"If you love New Orleans jazz, esp. piano songs, you'll love this album. I end up listening to this album almost every day at work -- it's inspirational in the best sense of the word. I bought this CD because I love Prof. Longhair and Dr. John and was looking for new influences; read the above amazon reviews and decided to give it a shot. You should too. James Booker's voice and piano will shake your soul and make you love humanity. It's a feel-good CD, a really-feel-good CD."
"One of my favorite recordings. Booker is an outstanding pianist and his singing is both touching and powerful. He thrilled me as he obviously also did the audience present during the recording of this album. I have probably listened more often to this album, than any other in my collection."
James Booker's best
Asgeir Bjarnason | 01/20/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album was recorded at something called the "Boogie Woogie and Ragtime Piano Contest" in Zuerich, Switzerland. What I want to know is, who were the other contestants? James Booker's best album, and probably one of the most soulful and rhythmically exciting albums ever recorded in this genre. Booker was a musical originator, but also famous for his ability to impersonate a wide variety of players. He seems to borrow heavily from Ray Charles at points on this album, but in my opinion he actually surpasses Charles in certain respects. His singing on this album is both bizarre and tortured and soulful, he has a nasal style here that was de rigeur for funk groups such as The Commodores and Cameo. You know what I'm talking about. The whole album is just Booker and his pyrotechnical piano (check out the amazing crescendo on the last track,) and should serve as a reminder that you don't need a big band or fancy production to be funkier than the rest."
Amazingly funky
Asgeir Bjarnason | 01/29/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"James Booker is a gem. This album features some of the most soulful, joyful piano playing and singing ever recorded in this genre. Booker's voice is deep and stirring and his piano is astonishingly free and funky. This is beautiful music, made simply. It will make you want to dance, cry, and start all over again."
Best N.O. Piano Player Ever
Double O Gator | new orleans | 02/08/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"James Booker was a prodigy. Being a New Orleans native I've had the good fortune to see and hear most, if not all of the great N.O. piano players live. Not to take anything away from Dr. John (Mac Rebbenack), Proffesor Longhair, Huey Smith, Harry Connick Jr, or Allen Toussaint, because everyone one of the aforementioned names either were, or for the ones still living, great in their own right, but Booker was the KING...Harry Connick Jr's dad, when he was the D.A. in New Orleans, would get Booker out of jail so he could give young Harry piano lessons, and to this day I think Harry Connick Jr will agree with my assessment that James Carrol Booker was the greatest ...Buy any James Booker CD and you won't be disappointed."
Track Listings (9) - Disc #1
