Search - Screamin Jay Hawkins :: Essential Recordings

Screamin' Jay did much better than this.

Walter Five | 13th Floor Elevator, Enron Hubbard Bldg. Houston T | 06/17/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Largely same material as "Portrait Of A Maniac". Compilation of Hawkins late 70's studio material. The lows far outnumber the highs, although there's a couple of good "typical" Hawkins numbers, with screams, snorts and snuffles. Bad disco, lukewarm blues, mostly forgettable numbers. so bad it's good cover of "Itty Bitty Pretty One", a very ominous cover of "Portrait Of A Man", even an attempt at gospel on "What's Going To Happen On The 8th Day?"Hawkins did MUCH better material than this. Pick up the Rhino Compilation, THEN "Best Of The Bizzare Sessions", drop this one to the bottom of your priority list.NOT RECCOMENDED."

I DIDN'T KNOW HIM TILL HE WAS GONE.

E. Price | Uneeda, WV USA | 04/08/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I THOUGHT I HAD "HEARD IT ALL" ,BUT NOT TILL I DISCOVERED SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS. WHAT A MAGNIFICENT VOICE AND WHAT AN ARSENAL OF POWERFUL SONGS. 1. PORTRAIT OF A MAN IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THE HUMAN VOICE IS CAPABLE OF AT IT'S APEX. 2. LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE IS DESERVING OF THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME. 4. THE 8TH DAY IS GOOD OLE GOSPEL. 7.IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE, HERE AGAIN IS AN IMMORTAL PERFORMANCE, YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THIS SONG TILL YOU HEAR JAY POUR IT THROUGH YOUR SPEAKERS. 9. I PUT A SPELL ON YOU IS ONE OF HIS VOODOO ROCK CLASSICS. 11. GUESS WHO IS A MELLOW LOVE SONG THAT WILL HAVE YOU LOOKING FOR A DANCE PARTNER. THIS IS AN EXCELLENT GIFT ITEM, SINCE SO FEW PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE KNOWN THIS GREAT ARTIST."