Personnel includes: Kim Wilson (vocals, harmonica); Rusty Zinn, Billy Flynn (guitar); Mark Stevens (piano); Larry Taylor (bass); Richard Innes (drums).
Recorded at The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, Arizona on February 26 & 27, 1999 and Cafe Boogaloo, Hermosa Beach, California on December 8 & 9, 2000. Includes liner notes by Jerry Portnoy.
SMOKIN' JOINT was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.
Personnel: Kim Wilson (vocals, harmonica); Bill Flynn, Troy Gonyea, Kirk Fletcher, Rusty Zinn (guitar); Mark Cass Stevens (piano); Richard Innes (drums).
Audio Mixer: Clark Rigsby.
Liner Note Author: Jerry Portnoy.
Recording information: Cafe Boogaloo, Hermosa Beach, CA (02/26/1999-12/09/2000); Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ (02/26/1999-12/09/2000); The Rhythm Room, Phoenix, AZ (02/26/1999-12/09/2000).
Photographer: James Wells.
Best known for fronting Texas legends The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kim Wilson spent much of the '90s balancing his time between his old group and kick-starting his solo career. In parlaying the experience of playing an average of over 200 dates annually, Wilson's first live solo release SMOKIN' JOINT finds him serving up club dates recorded in Phoenix and Hermosa Beach, California in 1999 and 2000. With the Hollywood Fats rhythm section of bassist Larry Taylor and drummer Richard Innes anchoring the proceedings on both gigs, Wilson cuts loose on a pair of covers-heavy sets that find him dabbling in a variety of blues styles.
Wilson breaths new life into nuggets like a swinging reading of Smiley Lewis' "Ain't Gonna Do It," a smooth walk through B.B. King's "I Stay In The Mood," and a soul shuffle version of Bo Diddley's "I Can Tell." Although some numbers tend to run a bit long in the seven-to-nine-minute range, Wilson's effortless harp playing nullifies any thoughts of clock-watching on Little Walter's chugging "Oh Baby" or Wilson's own infectious jump-blues workout "Got To Let You Go.
Professional Reviews
JazzTimes (12/01, p.120) - "...Lots of surging roadhouse energy comes pouring off the bandstand on this scintillating live document..."
Living Blues (9-10/01, pp.53,55) - "...He sounds better than ever..."
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Reviews
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concur with the previous reviews of Kim Wilson's first live album. This is a tour-de-force, first class lesson in rhythm, swinging, rocking and blues. What sets it apart from anything else I have ever heard on CD with Kim, is the tremendous ensemble playing, where clearly all components make up for excellent listens. Make no doubt, Kim is clearly leading the proceedings, showing what a great musician he is in knowing what to play and when. The guitarists make a perfect foil for Kim's vocals and harmonica, I have never heard such terrific backing and soloing on any modern recording I can recall. You would have to go back to the days of Little Walter and the Myers brothers. What has been known to all people that have seen Kim live, is now recorded in splendid format, with near 74 mins of the best blues has to offer. The sheer joy and mutual understanding of various blues forms is simply unmatched. This CD should be heard by more people than blues-fanatics! This is a classic.
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