Reprise Records 1961– R-6057
notes:
Jimmy Witherspoon laid out two great records in 1962 on Reprise,
'Spoon' and this one. 'Roots' places the great blues singer and
guitarist in the company of saxophonist Ben Webster,
trumpeter Gerald Wilson, and a rhythm section consisting
of pianist Ernie Freeman and drummerJim Miller. The mood is laid-back,
down-home, and full of emotion and sentiment. The warmth of
Witherspoon's voice on material like Your Red Wagon,
I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water, Key to the Highway
(in one of the more unique versions ever recorded), and Jimmy Rushing's
Did You Ever is on the other side of lonesome. Webster and
Wilson underscore the sung lines with fills that accent the deep
blue in Witherspoon's vocal. Jay McShann's Confessin' the Blues
is a more jazzed-up arrangement, but Witherspoon's deep in the R&B
groove here, taking a hint from Joe Turner. The finger-popping read
of Turner's It's a Low Down Dirty Shame is n the gutbucket;
the rhythm section swings hard. It's not as raucous as the original, but
Witherspoon's smooth, clear, and deep register is beautifully
complemented first by Wilson's solo and then by Webster's.
The real stunner is near the end, when the band takes on Big Bill Broonzy's
Just a Dream, where Witherspoon wails and moans the blues.
It's just chilling. This is one of those recordings that is a true hidden classic.
credits:
Jimmy Witherspoon- Vocals
Ben webster- Tenor Sax
Gerald wilson- Trumpet
Ernie Freeman- Piano
Herman Mitchell- Guitar
Ralph Hamilton- Bass
Jim Miller- Drums
tracklist:
A1 I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water
Written-By – Miller*
A2 I'm Gonna Move To The Outskirts
Written-By – Razaf*, Weldon*
A3 Key To The Highway
Written-By – Broonzy*, Segar*
A4 Did You Ever
Written-By – Rushing*
A5 Confessin' The Blues
Written-By – McShann*, Brown*
A6 Nobody Knows You When You're Down
Written-By – Cox*
B1 Your Red Wagon
Written-By – Raye*, De Paul*, Jones*
B2 Rain Is Such A Lonesome Sound
Written-By – J & R Witherspoon*, J & R Witherspoon*
B3 Cherry Red
Written-By – Turner*, Johnson*
B4 It's A Low Down Dirty Shame
Written-By – Shepard*
B5 Just A Dream
Written-By – Broonzy*
B6 Please, Mr. Webster (Please, Mr Johnson)
Written-By – Johnson*
