Search - Jimmie Vaughan :: Essential Jimmie Vaughan

Nice Job of Gathering Stray Tracks

Steve Vrana | Aurora, NE | 01/25/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jimmie Vaughan was one of the founding members of the blues/rock band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. And while this collection kicks of with a couple of T-Bird tracks (the instrumental blues shuffle "Extra Jimmies" and their breakout hit "Tuff Enuff"), the focus is on Vaughan's solo career, which has seen the release of only three albums in the past 14 years since leaving the T-Birds.



There are a couple of tracks ("DFW," "Good Texan") from FAMILY STYLE recorded with his younger brother Stevie Ray Vaughan in 1990. Following Stevie's death it would be four years before Jimmie released his first solo album, STRANGE PLEASURE. This is perhaps Jimmie's strongest album to date. The four tracks from this album (5-8) all written or co-written by Jimmie wouldn't have been out of place on his recordings with the T-Birds. The biggest stylistic change on these tracks is the addition of Bill Willis's Hammond B-3, replacing Kim Wilson's harmonica, giving the recordings a more soulful quality. Tracks 12-14 are from Jimmie's 1998 follow-up OUT THERE. The closing track, "Dirty Girl," is the only song from his most recent album, 2001's DO YOU GET THE BLUES. [Recorded on the Artemis label after Jimmie left Epic.]



Rounding out the album is Jimmie's contribution to the 1996 tribute album to his brother, "Six Strings Down," a couple of soundtrack songs, "Dengue Woman Blues" (from DUSK TILL DAWN) and "Cool Lookin' Woman" (from TIN CUP), and perhaps the standout track is the previously unreleased live version of "I Like It Like That" from an appearance on Live On Austin City Limits. [Note: The CD booklet gives a songwriting credit to Chris Kenner. This is a mistake. Kenner DID write a song by that title, but THIS is the song written by The "5" Royales guitarist Lowman Pauling--in fact, Jimmie introduces the song crediting Pauling!]



While on the surface, it seems odd to compile a collection like this for an artist with so few solo albums to draw from, it's nice to have these songs all in one place. [Total running time - 71:55) HIGHLY RECOMMENDED"

Quite outstanding!

Steve Vrana | 10/27/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I consider Jimmie Vaughan a living legend. Not only did he teach kid-brother Stevie Ray how to play the guitar but he co-founded a group that helped bring blues-rock back to prominence, the Fabulous Thunderbirds. He's played with all the legends and even shared the stage with Jimi Hendrix!
This CD is really very good. Featuring a couple of songs with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, a couple with Stevie Ray, songs from his own albums and a smoking previously-unreleased-live "I Like It Like That," this CD OOZES blues guitar licks and cool Texas vibe that only Jimmie can deliver. His "less is more" guitar style is VERY cool and his voice is easy to listen to. The songs are mostly upbeat and danceable with one slow blues cut "Dengue Woman Blues" that drips with Texas cool!
I only gave this CD 4 stars out of spite...that "Brothers," the guitar "conversation" with Stevie Ray off of the "Family Style" Cd wasn't included. I thought it appropriate for sentimental reasons only. I would LOVE to hear more unreleased early Jimmie/Fabulous Thunderbirds material too!"

One cool texan!!!

trevor rardon | sterling virginia | 10/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"this cd will be in the cd player for sometime to come. this cd could have easily have been a 2 disc set worth of material. the remastering job here is very nice, and the tracks just smoke with bite and plenty of soul. the live version of "she likes it like that" is worth the price alone. do yourself a favor and pick this one up!!"