Pure Jugband enjoyment for all ages
Walter Five | 13th Floor Elevator, Enron Hubbard Bldg. Houston T | 05/08/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This an outstanding collection and overview of Jim Kweskin & The Jug Band; it recalls the best of the 20's and 30's good-time whoopie music, refreshingly, and with a bit of modernism (Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee" for example,) thrown in for good measure. This CD compiles selections from all three of Kweskin & the Jug Band's 60's Vanguard records, though regretably, it contains *all* the same tunes as "Greatest Hits!" (and "Greatest Hits!" has four *additional* songs on it, and, lamentably, NONE of them are "Coney Island Washboard"). Just as you'll find a lot of influences from the great 1920's Jugbands like "Cannon's Jug Stompers" or "The Memphis Jug Band", you'll find a LOT of Jim Kweskin & The Jugband influence on a number of bands and acts to follow them--off the top of my head--Tiny Tim, The Captain Matchbox Whoopie Band, Leon Redbone, the Fugs, Country Joe & The Fish, Mike Gross, Loke E. Coyote, all show some heavy signs of Kweskin & Jug Band exposure! The Grateful Dead's proto-band, "Mother McCrea's Uptown Jug Champions", for example, [available directly from GDM Inc.] had a repitiore that was largely swiped straight from Kweskin's 1st LP. This is a very accessible collection, play it at any party and watch the smiles! Kweskin's Jug Band doesn't touch some of the more "difficult" traditional subject material (often a problem in these politically correct times) that some might find overly risque, or racist, but it doesn't miss a thing when it comes to the double-entendre, and you'll hear this in tunes like "Borneo" and "Beedle Um Bum." Frankly, the *only* reason this collection doesn't get five stars, is (as I said) it has essentially the same track list as the CD "Greatest Hits" minus four tracks."
Wish they were still around!
Ann Joy | Hyannis, Ma United States | 03/19/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Ok..I am a flower child fromthe 60's...But, you have to agree,
they are the greatest...As are Richard and Mimi Farina!
I dont know if the jug band still exists with the original
members..But, if they do, would travel a few miles to see them!"