Jimmie Vaughan – Plays Blues, Ballads & Favorites (Proper Records).
This is Jimmy Vaughan’s first album in nine years and he has chosen a personal collection of songs, recorded in his home town of Austin, Texas. It opens with The Pleasure’s All Mine, a shuffling blues and it is as if the Fabulous Thunderbirds had never gone away. Vaughan’s trademark jagged guitar coupled with a mellow sax solo make for a solid opener. Jimmy Reed’s Come Love is a strolling blues/R&B crossover with additional backing vocal from Lou Ann Barton and Vaughan’s harmonica used to good effect. The country blues of I’m Leavin’ It Up To You continues with harmonica and Vaughan’s guitar rattles like a machine gun. Jimmy picks up the pace a little for the excellent, self-penned instrumental, Comin’ & Goin’. He plays this in an Albert Collins style with horns and George Rains’ drums integral to the overall feel. Wheel Of Fortune is another of his country influenced blues with Texas stamped all over it. Lou Ann Barton stars on vocals. How Can You Be So Mean – what a question! The smokey vocal on this Johnny Ace song flirts on the edge of R&B but despite the title, you’ll always have a good time with Jimmie. Roscoe Gordon’s Just A Little Bit is a well known song and Jimmie delivers it in a smooth fashion with raucous sax an excellent counterpoint.
He keeps up the pace on Lonely Weekends, a good time R&B, surprisingly written by Charlie Rich. This is sure to be a favourite on tour. I’m not too much of a fan of spoken vocals so when I Miss You So starts off in such a fashion, my heart sank a little. However, once Jimmie and Lou Ann Barton get to grips with the song and start to swap vocals then the whole thing turns around. Roy Milton’s RM Blues shuffles along very nicely and Bill Willis’ Hammond B3 and the horns make for an accomplished track. Trumpet is not often heard on blues tracks nowadays but it is a standout here beside Jimmie’s guitar. Guitar Junior’s Roll, Roll, Roll is another classic, played in the Fabulous Thunderbirds style. This shows how much of a class act Jimmie is and is the highlight of the album. Send Me Some Lovin’ is a country influenced blues, written by Little Richard, with Lou Ann Barton on vocals and he’s still using that horn section to great effect. Add Kim Wilson and it’s the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Why, Why, Why is replete with Tex-Mex influences and this is no surprise considering that it is a Doug Sahm number. He is so good in this genre it makes you wonder whether it is worth his while playing anything else. (She’s Got The) Blues For Sale is an upbeat blues and Jimmie is cranking up the style towards the end of the album. He’s got himself a top band and the sax players excel here. This track is short and oh so sweet. Bill Willis takes over on vocals for Willie Nelson’s Funny How Time Slips Away. It’s real soulful and although I didn’t think that this might not work at the outset, it comes across well. Willis’ haunting Hammond B3 makes it a little less lounge room smooth as other versions such as Bryan Ferry’s.
Jimmie Vaughan’s love for these songs pours out of every track and I must make special note of the horn section, Greg Picollo, Kas Kasenoff and Ephraim Owens, who are excellent throughout.
http://www.jimmievaughan.com/
http://www.properuk.com/
David Blue.
This is Jimmy Vaughan’s first album in nine years and he has chosen a personal collection of songs, recorded in his home town of Austin, Texas. It opens with The Pleasure’s All Mine, a shuffling blues and it is as if the Fabulous Thunderbirds had never gone away. Vaughan’s trademark jagged guitar coupled with a mellow sax solo make for a solid opener. Jimmy Reed’s Come Love is a strolling blues/R&B crossover with additional backing vocal from Lou Ann Barton and Vaughan’s harmonica used to good effect. The country blues of I’m Leavin’ It Up To You continues with harmonica and Vaughan’s guitar rattles like a machine gun. Jimmy picks up the pace a little for the excellent, self-penned instrumental, Comin’ & Goin’. He plays this in an Albert Collins style with horns and George Rains’ drums integral to the overall feel. Wheel Of Fortune is another of his country influenced blues with Texas stamped all over it. Lou Ann Barton stars on vocals. How Can You Be So Mean – what a question! The smokey vocal on this Johnny Ace song flirts on the edge of R&B but despite the title, you’ll always have a good time with Jimmie. Roscoe Gordon’s Just A Little Bit is a well known song and Jimmie delivers it in a smooth fashion with raucous sax an excellent counterpoint.
He keeps up the pace on Lonely Weekends, a good time R&B, surprisingly written by Charlie Rich. This is sure to be a favourite on tour. I’m not too much of a fan of spoken vocals so when I Miss You So starts off in such a fashion, my heart sank a little. However, once Jimmie and Lou Ann Barton get to grips with the song and start to swap vocals then the whole thing turns around. Roy Milton’s RM Blues shuffles along very nicely and Bill Willis’ Hammond B3 and the horns make for an accomplished track. Trumpet is not often heard on blues tracks nowadays but it is a standout here beside Jimmie’s guitar. Guitar Junior’s Roll, Roll, Roll is another classic, played in the Fabulous Thunderbirds style. This shows how much of a class act Jimmie is and is the highlight of the album. Send Me Some Lovin’ is a country influenced blues, written by Little Richard, with Lou Ann Barton on vocals and he’s still using that horn section to great effect. Add Kim Wilson and it’s the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Why, Why, Why is replete with Tex-Mex influences and this is no surprise considering that it is a Doug Sahm number. He is so good in this genre it makes you wonder whether it is worth his while playing anything else. (She’s Got The) Blues For Sale is an upbeat blues and Jimmie is cranking up the style towards the end of the album. He’s got himself a top band and the sax players excel here. This track is short and oh so sweet. Bill Willis takes over on vocals for Willie Nelson’s Funny How Time Slips Away. It’s real soulful and although I didn’t think that this might not work at the outset, it comes across well. Willis’ haunting Hammond B3 makes it a little less lounge room smooth as other versions such as Bryan Ferry’s.
Jimmie Vaughan’s love for these songs pours out of every track and I must make special note of the horn section, Greg Picollo, Kas Kasenoff and Ephraim Owens, who are excellent throughout.
http://www.jimmievaughan.com/
http://www.properuk.com/
David Blue.
