CD Review
Kent Cooper
The Blues & Other Songs, Vol. 2
(Labor Records)
by Mark E. Gallo
Review date: May 2005
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"Keeping the Blues Alive Award" Achievement for Blues on the Internet Presented by The Blues Foundation
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Like the first volume of recordings of Kent Cooper’s tunes, this collection is a standout loaded with phenomenal talent. Opening, as does the first volume, with the talented Deneen McEachern (on the chilling “Hard Dark Love”), and closing with Louisiana Red’s rendition of “When My Mama Was Living,” this is one of the standout recordings of the year. Deneen McEachern’s opening piece, on which she is accompanied by Sandy Darity on harp and a first rate band, is just a killer tune. She is as impressive on “Black Sky El” and “Lover’s Lament,” as well as on the shared vocal with Jemima James on the clever “Dog Following Me.” George Higgs turns in a fine take on “The Unloving Kind” and “Somebody Tell Somebody,” both of which showcase his wonderful vocals with a full band. The budget must have been increased for this second volume of Cooper tunes. His version of the country blues “Walk All Over,” with Jemina James, is one of the standouts on the collection. Louisiana Red is here on “Held Up In One Town,” the “Louisiana Blues”-style “Red Sun” on which he is joined by Johnny Shines and Sugar Blue, and the evocative solo “When My Mama Was Living,” recorded at Montreux. Red is here, too, in duet with Lefty Dizz on “Going Train Blues,” a tune he played in duet with Peg Leg Sam on the first volume. Sonny Terry revisits for “Selling Out,” a song that has to do with moving out since his baby killed him that morning. Cooper’s lyric prowess is certainly far reaching. Jemima James lends her exquisite vocals to the tunes that fit Cooper’s country sensibility. On “Tracking Through the Snow” and “Emergency Call” she shines. Marc Galbo and Mark Lavorie’s take on “Have What You Give” (“Nobody care about dying/I can tell by the way they live”) is haunting, and Lightnin’ Welles’ version of Cooper’s “If She’s Gone Bad” showcases the master guitarist on banjo.
As on the first volume, this is loaded with more amazing music than a blues lover could ask for. That the two volumes offer the work of one exceptional songwriter yet do not include a lyric sheet is an oversight. The songs speak for themselves, I suppose. The performances certainly are first-rate. Highly recommended, indeed.
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