Jimmy Witherspoon Blues Is Now CD

Personnel: Jimmy Witherspoon (vocals); Jack McDuff (organ); Melvin Sparks (guitar); Danny Turner , Leo Johnson (saxophone); Jymie Merritt (bass guitar); Ray Appleton (drums).
All tracks have been digitally mastered using 24-bit technology.
Jimmy Witherspoon recorded a series of excellent albums for Verve in the late '60s. Unfortunately, these have not received the attention they deserve, and are frequently relegated in Witherspoon's huge catalog. The Blues Is Now is arguably the finest of these recordings, and Witherspoon's voice is in top form and hugely expressive. Like all of the artist's albums of the decade, it's not the most consistent of listening experiences, but that's of little interest when songs and performances are as good as "My Baby's Quit Me" and Witherspoon's own "Late One Evening." A light-night blues classic, this is Witherspoon at his most relaxed and assured and is a joy to listen to. ~ Thomas Ward
For 1967's THE BLUES IS NOW, vocalist Jimmy Witherspoon paired up with organist extraordinaire Jack McDuff. Recorded in only one day, the album is a fascinating blues/jazz hybrid that showcases Witherspoon's bold, soulful vocals and McDuff's simmering organ lines. McDuff also serves as the arranger and conductor here, leading the band through a funky take on "I'm Gonna Move to the Outskirts of Town" (a tune Jimmy Smith would also expertly cover a year later), two Witherspoon originals (the sultry "Late One Evening" and "Part Time Woman," a slow-paced tale of betrayal), and more. Although THE BLUES IS NOW is billed as a Witherspoon/McDuff record, guitarist Melvin Sparks is also a formidable presence on the album, with his searing blues riffs stealing the spotlight on numerous tracks.