Thackery, Jimmy - True Stories


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Telarc
Catalog Number: 83572
Format: CD
Total Time: 53:05:00

These are True Stories from the life and times of Jimmy Thackery, who has plenty of life experience to share. He expresses it all with his guitar and a voice that grovels in a down to earth from-the-gut kind of way that characterizes the blues.

This is a homegrown recording in a literal sense as Thackery got together with his wife for the first time to write these songs. Each track is about an experience they had personally or in regards to someone that they know. That is what makes the blues what it is, real life stories that come to life in the music.

I am like every other breathing human; I question my own knowledge and judgment at times then just as quickly find vindication right around the corner waiting for me. My first gut instinct is always right. A good case in point is what I hear, the most important aspect in reviewing someone's work. I knew that I heard Roy Buchanan on this album and sure enough after listening to this CD, I read the liner notes hours later to find out that Roy wrote ?The Messiah Will Come,? which is a real barnburner of an instrumental. It is interesting what music can do for you when your ears and mind are open. It also did not hurt that I happened to love Buchanan's work (I only heard a few albums) and he was one of the first blues-rock players that I discovered many years ago. There is also no coincidence that Roy was a friend of Jimmy's. The fact that I have always enjoyed Thackery's style makes perfect sense.

This album is a fine example of taking simplistic intentions and watching it develop into musical magic, and a wonderful recording is the result. The many colors and facets of a genre based on genuine feelings and people is what lives and thrives inside this music. Thackery feels that this is without question his best work, some may argue that, but who would know better? He also writes some nice liner notes to make it a more complete and fulfilling experience for the listeners. Reading what he had to say about the album really made a difference for me and it created a sense of urgency to hear it all over again. Just as the music had a steady flow, my listening process was an unfolding of events. What a combination ? the power of suggestion and good music.

If you like clear biting and snapping blues-rock guitar similar to what Albert Collins played on his albums in the later part of his career (like on the Cold Snap release), you will love every minute of this CD. Real people and real music, it does not get any more real than that.


Tracklisting:
Got It Going On (3:32) / Blues Man On Saturday Night (5:42) / Baby's Got The Blues (4:28) / I Think I Hear The Rain (5:43) / Snakes In My Mailbox (5:21) / Dancin' With The Dawg (4:33) / Too Tired (4:25) / Being Alone (3:25) / Puttin' Out Fires (3:14) / Crazy 'Bout A Saxophone (5:18) / The Messiah Will Come (9:24)

Musicians:
Jimmy Thackery - guitar, vocals
Rebecca Evans Russell - background vocals
Mark Stutso: drums, vocals
Jimmy Carpenter: saxophones
Ken Faltinson: bass, Hammond B3

Discography:
Empty Arms Motel (1992)
Sideways In Paradise (1993)
Trouble Man (1994)
Wild Night Out! (1995)
Drive To Survive (1996)
Switching Gears (1998)
Sinner Street (2000)
We Got It (2002)
True Stories (2003)
Guitar (2003)
Live (2004)
Healin' Ground (2005)
In The Natural State (2006)
The Essential Jimmy Thackery (2006)
Solid Ice (2007)
Inside Tracks (2008)

Genre: Other

Origin US

Added: June 23rd 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website: www.jimmythackery.com
Hits: 1928
Language: english

  

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