Shemekia Copeland -- Never Going Back By Amanda on March 18, 2009 8:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)
One record I have been digging a lot lately is Shemekia Copeland's Never Going Back, new on Telarc. As Johnny Copeland's daughter she has the immersion in blues heritage, this album has a couple of extra strengths. The rich bluesy soul band comprises producer Oliver Wood and not just Marc Ribot but guest spots from two members (Colin Wood on bass and John Medeski on organ) of Medeski, Martin & Wood. They're a contemporary jazz outfit and I just downloaded Notes from the Undergound the other month. I do like it but their improvisation teeters just on the edge of my limit for experimentation so it was quite odd at first to associate them with what's basically a fairly traditional blues outing. Nothing experimental about the music here, but the arrangements are refreshing and exquisitely played.
The other big strengh is the songwriting, which Copeland has a lot of credits on, in addition to well chosen covers from the likes of Percy Mayfield and Joni Mitchell. There's a good mix of styles and themes, some rigteous smiting on the topics of politics and religion as well as the usual blues shouter emotional fare.
Some samples on MySpace and
Here she is on Letterman last month. "Never Going Back to Memphis" is ahighlight of the album:
By Andre
on March 19, 2009 1:03 AM
Wow! It's now on my must get list. Thanks.
By Andre
on March 19, 2009 1:03 AM
Wow! It's now on my must get list. Thanks.