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Wednesday, May 14, 2003 at 15:47
Tommy Castro
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Tommy Castro's Gratitude is a collection of covers of songs from the artists that have had the biggest impact on his development as an artist. Accordingly, all the usual suspects are included in this album - Sam and Dave, Otis Redding, Howlin' Wolf, BB King, Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, James Brown, Albert King, Wilson Picket, Muddy Waters and Buddy Guy.
The disc kicks off with a lot of energy on Sam and Dave's I Take What I Want. The real star of the song is John Turk's piano playing. The way he pounds those keys is reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis' Great Ball of Fire. Things slow down on the next song, Ray Charles' Come Back Baby. Castro's throaty singing and masterful guitar gel nicely with the impassioned sax of Keith Crossan.
The third song on the album, Otis Redding's Lovey Dovey, is another up-tempo song. Sista Monica Parker's vocals possess the right amount of passionate soul to coax out even more emotion out of Castro's vocals. The horns, guitars and drums are all tight and right on the money.
Howlin' Wolf's 44 is next and it is one of the high points of the album. It starts off with some purposeful drumming by Billy Lee Lewis before Castro jumps in with a great guitar riff and strong vocals. Then, John Turk joins the act with his out-front piano pounding. It sounds like the rest of the players are wrapping their music around Turk's piano and he is the core rather than Castro's guitar or Lewis' drumming.
No blues tribute album would be complete without a B.B. King song and the fifth song is B.B.'s Bad Case of Love. As much as I like Castro's guitar playing, I don't think his guitar sings like Lucille. But, I think he plays the song with more energy than B.B. and that is certainly a good thing. Not quite halfway through the song Crossan jumps into the middle of the arrangement with a truly screaming sax. It's the right complement to the song at the right time.
Tulane by Chuck Berry feels much "older" and more traditional than many of the other tunes on this CD. But like all the tunes the execution by Castro and his band mates is very, very strong. Once again, Turk's piano playing has a strong Jerry Lee Lewis feel to it. Many people don't think of dancing when they think of the blues but this song in particular (as well as most of the other songs) is definitely a danceable tune and likely to bring you to your feet.
Just when you are about to collapse from exhaustion and you are dragging your significant other away from the dance floor and towards an icy cold pitcher of beer, Castro launches into a slow, soulful cover of John Lee Hooker's It Serves You Right to Suffer. Perfect timing Castro!
I Feel That Old Feeling Coming On by James Brown again launches us back onto the dance floor. Castro's singing is more restrained that James Brown but it would be tough to bring more intensity to a song than James Brown can deliver. The saxophone and piano again sing like on so many other songs on this album. Although Castro's voice may be a bit tired by this point in the disc the same can't be said about his guitar playing. He wails!
Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven from Albert King carries over much of the intensity of the previous tune. Turk has traded in his piano for an organ and it gives the song more of a gospel feel to it. I guess the most obvious comment regarding Castro's guitar playing at this point in the disc is that it is remarkably consistent. It's clear he is remarkably gifted with an axe but he doesn't use it to dominate the others in the band - he lets them take their moments out front.
I Found a Love by Wilson Picket again slows things down. But now instead of heading to a cold pitcher of beer this song cries out for you to grab your mate and head to the dance floor for some tender slow dancing. I'm sure this song was played at a lot of proms back in my parents' day in the 50s and 60s. Turk and Curtis Salgado add backup vocals on this tune, and like Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven it has a strong gospel sensibility to it.
Muddy Waters' I Wants To Be Loved feels funkier in Castro's hands than when Waters played it. Castro's guitar leads off once again complemented by Turk's piano pounding. Finally, let's wrap things up with Buddy Guy's When My Left Eye Jumps! Whenever I hear a Buddy Guy tune I just get this image of a down and dirty nasty bluesman. There are so many Robert Cray tunes that sound like they would be more "authentic" if they were done by Guy (Playing in the Dirt, Right Next Door, Forecast). Castro has got Guy down pat. This song has a real "I'm in pain" feel to it and it is a great way to bring this album to a close. Although this is a studio album it leaves me feeling like I have been jamming and dancing in a smoky after-Bluesmore concert late into the night. Castro rocks! Even when he is doing a collection of covers, many of which are decades old. In his hands, they sound fresh and vital and urgent. Castro has a large fan base and this album is just going to add to it.
Jeff Durbin (May 9, 2003) |
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