Johnny Nicholas - Rockin' My Blues To Sleep
Rockin' My Blues To Sleep
TopCat Records TC01012
Johnny Nicholas is a long time Texas musician who has played with
legends like Johnny Shines, Snooky Pryor and Asleep at the Wheel.
Proficient on guitar, piano, harp, mandolin and bass, Nicholas is a
sideman extraordinaire who has also made some fine solo albums. For his
latest, Nicholas has brought together some of his friends to back him on
this project and dubbed the band the Texas All-Stars. A look at the guests
who appear on the CD are indeed some of Texas' finest musicians and
include Marcia Ball, Stephen Bruton, Bill Campbell and a host of others.
The album is dedicated to the memory of Doug Sahm, and is a fitting
tribute to a man that shared a similar vision of Texas music with
Nicholas.
The recording leads off with the title tune "Rockin My Blues to
Sleep," a Nicholas original featuring crisp horns, backup vocals from
Marcia Ball and a rockin' beat. "Rain Down Tears" is an old Hank
Ballard & The Midnighters song, which includes a great sax solo and
some slide guitar work from Nicholas. Nicholas also dusts off the Gulf
Coast classic "I'm a Fool to Care," a song which Sahm also
recorded, and gives ex-Sahm sideman Rocky Morales a chance to strut his
stuff on the saxophone. "Reap What You Sow" from the pen of
Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones, is a delicious slow blues with some
great guitar playing from Nicholas. "Woke Up Screamin'" features
the sublime vocals and piano work of Marcia Ball and is one of the
highlights of the album. To round out the recording Nicholas throws in
covers from Jimmy Rogers, T-Bone Walker, J.B. Lenoir and Fats Domino.
Rockin' My Blues to Sleep is another example of what makes the Texas
music scene so special. It is evident that the musicians involved in this
project had a great time during the recording of these sessions as the
enthusiasm shows up the music. Whether you are a fan of Nicholas, some of
the guest artists appearing on the recording or just Texas blues in
general this recording is highly recommended.
- Barry T. Gober -
Southwest Blues CD Review - November 2000
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