Green later, wrote many of his best records. Otis wrote many of his songs with Steve Cropper. On the Eddie Floyd/Booker T. Jones written “I Love You More Than Words Can Say”, Cropper’s and Redding’s musical relationship reaches its full potential. Otis sings, “Living without you is so painful”, and Cropper’s guitar sings one of it’s most soulful responses. Another treat is the Redding, Booker T. Jones, and Al Jackson written rocker, “Let Me Come On Home”. But the gem of this set is disc four. Twenty three live songs, edited seamlessly, so it is as if you were at an Otis show. The “king” outdoes the “godfather” on “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag”, and there’s a heartbreaking version of “Just One More Day”. It all ends perfectly when Otis Redding and the MGs take you away from everything on a trip to soul heaven with “Try a Little Tenderness” from Monterey Pop. Music didn’t die with Buddy Holly. It began a slow demise on December 10th, 1967, when Otis Redding passed away. Today, R&B is laughable, Country seems to come off of a conveyor belt, and there’s no such thing as Soul anymore, or Rock & Roll for that matter. Maybe it’s because the hippies grew up and began to run things, or technology, but today, there’s almost no soul left in music. Now we have people who whoop and holler, Trying to be soulful and show range. All they show me is terrible insecurity or ego. It’s like watching an awful actor. It’s pretentious. Hopefully, one day we can wade through all the garbage. The material here will stand the test of time. ... -
August 14, 2002
The Last Great Soul Singer
2 of 2 Yahoo! Users found this review helpful The sublimely unique and timeless productions of Willie Mitchell at Hi Records, all with marvelous musicianship, and one amazing voice made Al Green demand the title of The Last Great Soul Singer. A greatest hits collection is meant to be just that. Not overkill, but more of an introductory album to turn people on, so they in turn, dive into the vaults to get all they can. In that sense, this is the best greatest hits package I have ever seen. There’s only one disappointing omission in “Take Me To the River”. The marvelous musicianship comes courtesy of the unequaled Memphis Horns of Stax Records (Otis Redding, Sam & Dave) fame. The Hi rhythm section consisted of three brothers, Charles Hodges on organ, Leroy Hodges on bass, and Mabon “Teenie” Hodges on guitar. And these gentlemen play like brothers. The telepathic interplay between these wonderful “studio rats” is rivaled only by cross town session legends, the mighty Stax house band, Booker T. & the MGs. The secret ingredient of these soul masterpieces may be in fact, Booker T. & the MGs’ drummer, Al Jackson, Jr., whose infectious grooves are utterly contagious. Nowhere does this masterful combination gel better than on “Love and Happiness, co-written by Green and guitarist, Teenie Hodges. All four musicians are so perfect, yet so soulful, the horn arrangements are spectacular, and let’s not forget, the last great soul singer. There are also bonus tracks, including “Belle”, an admittingly touching and inspiring song, where Green’s conscience wavers between a woman, “Belle”, and God. One can’t help but draw the metaphors in the song to Green soon after going from “Here I am, baby” to “Here I am, Lord.” This is a must have collection. ... -
August 14, 2002
The Last Great Soul Singer
The sublimely unique and timeless productions of Willie Mitchell at Hi Records, all with marvelous musicianship, and one amazing voice made Al Green demand the title of The Last Great Soul Singer. A greatest hits collection is meant to be just that. Not overkill, but more of an introductory album to turn people on, so they in turn, dive into the vaults to get all they can. In that sense, this is the best greatest hits package I have ever seen. There’s only one disappointing omission in “Take Me To the River”. The marvelous musicianship comes courtesy of the unequaled Memphis Horns of Stax Records (Otis Redding, Sam & Dave) fame. The Hi rhythm section consisted of three brothers, Charles Hodges on organ, Leroy Hodges on bass, and Mabon “Teenie” Hodges on guitar. And these gentlemen play like brothers. The telepathic interplay between these wonderful “studio rats” is rivaled only by cross town session legends, the mighty Stax house band, Booker T. & the MGs. The secret ingredient of these soul masterpieces may be in fact, Booker T. & the MGs’ drummer, Al Jackson, Jr., whose infectious grooves are utterly contagious. Nowhere does this masterful combination gel better than on “Love and Happiness, co-written by Green and guitarist, Teenie Hodges. All four musicians are so perfect, yet so soulful, the horn arrangements are spectacular, and let’s not forget, the last great soul singer. There are also bonus tracks, including “Belle”, an admittingly touching and inspiring song, where Green’s conscience wavers between a woman, “Belle”, and God. One can’t help but draw the metaphors in the song to Green soon after going from “Here I am, baby” to “Here I am, Lord.” This is a must have collection. ... -
July 11, 2002
Straight Soulful
Dwight Yoakam may be the most underappreciated of contemporary artists. He has, from day one, been catergorized as a country artist, but whether he's doing country, western, bluegrass, blues, soul, or just good ole rock and roll, it's just pure Dwight. He has an ability to merge musical styles and make things his own, like that of a Ray Charles or an Otis Redding. And music aside, he may be the best lyric writer in any genre'. Unlike most country artists, whose live outings seem to be packaged, over produced, virtual replicas of their original recordings, Yoakam does as great soul artists do. He takes his songs and his great band to inspiring new heights. His version of "Lonesome Roads" oozes soul, far outdoing the original, and has brilliant work by the extremely underrated guitarist, Pete Anderson and fiddle wonder, Scott Joss. The band's tight work on "Long White Cadillac" becomes an orgasmic jam with all the excitement of a Booker T. & the MGs workout. At first listen, a casual Yoakam fan may not appreciate its greatness. But this may be, aside from perhaps either of his two greatest hits collections, the quintessential Dwight Yoakam album. ... -
July 11, 2002
The ONLY King
1 of 1 Yahoo! Users found this review helpful A darn near perfect greatest hits collection. Great for someone who says, "Yeah, I like blues, B.B.'s cool." Because after hearing this, their life won't be quite the same. I can guarantee they will never listen to B.B. the same way again. Where B.B. plays clean and dare I say, wimpy, Albert was hard, funky, soulful, and dirty. Combining his MS delta blues with the Memphis soul of Booker T. & the MGs, with the great Al Jackson on drums, King's blues recordings simply have no equals. Even later, without the MGs, King used top notch musicians and cooley slid into the '70s. There are a number of great tracks missing from here, including "Wrapped Up In Love Again", "Drowning On Dry Land", and the Mack Rice penned "Playin' On Me", but for the most part, it is like I said, darn near perfect. ... -
July 11, 2002
MemphisGroup ( MGs ) still #1
By 1973, the Stax house band, the incomparable Booker T. & the MGs had lost half of its members. Steve Cropper and Booker T. Jones, himself, had both parted ways with the company. When the amazing Al Jackson and the wonderful Duck Dunn wanted to reform the MGs, they brought in Stax session guitarist, Bobby Manuel and Jackson, MS songwriter/keyboardist, Carson Whitsett. I listened to the single, "Sugarcane", and thought it was pleasant, but not up to B.T. & the MGs standards. Whitsett was good, not great, but I couldn't get past Manuel's very weak (anti-Cropper) guitar. I bought the album and immediately the song, "Spare Change" stood out. Whitsett's piano is superb. Dunn and Jackson are perfect, and Manuel plays a tasteful solo. But the rest of the album came across too jazzy and easy listening for my taste. The second time I listened to it, I told myself, this is not Booker T. & the MGs, so I went in not wanting to hear them, especially Steve Cropper, and with that mindset, the whole album just came alive. I realized that this was totally different and unique to anything I've ever heard before. Carson Whitsett's considerable skills are on show, and Bobby Manuel proves his worth. He is far better, both technically and stylistically, than I realized. His playing is versatile and ahead of its time. And with Duck Dunn and Al Jackson serving as the backbone to an album, you can't go wrong. I recommend this album to Booker T. fans and just fans of music. ...
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Title says it all
Pros: songwriting, musicianship
Cons: horns and production could be a little punchier
Legendary Atlantic Records man Jerry Wexler's comparison of Bobby Purify to Otis Redding may be stretching it a bit. Redding was a flat out star, which is something that separated him from 99% of other artists. Purify is just a great singer, which also separates him from others, especially those wrongly labeled as Soul artists these days.
This album also can't be compared with Southern Soul albums of the '60s, even though it features players who supported such heavyweights as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Redding himself. The difference is not in the musicians' playing. See, this isn't a 25-year-old Otis running in place screaming, "Gotta, gotta, gotta". This is an elder statesman. Blind, broke, and without an ounce of bitterness. So this isn't as exciting as, say a Stax recording, but that's not a bad thing. Because not only has the Soul artist, his producers, songwriters, and musicians aged, so has the market for this type of music. ...