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Ike Turner - Risin' With The Blues
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The final album from a true blues legend. By Al Hensley.
IKE TURNER
Risin' With The Blues
Zoho/Planet
Following-up Ike Turner's triumphant 2001 comeback release Here And Now, this new disc won for him a 2007 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album, a fitting acknowledgement to the Clarksdale, Mississippi-born musician who was so vital to the development of rhythm and blues. Turner's death on December 12 last year aged 76 ended a musical career spanning six decades.
Spearheading the formative years of rock 'n' roll with his 1951 Kings Of Rhythm hit single ‘Rocket 88’ (credited to Jackie Brenston & his Delta Cats), Turner also played piano on early sides by B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Elmore James, Little Walter and Willie Dixon, and second guitar on sessions for Buddy Guy and Otis Rush.
This time around Turner makes a passing reference to his bad boy image in an unapologetic 'Jesus Loves Me' where he socks it to his unforgiving critics. Attributing a retitled version of Eddie Boyd's 'Five Long Years' to ex-wife Tina Turner, he hollers "I spent eighteen long years with one woman, She had the nerve to put me out".
Turner goes ultra funky on his original compositions 'Gimme Back My Wig', 'I Don't Want Nobody' and instrumentals 'Jazzy Fuzzy' and 'Bi Polar', extrapolating jazz influences on a horn-fueled reading of Horace Silver's 'Senor Blues'. He wails robust vocals with ferocious authority performing Fats Domino's New Orleans stroll 'Goin' Home Tomorrow' and revisiting the Ike & Tina 1966 Holland/Dozier/Holland-penned hit 'A Love Like Yours'.
Turner's menacing shuffle 'Tease Me', his slow-burner 'Rockin' Blues' and down-home blues stomp 'Big Fat Mama' showcase stinging guitar work, while Erskine Hawkins' laid-back instrumental 'After Hours' gets soulfully restrained piano treatment. Juxtaposed with the latter, Turner pumps the keys into a rollicking boogie to put his own twist on Louis Jordan's jump blues 'Caldonia' in recognition of an early inspiration. Crisp production and assorted Kings Of Rhythm playing horns, guitars, harp, keyboards, bass and drums keep the level of intensity up throughout this 54-minute final CD by a true blues legend.