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“Rhythm Country and Blues” ....A Compilation

A Review by Carol Nelson

Compilation albums were "IN" last year. Rhythm Country and Blues, a compilation that was the brainchild of MCA chairman Al Teller and the brilliant Don Was, came out in 1994. Ahead of it's time? Maybe...and maybe that's why the album didn't do well in the stores and can now be found in the "cut-out" bins. If you see it there, grab it and take it home! It's worth a listen!
The basic premise behind "Rhythm Country and Blues" is that traditional country songs and soul songs have much in common. What better way to demonstrate the shared melodic structures and everyday subject matter than to bring together artists from both genres to perform soul, country (and rock) selections? And that's precisely what's been done on this recording.
The performances on this album that really stand out are the ones where the emotion is evident in the performers voices. You can tell they have really lived the stories they're singing. Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood on "I Fall to Pieces" convey a deep understanding of romantic tragedy. Everyone who's loved and lost feels the pain again when they harmonize "You tell me to find someone else to love".
On "When Something is Wrong with My Baby", Patti LaBelle and Travis Tritt sing it like they mean it. Other vocal highlights on this CD include the pleasing blend of the voices of Vince Gill and Gladys Knight on "Ain't Nothing LIke the Real Thing", Lyle Lovett and Al Green on "Funny How Time Slips Away" and the powerful trade of lines in "Since I Fell for You" with Natalie Cole and Reba McEntire.
While all the songs on the album tell life stories, they're not all about love and/or loss. Little Richard and Tanya Tucker sing a rollicking good-time version of "Somethin' Else" and Marty Stuart starts out slow on the Robbie Robertson song "The Weight" but is joined by the Staple Singers and soon everyone is rejoicing and gladly taking a neighbor's burden. On "Patches", BB King and George Jones are there beside the dying father's bed as he says "Patches I'm depending on you son, I tried to do my best, It's up to you to do the rest". You can feel the warm rain on "Rainy Night in Georgia" ...it's clear Conway Twitty and Sam Moore are enjoying themselves as they sing "Lord, I believe it's raining all over the world".
And the instrumentals don't take a backseat to the singing on this album. Chet Atkins' guitar playing sets the mood on "Southern Nights" as much as Allen Toussaint's vocals. Clint Black's masterful harmonica playing answers the Pointer Sisters on "Chain of Fools". The legendary Benmont Tench appears throughout the album on Hammond B-3 and C-3 organ as well as piano.
The best music transports the listener to another place or another time through the use of story lines and lyrics that everyone can relate to because of their simplicity and honesty. "Rhythm Country and Blues" provides the transportation. And the telling of stories revolving around the common human condition and experience reinforces the basic truth that we're all in this together...

Copyright © 1998 by Carol Nelson, All rights reserved

Send private comments to author: cnelso@webtv.net

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