Search - James Blood Ulmer :: No Escape From the Blues: Electric Lady Sessions

Cosmic Roadhouse Blues

11/16/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is far and away James Blood Ulmer's best blues record to date, and it only further solidifies his 21st century re-invention as one of the blues most authentic voices. He's joined by a stellar cast of New York City players, including Vernon Reid, Charlie Burnham, David Barnes and Olu Dara. The first thing that comes to my mind is that this is what the band would sound like at a cosmic roadhouse (and you know there is such a thing). Saddled-up and belly to the bar on a Friday night would be Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, Jerry Garcia, Sun Ra, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Robert Johnson, Ernest Hemmingway, Billie Holiday, Janis Joplin, Rosetta Tharpe...and they'd all be hollerin', shouting out amens, tipping big and diggin' Ulmer's blues. Check out Jimmy Reed's "Goin' To New York," interpreted in 2003 jug band style or how about "Bright Lights, Big City," as a 'round midnight blues complete with a tap dancer and Olu Dara blowing that slow drawl Mississippi trumpet. You can envision the smoke hanging heavy in the air. Ulmer's own tunes "Are You Glad To Be In America" and "Satisfy" are brilliant, performed completely solo. Put these next to any other classic acoustic blues and tell me his approach isn't as authentic in its singular identity. What I'm trying to say is that he doesn't sound like Leadbelly, Son House or Lightnin' Hopkins, but he sounds like James Blood Ulmer. His sound is as pure and completely unique as any of the masters. It wasn't influenced by any of the aformentioned because Blood is one of those aformentioned. From the same land, the same headspace, the same values, the same struggle, but on his own individual journey and path. Other tunes like "Come On," "You Know, I Know" and "The Hustle Is On," swing in a loose, heady rockin' style that will get the room jumping. The two highlights that make this disc an absolutely essential recording for 2003 are "Ghetto Child" and "Trouble In Mind." Any description would fall short from doing them justice. All I'll say is buy the disc and dig for yourself. That there is the real deal. As deep, as soulful and as blue as the blues get! No Escape From the Blues for sure..."

A New Voice for Old Music

Scott Hercher | Scranton, PA | 04/07/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I hadn't listened to James Blood Ulmer's music in a while, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I was used to his freer, jazzier recordings such as Tales of Captain Black and No Wave. I was very pleasantly surprised by No Escape. This is Chicago blues at its finest, without the requisite B.B. King-style solos. Instead, Ulmer and his band bring their own voices to the music, without fundamentally changing the structure of the blues style. It shows that a creative artist can continue to be creative even with an old format."

A rarity...

Starhead | Moss Beach, CA USA | 05/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one is a rarity in today's music world... a blues album that is diverse, creative, completely true to the music & is loaded with smokin' guitar work that somehow escapes the cliches. If you want the next Stevie Ray you are in the wrong place, but this one has feel to spare, even when reworking classic blues tunes. I sure dig it..."