Lou Rawls - Black And Blue `62 / Tobacco Road `63 (2006)

Black and Blue and Tobacco Road were Lou Rawls' third and fourth records for Capitol cut in 1962 and 1963, respectively. The powers that be at the label made the decision to send Rawls into the studio with a swinging big band under the direction of Onzy Matthews and featuring some real heavyweights like saxophonists Curtis Amy, Teddy Edwards, and Sonny Criss; organist Groove Holmes; and bassist Curtis Counce. The choice didn't pan out commercially, but artistically it is a triumph. The band is perfect, the arrangements are tight and interesting, and Rawls sounds completely in his element as he belts out jazz standards like "Summertime" and "Gloomy Sunday." Most of the records are devoted to blues standards like "Trouble in Mind," "Stormy Weather," "St. James Infirmary," and "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water," and while on paper they may look like the same old songs everyone does, Rawls brings them to life and even sets a few ablaze with his rich, rough, and powerful vocals. The best moment is his sparse and exhilarating version of "Tobacco Road," a tune that has come to be associated with him, mostly due to his live version cut a couple of years later on Lou Rawls Live! This version is a touch less exciting but just as impressive, and it is a treat to hear. In fact, both albums are a treat. Rawls may just be starting his long career, but he sounds fully formed, relaxed, and at home with the big band behind him. It makes for some of the most enjoyable Lou Rawls you'll hear, and fans of Rawls and great jazz and blues vocals should rejoice that Capitol has finally made the records available on CD.


Tracks:

01. Roll 'Em Pete
02. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water
03. How Long, How Long Blues
04. Everyday I Have the Blues
05. St. James Infirmary
07. Gloomy Sunday
08. Kansas City
09. Goin' To Chicago Blues
10. Trouble In Mind
11. World of Trouble
12. Six Cold Feet of Ground
13. Strange Fruit
14. Tobacco Road
15. Cotton Fields
16. Rockin' Chair
17. Stormy Weather
18. Ol' Man River
19. Blues For A Four-String Guitar
20. St. Louis Blues
21. Georgia On My Mind
22. Sentimental Journey
24. When It's Sleepy Time Down South