Search - Memphis Slim :: All Kinds of Blues

Blues piano at it's finest

matave | Australia | 06/14/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you love blues piano in particular or are just a lover of blues in general then get this CD. This album features Memphis and a piano and that's it - which is what makes this recording so great. The manner of his playing and his lyrics, which take the form of conversation in many of the songs, both combine to create an intimate atmosphere as though its just him and you after hours in some club when everyone else has gone home.This man's ability at the keys is truly something to admire and although only three tracks are credited to Memphis (the rest are traditional) by adding his own personal touch to each and everyone they might as well have been all penned by him. Aside from the great playing another welcome aspect of this CD is the subtle and sometimes tongue-in-cheek humor displayed in many of his lyrics and well as their spontaneity and, in the case of Mother Earth in particular, their insightfulness.With an excellent sound quality giving off a rich, full piano and vocal tone and the length of the CD coming in at a respectable 46.00 minutes there are no more excuses for you not to own this great blues album."

Great variety from a great bluesman

Bomojaz | South Central PA, USA | 09/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This was the third of four albums Memphis Slim cut for Bluesville, in 1961. He accompanies himself on piano, and many of the songs he sings are double entendre dirty ditties - and great. CHURNIN' MAN is all about a man churning cream into butter, and it's the kind of song Bo Carter used to sing in the `30s. IF YOU SEE KAY (say it slowly) is another clever tune in the same tradition. Three songs are "talking" blues, with BLUES IS TROUBLES being a good explanation of what the blues is all about: there are all kinds of blues and everybody's got `em. Slim also performs three instrumentals - two medium-up boogie woogies (he's a master at this style) and one slow killer that's highlighted by a dense chordal attack. Slim has recorded MOTHER EARTH earlier (and better), but it's a great song ("I don't care how great you are or what you're worth/When it all ends up you got to go back to Mother Earth") that has a very catchy descending figure in bars 7-8, just before the release. It's one of my favorite Slim compositions. Memphis Slim was a wonderful blues artist (his voice is instantly recognizable), and this album showcases his talents nicely."

The Master

The Kid | Harrisonburg, VA United States | 06/22/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"He's the absolute master of the double entendre. There's a long tradition in the blues of having lyrics say one thing and mean another, and folks, Memphis Slim knocks it out of the park with this one. And even though its dirty--and it is--there's genuine tradition here. So you can forget about all the uninspired and insipid vulgarity of some modern "shock value" music, because Memphis Slim can talk about sex in ways that are just flat out inspired. His singing about growing up on a farm and churning milk from a cow in "Churning Man Blues" is a very thinly veiled exploration of his sexual exploits.



But that shouldn't detract from the fact that this man can sing. His voice is unbelievably rich and full, and his piano playing is effortless. I feel a lot of heart when I listen to this album. Memphis Slim is just a man who's looking at himself and the world around him through the honest lens of the blues. In fact, he describes what "the blues" are better than just about anyone in the title track, "Blues is Troubles."



Whether you're a big blues fan or beginning to explore this music, Memphis Slim is a great place to start. And "All Kinds of Blues" has it all...great vocals, great music, great stories."