James Booker Junco Partner CD

Though late New Orleans genius James Booker belongs to a lineage of the city's ivory ticklers that includes Jelly Roll Morton, Tuts Washington and Professor Longhair, his oddball musical approach, and his unique blend of classical, R&B, barrelhouse boogie, and jazz, almost requires its own musicological category. On this 1976 release, the artist's first full solo recording, Booker veers from treatments of Chopin ("Black Minute Waltz") to standards ("Sunny Side of the Street") to marvelously revamped versions of "Good Night Irene," "Junco Partner" and "Pop's Dilemma" (a song written by Booker's father) with a skill that flat-out astonishes.

Booker's technical facility, and the ease and energy in his marriage of different styles, gives his performances an almost palpable electricity. On cuts such as "Pixie," the pianist reveals his stride playing skills, his right hand ranging over ringing melodies as his left pounds out bass lines--the whole sounding like several pianists playing simultaneously. In addition to his formidable wizardry at the keys, Booker's textured, gospel-inflected tenor lends color to many cuts (the joyful "Make a Better World" is one of the highlights here). JUNCO PARTNER is the definitive document of this Big Easy secret.

Recorded at Sea-Saint Studio, New Orleans, Louisiana in February 1976. Includes liner notes by Joe Boyd, James Booker & George Winston.

Solo performer: James Booker (vocals, piano).Q (6/93, p.117) - "...Recorded in New Orleans with just a piano, occasional vocals and a candelabra, Junco Partner is one of those rare records in which the personality of its creator shines through every note....He was certainly underestimating when he called himself The Black Liberace..."
Musician (5/93, p.92) - "...one of the most resourceful and unpredictable pianists to bump around New Orleans this century....with dead-on stylistic authority, Booker hooks up Chopin and Leadbelly, Tin Pan Alley and the conservatory..."