Jimmy Thackery & the Drivers - We Got It CD

We Got It buy CD music Electric blues fans flock to Jimmy Thackery to hear his fiery guitar, and tolerate his serviceable but far from thrilling gruff vocals. So, the compilers of this Blind Pig-era (six albums from 1992-2000) collection wisely stuck with all instrumental cuts. While that doesn't adequately summarize his career during this time, it sure makes for a dazzling disc displaying Thackery's sizzling six-string prowess. Although it is compiled predominately of previously released material (along with three unreleased live tracks), and these tunes are certainly among his best, by avoiding the "Greatest Hits" tag Blind Pig makes it easy to zero in on Thackery's most incendiary guitar showcases. Using his stripped down Drivers backing band generally comprised only of bass and drums, allows the guitarist plenty of room to strut his no-nonsense rockin' blues. From the speedy "Hang Up & Drive," to the lumbering power of nearly nine minutes of Roy Buchanan's "Roy's Blutz" and the Dick Dale-styled surf-twang of "Apache," there is no doubt that Thackery is a wildly talented player who effortlessly turns up the heat on his fretboard shenanigans. Whether shuffling around "All About My Girl" or swinging into the jump blues of "Jump for Jerry" (with Jimmy Carpenter's scorching tenor sax), or bopping through "Burford's Bop," Thackery shows he's no one-trick pony by fluently switching musical gears as easily as he slides down the neck of his instrument. Slow blues lovers will slobber over his tasty work on "Blues 'Fore Dawn" and the live "Edward's Blues," but it's on the John Lee Hooker riff of the album closing "Jimmy's Detroit Boogie" (think ZZ Top's "La Grange," but not as grungy) where Thackery pulls out all the stops in a tour de force that intensifies throughout its six minutes. Sure there's plenty of Stevie Ray Vaughan-type gymnastics here, but the guitarist's obvious talents and fire-shooting licks will cause even the most jaded blues rockers to admit that this guy delivers the goods. A skimpy pamphlet with lackluster liner notes (there is no indication which album the tracks are from) doesn't diminish this disc's non-stop intensity. ~ Hal Horowitz Recording information: Sully's, Dearborn, MI (11/12/1994). Personnel includes: Jimmy Thackery (guitar); Duke Robillard (guitar). Personnel: Jimmy Thackery (guitar); Duke Robillard (guitar); James Carpenter (saxophone); Ken Faltinson (keyboards); Mark Stutso (drums).

We Got It CD music The first summit meeting for these two journeymen roots-blues-rock guitarists is a rousing triumph. On paper, Tab Benoit's less aggressive New Orleans style wouldn't seem to mesh with Jimmy Thackery's boozy, tough, rough and tumble approach. But like Lennon and McCartney, each complements the other. Benoit lets his Delta and Texas-styled roots seep into the proceedings, tempering Thackery's more bombastic leads. Stevie Ray Vaughan's Double Trouble rhythm section and keyboardist Reese Wynans provide dexterous support, as does ace harp master Charlie Musselwhite. Most importantly, this isn't just a bunch of songs built around endless jams. The selections are mostly covers, but the wide range of writers involved -- from Bob Dylan, the Stones, and Neil Young to obscurities from legends like Percy Mayfield and Eddie Jones -- shows the scope of the guitarists' influences. Only on the Benoit-penned slow blues "Nice and Warm" -- reprised from his solo debut and at almost eight minutes the album's longest track -- do the guitar pyrotechnics overwhelm the song. But even here, the musicians are obviously inspired by each other and deliver dazzling solos, each more jaw-dropping than the last. Everything sizzles, yet a mid-album detour into a laid-back version of Neil Young's country-ish ballad "Unknown Legend" works surprisingly well, especially with Musselwhite's poignant harp solo. Jagger/Richards' "The Last Time" gets a rootsy rave-up treatment, as does Dylan's "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat," and the duo clicks into shuffle mode on Thackery's instrumental Freddie King tribute, "Freddy's Combo." For the most part, the over the top guitar shenanigans this partnership threatens thankfully never materialize, with both six-string benders providing short, succinct, yet scorching solos within the framework of the tunes. Lead vocals are shared, although Benoit is clearly the better singer, with Thackery's rasp getting by on sheer enthusiasm. A treat for fans of both artists as well as a stirring contemporary electric blues album by any yardstick, Whiskey Store successfully joins two gifted guitarists in a session that proves greater than the sum of its very talented parts. ~ Hal Horowitz Also W/Double Trouble+ Charlie Musselwhite Recorded at The Studio, Portland, Maine in February 2002. Includes liner notes by Art Tipaldi. Personnel: Jimmy Thackery, Tab Benoit (vocals, guitar); Charlie Musselwhite (harmonica); Reese Wynans (piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Tommy Shannon (bass); Chris Layton (drums).

We Got It songs True Stories is veteran blues guitarist Jimmy Thackery's Telarc follow-up to We Got It. On this freewheeling disc, Thackery slightly peppers his modern electric blues with elements of rock, soul, and country. The presence of saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter adds a rockin' aspect to True Stories that the disc would have lacked without him. Highlights of the 11 tracks include Carpenter's sax vehicle "Crazy 'Bout a Saxophone," Thackery's original "Got It Going On," and Roy Buchanan's epic "The Messiah Will Come," the disc's tour de force clocking in at nearly nine and a half minutes. ~ Al Campbell Recorded at Sounds Unreel, Memphis, Tennessee in December 2002. Includes liner notes by Jimmy Thackery. Personnel: Jimmy Thackery (vocals, guitar); Mark Stutso (vocals, drums); James Carpenter (saxophone); Rebecca Evans Russell (background vocals). Audio Mixer: Lincoln Clapp. Liner Note Author: Jimmy Thackery. Recording information: Sounds Unreel, Memphis, TN (12/2002). Photographer: Chris Jacobs . Jimmy Thackery & The Drivers: Jimmy Thackery (vocals, guitar); Mark Stutso (vocals, drums); Jimmy Carpenter (saxophone); Ken Faltinson (Hammond B-3 organ, bass); Reba Russel (background vocals).

We Got It album for sale Coco Montoya's second album for Alligator records finds the guitarist moving away from the sound of his mentor, Albert Collins -- although there certainly are licks throughout the album clearly inspired by "the Iceman," particularly when the tempo slows down -- and toward big rock productions. This album sounds huge: The rhythm section provides a gigantic foundation, sprawling from speaker to speaker, then the keyboards and backing vocals are added, with guitars pushed to the forefront. On top of that, Montoya is demonstrating a greater inclination to soul and R&B than ever before, choosing to cover Holland-Dozier-Holland (a terrific take on "Something About You"), along with other tuneful soul tunes, and writing it that vein as well. This suits him well, since not only his full-throated vocals feel at ease with these melodies, he's turning out tasteful, melodic solos that punctuate and further the tune, instead of just being virtuosic showcases. The production may still be too big for some tastes, but look beyond that and hear what Montoya is doing with the music, and it becomes clear this is a nice step forward. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Recorded at Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, California. Personnel: Coco Montoya (vocals, guitar); Chuck Kirkpatrick (slide guitar, background vocals); Joe Sublett (tenor saxophone); Darrell Leonard (trumpet); Benny Yee, Tommy Eyre (keyboards); Stephen Scott Kirkpatrick (drums, background vocals); Randy Hayes, Tony Braunagel (drums). Audio Mixers: Jay Newland; John Hampton. Recording information: Ardent Studios, Memphis, TN; Rumbo Recorders, Canoga Park, CA. Photographer: Paul Natkin. Personnel: Coco Montoya (vocals, electric guitar); Chuck Kirkpatrick (slide guitar, background vocals); Benny Yee, Tommy Eyre (keyboards); Steve Evans, Bob Glaub (bass); Scott Kirkpatrick (drums, background vocals); Randy Hayes, Tony Braunagle (drums). Additional personnel: Joe Sublet (tenor saxophone); Darrel Leonard (trumpet). 5th Rel

We Got It CD music Unfortunately for Joe Kubek and his shotgun-riding singer/rhythm guitarist partner Bnois King, in the wake of great Texas guitarists like the Vaughan Brothers, just being a really good Lone Star fret slinger gets overlooked. Which is a shame, because over the course of nine albums, Kubek and King crafted a workmanlike if understated catalog of R&B-influenced roadhouse blues. On their debut for Blind Pig, the duo churn up more of the same fare they refined the previous 12 years. Their blues-rock is genuine if derivative, and Kubek is a rugged six-stringer who makes up for his lack of a distinctive sound with gutsy meat-and-potatoes playing. Thankfully, King adds warmth and class with his smooth, soulful, and entirely unpretentious singing. His relaxed voice contrasts perfectly with Kubek's tensile, rough-and-ready licks, infusing this music with a yin-yang that elevates it far above bar-band standards. Soulful, nearly pop numbers like "Tell Me Why" allow King to croon outside the confines of a tightly constructed blues tune. Suave yet tight, this and the funky "Cryin' Shame" open up the approach and push at the genre's boundaries. Bogged down slightly by obvious lyrics and song titles like "The Blues Is Still With Us" (a thin rewrite of "The Blues Is Alright") and "Got to Get Paid," this remains down-to-earth, often moving music whose heart is as big as the artist's home state. ~ Hal Horowitz Audio Mixer: Paul Osborne. Recording information: Audio Dallas, Dallas, TX. Photographers: Dr. James Pastor Netter; Pat Johnson . Personnel: Smokin' Joe Kubek (guitar); Bnois King (vocals, guitar); Paul Jenkins (bass); Ralph Power (drums). Personnel: Smokin' Joe Kubek (guitar); Bnois King (vocals, guitar); Ralph Power (drums).

We Got It buy CD music One of America's best blues-rock guitarists, Jimmy Thackery plays hard-driving music that is best suited for the stage, but this album does him justice. He can get down and boogie with the best of them (as he shows on the good-natured opener, "Let the Guitar Do the Work"), play a stunning instrumental ("Fender Bender"), or just plain rock hard ("Devil's Toolbox"), and his music is leavened with a sense of humor -- listen to him rework Henry Mancini's "A Shot in the Dark" as a sort of surf blues. This is not really subtle music, but it's all mightily effective, and Thackery is a seasoned enough professional not to become self-indulgent with his solos. He gets in, does the job, and gets out again. You might not find any stunning innovations in his music, but that's not why you listen to him anyway. He's just a hell of a player and singer. And the closer, Muddy Waters' "Can't Lose What You Never Had," offers him the chance to show off those mighty slide guitar chops. ~ Chris Nickson Recording information: Fearless Recording, Nashville, TN (11/2004); Island Bound Studio, Nashville, TN (11/2004). Personnel: Jimmy Thackery (vocals, guitar, slide guitar); Jimmy Thackery; Kevin McKendree (piano, Hammond b-3 organ); Michael Rhodes , Steve Mackey (bass guitar); Mark Stutso (vocals, background vocals); Kenny Greenberg (guitar); Jimmy Hall (harmonica, background vocals); Gary Nicholson (keyboards); Lynn Williams, Tom Hambridge (drums). Audio Mixer: David Z. .