This CD was first issued as a vinyl album way back in 1975 and has 14 songs
of which 6 are live songs mixed in with 8 studio tracks. It is hard to tell the live
songs from the studio one's, as the quality is very good and it's only when the
audience clap at the end that you can really tell. For an album that was recorded 25 years ago, the transfer to CD has been very good indeed, the sound quality is first class.
The opening number is the album title "Beans Taste Fine", and is an up-tempo piece
of ragtime, which is a fun tune and is well sung by John Kolstad, Dick Fegy on guitar
is especially good and Mike Turk on harp who seems to blow non-stop is a joy on this
live tune, which was recorded at Passim coffee shop in Cambridge, Mass.
The album continues with Leroy Carr's "Tunes Too Short" which is a studio recording and is a rollicking piece of guitar & harp which swings at a good pace. I liked the almost mournful quality of Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil", as Mick Turk's harp playing is superb. "Alabama Women" another Leroy Carr song also has mournful
singing from John Kolstad which with some soulful harp playing from Mike Turk make this offering a pleasure to hear. The album though has it's joyful uplifting songs as in
"Mill City Blues" written by John Kolstad, which is also one of the live songs.
A George Gershwin song "Lady Be Good" is probably the last song you would expect
to hear on a blues album, but it's there and it swings along nicely. There are two
versions of "Viper Drag" one is a studio piece which struts along with some nice bass
work by Jim Tuillo. The other version of "Viper Drag" is a live version that brings the
album to end, this version has some very stylish guitar playing from John Kolstad.
Given that this is a low budget recording it is surprisingly very good indeed, it is
an acoustic collection of genuine quality.
Simply click on the CD cover at left to order this CD NOW!
This review is copyright © 2002 by Dave Thomas, and Blues On Stage at: www.mnblues.com, all rights reserved. Copy, duplication or download prohibited without written permission.
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