James Hinkle
Blues Now - Jazz Later
Blue Lights #101
I'm usually not at a loss for words when it comes to describing a new record, but James Hinkle's brand new release, Blues Now - Jazz
Later has me almost there, because it floored me! W.O.W.
It isn't often I hear big budget national releases, much less local ones (even the ones I have hand in producing), that I DIG everything
about them. Mr. Hinkle's new disc is an exception. There is not one thing that I don't like....even the packaging is perfect (graphics by
Ted Roddy). I don't know which to heap the most praise upon; the songs, the musicians or the production (by the always illustrious and
now it seems multi-talented Jim Colegrove out of Ft. Worth). It's a full course meal too, not all meat, not all potatoes, not all greens
(in other words, it never gets boring from too much of the same feel/thing).
There isn't one thing played by any of these musicians that I would have changed. As a matter of fact, if I ever lost my mind and decided
to produce another record, I'd be tempted to hire many of them as sidemen. And, I don't know where the heck Goldtooth Studios is located,
but you bet I'd find out. Lots of folks head to Austin to record, but I'd save my gas – the sound captured here rivals anything coming out of
Austin.
Last, but certainly not least, I feel obligated to mention again just how strong Hinkle's original tunes are. It's hard to get rich as a
performer in the music business, however, serious money has been made by some songwriters, and James may be one of them.
Take for instance track #13, "Ain't Looking Back No More". If Delbert McClinton doesn't jump up and cover that tune on his next record
someone else might beat him to it. Track #3 is "I Hear Stories," sounds like Dr. John meets Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson. His writing gets
almost Zen like at times, with lines like ‘The house of love is now the palace of pain’. Track #10 is "Brother Love," and what really blew
me away about it is that right from jump street I was recalling the hey-day of Duke Records best sessions with what sounds like the late,
great Joe Scott Ork handling the arrangements. I'd give anything to get Bobby Bland to step back from that well worn Malaco groove and
give this one a try.
It's too darn bad Elvis isn't still with us, because track # 2 "Love From A Fool" has his name (intentional, or not) written all over it. Since
he isn't, James should use some of his connections to see what he can do to get this song in Sundance Head’s hands as soon as
possible. For those who don't watch American Idol, he's Roy Head's son, and has been picked to go to Hollywood, to partake in the 2nd
round. His voice would fit this song. The only bad thing about it is that the powers that be would probably whisk James straight off to
Nashville to start cranking them out...then we'd be lucky if James had time to play the North Texas honky-tonks after that. His song,
"Minor Mule," convinced me like I hadn't been before that James knows his way around a guitar. As nice a jazz instrumental as I have
heard in quite sometime. The whole CD gets kicked off by what is a textbook example of what a behind the beat Texas shuffle should
sound like. James, GREAT RECORD man. You've just kicked your career, and the bar for locally made recordings, up a whole notch,
maybe more.
- Chuck Nevitt -
Southwest Blues CD Review - March 2007
Current Reviews - 2007 Reviews
