James Luther Dickinson Dixie Fried 180g LP
Artikel-Nr.: BAF 18037 Preiscode: BAF EAN: 5397102180378
JAMES LUTHER DICKINSON - Dixie Fried (Future Days/Light h the Attic) CD/2LP (Bear Family) LP Recorded on the cusp of his split from the Dixie Flyers, Dixie hied is the soundtrack of James Luther Dickinson's mind—an expansive universe steeped in his Southern upbringing, pre-war blues, carnival barkers, contemporary soul, rocka-billy and teen-band rock 'n' roll. Catalyzed by Ry Cooder's "high-end Hollywood art rock," Dickinson set his mind to music in sessions from November 1970 to January 1971—taking along his Flyers, Dr John and other Memphians for the ride. And like the proverbial '36 Pack-ard trekking a cloud of dust on a country road, that ride was sponta-neous—producing authentic roots music at a time when similar ef-forts were contrived.
A rocked-up cover of the Nightcaps' "Wine" gets things started like a party, and the loose feel continues throughout the album's run, whether Dickinson and friends are doing carnival music like "0 How She Dances," covering Blind Willie Johnson's blues chestnut "If I Had My Way," invoking Dylan's an-tiwar anthem "John Brown" or just having a go at modernizing Carl Per-kins on the title track. Individual tracks notwithstand-ing, Dixie Filed is best experienced as a whole—with Dickinson as a tour guide of Southern sounds. And on this expanded edition, the tour is extended with five previously unreleased tracks from the original sessions, including the folksy piano blues of "The Lady Came from Balti-more," the gospel-styled "Sanctified" and especially "Old Time Used to Be," a strong Southern rocker embel-lished with a crazy middle section of echoed voices calling and answering with a guitar. It's vintage Dickinson, and thanks to an interview by reis-sue producer Alec Palao, the man himself comments at length on the album in the liners. Clearly, this is the definitive Dixie Flied. And if you dig vinyl, you can pick up either the Riture Days reissue with the bonus-es or a Bear Family one that faithfully reproduces the original album (mi-nus the bonuses). (Doug Sheppard)
