Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues

by

Various Artists and Jools Holland

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For me, the big reason to buy this CD was the George Harrison contribution, "Horse to Water". It is a GREAT song, and a brilliant Harrison song at that. George sounds weak, and I am not sure if Clapton has stepped in on some of the guitar parts, but what a brilliant and fun piece of music, worthy to be held in the highest esteem among its author's ouvre. IT is reason enough to buy the CD.

As to the rest, the music is uniformly terrific and quite a dance record! There are some weak spots, notably Sting, who is turning into Rod Stewart, and unfortunately he misses all the bravado a Blues Singer would have brought to "Seventh Son". I am sure Willie Dixon is turning in his grave. Later on Steve Winwood gives a demonstration on just how well a white guy can sing Dixon if he wants to. Van Morrison continues to annoint himself Ireland's standard bearer for delivering songs from America's jazz and R & B catalog. On this one, he essays Louis Armstrong. Van tends to get all the notes right, but there is something missing. It is all quite reverently treated, but it is not the same, nor an effective redirection. You get the impression that Van is still covering past heroes until inspiration returns. As to the rest of the CD, most of it is truly amazing. The pairing of Micah Paris and David Gilmore is genius. Clapton redeems his reputation ("Reptile" is a horror)with his contribution, Stereophonic, Marc Almond, and all the others have made Holland's vision spectacular, especially John Cale, of all people.

At the end of the disc, though, you are brought back to Harrison. It is a sentimental farewell to an often underated (yeah, underated, inspite of The Beatles) artist who could turn out sheer genius when you were not looking. Maybe that was it with George. So long as you were not zeroing in on him, he could blow the doors off everyone in his quiet and unassuming way. The spotlight didn't work. Beware of Darkness, though, because George was there in the shadows crafting gems that will live on brilliantly for a very long time. "Horse to Water" is the latest and one of the brightest.