Costello was always something of a musical sponge, soaking up an eclectic bunch of influences and assimilating them into an original vision that was fed by tradition but pointed straight to the future. Here he pays tribute to the musical heroes of his youth, with cover versions of songs both obscure and familiar. The accent is on blues and R&B, as EC tackles James Carr's anguished, soulful "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man" and Willie Dixon's vibrant "Hidden Charms." Along the way, Elvis redefines some of his favorite tunes by radically recasting them. Dylan's "I Threw it All Away" become a soul torch ballad. The Louvin Brothers' "Must You Throw Dirt in My Face" is turned into an R&B lament. Session monsters like Jim Keltner and James Burton inject the proper amount of grit into the proceedings, making this a surprisingly fresh-sounding walk through the American roots of one of Britain's finest singer-songwriters.
KOJAK VARIETY, Elvis' 1995 multi-genre cavalcade of covers, features such gems as Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "Strange," Dylan's "I Threw It All Away," & Bacharach/David's "Please Stay." The album features the talents of the legendary James Burton on guitar & Jim Keltner on drums-in addition to The Attractions' Pete Thomas. The bonus disc boasts 20 additional rock, pop, & R&B classics totaling over 64 minutes, includes Jerry Garcia's "Ship Of Fools," Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise," Lennon & McCartney's "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away," & Van Morrison's "Full Force Gale."
Recorded at Blue Wave Studios, Barbados. Includes liner notes by Elvis Costello.
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, celesta, vibraphone); Elvis Costello; Fran McPhail, Phil Callery, Gerry Cullen (vocals); Steve Donnelly (guitar, acoustic guitar); Marc Ribot (guitar, electric guitar, Spanish guitar, banjo, e flat horn); Larry Knechtel (guitar, piano, Wurlitzer organ); Danny Barker (guitar); Barney McKenna (banjo); Dónal Lunny (bouzouki, harmonium); Larry Adler (harmonica); Kevin Harris (tenor saxophone); Roger Lewis (baritone saxophone); Efrem Towns, Gregory Michael Davis II (trumpet); Charles Joseph (trombone); Kirk Joseph (sousaphone); Jerry Scheff (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, electric bass, bass guitar); Steve Nieve (keyboards); Pete Thomas (bass guitar, drums); Eoghan O'Neill (bass guitar); Jenell Marshall (drums, percussion); Ray Fean (drums); Noel Eccles (percussion); James Burton (guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Jim Keltner (drums).
Audio Mixer: Glyn Johns.
Audio Remasterer: Dan Hersch.
Liner Note Author: Elvis Costello.
Recording information: Air Studios, Lyndhurst, NJ (??/1989-02/1994); Blue Wave Studios, St. Philip, Barbados (??/1989-02/1994); Bunk, Junk & Genius, London, England (??/1989-02/1994); Pete Thomas' Studio, St Margaret's, London, England (??/1989-02/1994); Sorceror Sound, NY (??/1989-02/1994); Ultrasonic Studios, New Orleans, LA (??/1989-02/1994); Westside Studios, London, England (??/1989-02/1994).
Photographers: Patrick Rochon; Giuliano Valenti; Tim Hall.
Personnel: Elvis Costello (vocals, electric guitar, harmonica); James Burton (guitar); Marc Ribot (guitar, banjo); Larry Knechtel (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Hammond organ); Jerry Scheff (bass); Jim Keltner, Pete Thomas (drums).
Rolling Stone (p.83) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A] first-rate oddity nobody noticed at the time....KOJAK VARIETY is a totally fascinating and essential spin." Q (6/95, p.135) - 3 Stars - Good - "...there are signs here that, should he find himself at 60, all fueling angers spent, Costello could be the man to mount the bar stool on a smoky club stage set and sing the great songs of the last 40 years the way Sinatra might have if he'd been born to the rock'n'roll generation." Melody Maker (5/27/95, p.38) - "...an engaging detour....The songs here are largely obscurities; the impression is almost of random excerpts leaping from the pages of Costello's famously encyclopaedic knowledge of music..." Mojo (Publisher) (p.111) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Sincere and committed..."
Kevin Killen; Elvis Costello; Donal Lunny; George Martin; Glyn Johns; Andrew Sandoval; Phil Coulter; Scott Billington; Van Morrison; Bill Inglot; Kevin Killen; Val Jennings (Reissue); Gary Stewart (Reissue)
Can't wait for King !!! I must agree with Lubert from Maine about the third disk, but the fourth disk exerpts of demo sessions outtakes more than makes up for the lack of focus that the third disks happyhour welldrinks half/price feel brings to the whole project. Submitted by excentrifugal (Brooklyn NY) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Third Disc Not a bad cd but the bonus 3rd disc available in some of the cds is full of even more demos and weak live versions.2 discs is more than enough.No need to add a third disc to many of these Elvis Rhino releases. Submitted by Lubert (Bulow. Maine) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Costello proves he can do anything I've had the original release of this since it came out, and I never get tired of it. The man is an encyclopedia of rock, pop, and soul styles. Some of these tunes are better than others (they're not his), but the CD is worth it if only for "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man." "Remove This Doubt," and "Stay," are haunting ballads, and the guy's raspy voice makes them doubly so. "Bama Lama, Bama Loo" is just dumb fun, but so what? That's how rock started out, and I think it's great that a writer with the chops and musicality of Cole Porter (or the Beatles, or name your own favorite)keeps that in mind. He finishes with the Kinks "Days," and it's great. It's always interesting to me that people who know literally NOTHING about a subject -- like the first reviewer -- still think it might be important to pipe up and say what they think. Personally, I'd be embarrassed. Submitted by Music Lover (Baltimore) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Nothing But Great The previous reviewer is a Complete Buffoon! This is great stuff once again - Rhino Records is my personal hero! Maybe the idiot can trade this set that she doesn't like for a brain (as no brain is clearly evident). Submitted by Brian (Fresno, CA, USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
What A Mistake!!!! Very dissapointing.I bought this cd knowing nothing about Elvis Costello thinking this music was related to the 70's tv show Kojak starring Telly Savalis.Boy was I wrong. Submitted by Susy Squirt (Daytona Beach, Florida) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 0 of 2 found this helpful.
Have you heard this album?
Buy Kojak Variety CD
Buy Elvis Costello - Kojak Variety Posters From Allposters.com
Can't wait for King !!!
Third Disc
Costello proves he can do anything
Share this Product