|
Henry Gray & The Cats: Live in Paris |
 |
|
Reviews
|
|
Monday, 06 February 2006 23:39 |
Henry Gray & The Cats
Live in Paris
Lucky Cat CD 1004
Lucky Cat / Zycopolis Productions LC DVD 1001
By John Sinclair
The first recordings made by the great Louisiana blues pianist Henry Gray were released on 78 rpm singles just about 50 years ago. Since heard on 45s, LPs, 8-track tapes, cassettes and CDs, now Mr. Gray's masterful piano, forceful vocals and irrepressible personality may be both heard and seen on his first DVD release, recorded in performance at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Club in Le Meridien Etoile Hotel, Paris, France, on March 27, 2003.
On camera Mr. Gray's keyboard and vocals are front and center from start to finish, focusing full attention on the robust 79-year-old bandleader as he powers his way through a set of blues favorites associated with his peers through the years and throws in some novelties along the way.
Everything Gray offers here is stamped with his distinctive touch and delineated with consummate artistry, from the rolling piano introduction to It Hurts Me Too to his soulful reading of Jimmy Rogers Out on the Road to a stirring version of his own classic Showers of Rain. Other blues standards include a rousing Sweet Home Chicago, Rock Me, Key to the Highway and Jimmy Reed's rarely heard Boogie in the Dark.
The pianist shows off his range and infectious sense of humor on rocking R&B numbers like Tutti Frutti, Buster Brown's Fannie Mae, Lawdy Miss Clawdy and the Lloyd Price version of Stagger Lee. He does The Twist, salutes Ray Charles with a raucous rendition of What d I Say, and closes the show with a blues-drenched reading of Shake a Hand.
Backed by The Cats, his attentive Baton Rouge ensemble with producer Andy Cornett on bass, Earl Christopher at the drums, and harmonica man Brian B.B. Bruce, Gray features fellow Louisiana legend Paul Li l Buck Sinegal on guitar to great effect throughout.
The show is nicely shot and tightly edited by the French crew from Zycopolis Productions, and the CD replicates the DVD soundtrack for repeated listening.
Detroit
June 30, 2004
(c) 2004, 2006 John Sinclair. All Rights Reserved.
3.1.6139]]> |
Share Link: 
