Blues with a bit of high-class culture
M. J. Smith | Seattle, WA USA | 07/18/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Okay, the title of this review reflects one reason artists like Charles Brown are undervalued as blues artists. This is West Coast lounge piano blues. The West simply wasn't populated by the poor tenant, hard-scabble rural group that formed the creative core of the blues up and down the Mississippi. So blues moved into cabarets and lounges - lost the raw and rough for a bit of bluesy sophistication. Brown's music makes it apparent why this move succeeded - emotional blues, as accessable to the white middle class as the black gone West for a job. Brown's vocals and piano are supported by sax, guitar, bass and drums ... but it is the piano that shines.Although the improvizational piano styles are different, the smooth texture of Brown reminds me of Cyrus Chestnut. This is a high complement. So try a bit of the Californian West."
Sweet, sweet music
dk@calarts.edu | Los Angeles, California | 05/08/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Charles Brown is at his best on this CD. Perfect for the 2 am, one more cocktail kind of mood. 'A Hundred Years from Today' is one of my favorite songs on this CD. I think he fell short a little on the final song 'Amazing Grace', and that is only because the rest of the tunes are so complete. ....and a lot of people have done it. I don't think one can miss with any Charles Brown CD - he is a superb musician and plays the ballad and 'classics' well. This would be an excellent first Charles Brown CD to own."
This cd is as real as it gets.
dk@calarts.edu | 02/14/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Charles Brown's piano playing is just perfect and his vocals are heartfelt. The rest of the band is simply tremendous on this cd. The improvisation on songs like These Blues and Honey is great. This cd is a must for blues and jazz fans alike. If you are not familiar with Charles Brown you will be in for a treat. ENJOY..."