Nina Simone: "A Single Woman: The Complete Elektra Recordings" (2025) CD Review

The great Nina Simone released her final studio album, A Single Woman, in 1993 on Elekra Records. An expanded edition of that album was released in 2008, that version containing seven bonus tracks. Now the album has been expanded again. Titled A Single Woman: The Complete Elektra Recordings, this new edition contains twenty-one tracks, including the seven bonus tracks from the 2008 version and four previously unreleased bonus tracks. If you don't yet have this album in your collection, now is the perfect time to fix that. In addition to the new bonus material, the album was remastered by Michael Graves at Osiris Studio, and it contains new, fairly extensive liner notes by David Nathan. There is no voice quite like that of Nina Simone, and this disc contains some real gems.

The album opens with its title track, "A Single Woman," the song easing in before Nina come in on vocals. "I live alone/That hasn't always been easy to do," she tells us, and we hear the honesty and the experience in her voice. "They seem to say/Wasn't yesterday a better day?" Ah yes, I think many folks are looking back to better days because the present is such a horrible mess. There is a big swell of strings in the second half, and there is an interesting ending to the song, where it seems to be over before its final moment. "A Single Woman" was written by poet Rod McKuen, who recorded the song as "The Single Man." Frank Sinatra covered it on his A Man Alone album. That's followed by another song written by Rod McKuen, "Lonesome Cities," this one with a very different vibe. It has a lighter, more playful feel. Frank Sinatra also included this song on A Man Alone. "There's a few more handsome men that I'd like to know/Just a few more handsome men is down the road I go/Maybe when I've seen it all, seen all there is to see/I'll find out I still cannot run away from me," Nina sings. It is interesting, for in the first song she was looking backward, and here she looks forward, and both seem exactly right. No matter what we've experienced, there is more to see, more to do. That's what the message seems to be here, and her voice is the perfect one to deliver it. Michael Melvoin delivers some delightful stuff on piano.

On this album, Nina Simone revisits "If I Should Lose You," a song she included on her 1966 record Wild Is The Wind.  "If I should lose you/The stars would fall from the sky." The passion, the blues, the ache, the love are all present in her delivery. "With you beside me/No wind in winter would blow/Baby, with you beside me/A little rose would bloom in the snow." This track features some really nice work by Gerald Albright on tenor saxophone, and by John Chiodini on guitar. That's followed by "The Folks Who Live On The Hill," a song mostly associated with Peggy Lee. At the beginning of the track, Nina dedicates the song to the memory of Errol Barrow. She delivers a gorgeous rendition, the string section figuring prominently. "Love's Been Good To Me" is another song of reflection on a life that has been lived, truly lived. "Still in all, I'm happy/The reason is, you see/Once in a while along the way/Love's been good to me." These songs that look back have been hitting me harder these days. Perhaps it's because as we get older, there is more to look back upon. It's so good to have a voice like Nina Simone's as a companion on this strange journey, to smooth things, to make everything a little better as we get older. It all goes so quickly, doesn't it? This song is one of my personal favorites on this album.

Nina Simone delivers a striking and dramatic rendition of "Papa, Can You Hear Me," a song for all of us who have lost our fathers. It was written for Yentl, and because I detest Barbra Steisand, it's not a song I was all that familiar with. But as done by Nina Simone, it's a song worth hearing. "Papa, can you help me not be frightened?" And while the track might bring tears to your eyes, again, Nina Simone somehow makes it okay. "Can all the words and all the music/Help me to face what lies ahead?" We'll see, we'll see. That's followed by "Il N'y A Pas D'amour Heureux," which is sung in French. Nina Simone delivers a beautiful performance. I don't speak French (my junior high teacher would be so disappointed to hear that) and don't know what she's saying, but am moved nonetheless. Because, really, while we might not understand the words, we understand perfectly her voice, her emotion. This track also features some wonderful work by Frank Marocco on accordion. This track seems to be coming to its conclusion, but then continues.

"Just Say I Love Him" is another song that Nina Simone is revisiting, and I absolutely love the rendition on this album. In fact, it's one of my favorite tracks, featuring some excellent guitar work and an incredible vocal performance. The ache, the yearning, the regret, the understanding are all present in her delivery. "Say I was a fool to leave him/Tell him how much a fool can care." Nina Simone had previously recorded this song for her 1961 album Forbidden Fruit. Things then brighten with "The More I See You," which has a more cheerful vibe, the music kind of swinging. There is a delightful energy to Nina's vocal performance. The track also features some cool stuff by John Clayton on bass. And Jack Sheldon delivers a wonderful lead on trumpet. The original album concludes with another upbeat number, "Marry Me." "You should marry me/I know you don't agree/There's no two ways about it/I should marry you/But I haven't a clue/Of just what to do about it." Those lines make me smile, especially the way Nina Simone sings them. This track also contains some nice work on piano, and more good stuff on bass. This song has a false ending, playfully starting up again after a brief pause to conclude with a fun instrumental section.

Bonus Tracks

The bonus tracks begin with a wonderful rendition of The Beatles' "The Long And Winding Road," with the orchestra backing her. That's followed by an interesting rendition of Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'," featuring piano and vocals. Listen to the great passion as she sings, "Please get out of the way now if you can't lend a hand." This track is less than a minute long, just a portion of the song. Nina Simone then gets funky with her cover of Prince's "Sign O' The Times," and delivers those lyrics with power and soul and anger and compassion. This is wild, and quite a bit different from everything else on this disc. She laughs on "If it's a boy," and adds, "We'll call it Nina if it's a girl." She really gets into this one, letting loose toward the end. This is fantastic. If you are a Prince fan, you really ought to check out this rendition.

I love baseball, even now, when the powers that be have done their best to ruin the game (the addition of a pitch clock, the runner on second base in extra innings, etc.), and I love songs about baseball (have you guys heard The Baseball Project yet?). Here Nina Simone delivers a delicious, delightful song about Jackie Robinson. Titled "Baseball Boogie," it's just under a minute long. Nina then counts in her rendition of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter," another fun one. She seems to be having a great time, and we can't help but do the same while listening. "A lot of kisses on the bottom/I'll be glad I got 'em." I dig that lead on guitar in the middle. This is another track with a false ending, before the band starts grooving again. After that, she revisits "Do I Move You," a delicious original blues number that she originally included on Nina Simone Sings The Blues. "Are you ready for this action?" Hell, yes! This is so damn good. She gets loose, and again is having a great time. This track contains some really good stuff on keys. It's another of the disc's highlights.

Then we get the first of the previously unreleased tracks, an alternate take on "The Times They Are A-Changin'." I guess there hadn't been a plan on covering the entire song, just a section, for this take is also less than a minute long. Nina then gets into reggae with an excellent cover of "No Woman No Cry." I love how she dives into different musical realms on this disc, and excels in all of them. This track was included on the 2008 edition of the album. By the way, for another version of this song, check out The Montreux Years, released in 2021. This disc's final three tracks were all previously unreleased. The first of those is a different take of "Do I Move You." It is so good to have this extra take included; it too features some great work on piano. I love this. We then get an alternate take of "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter." She counts this take in too. This take also contains a really good guitar lead. The disc concludes with an instrumental version of "Baseball Boogie."

CD Track List

1. A Single Woman
2. Lonesome Cities
3. If I Should Lose You
4. The Folks Who Live On The Hill
5. Love's Been Good To Me
6. Papa, Can You Hear Me?
7. Il N'y A Pas D'amour Heureux
8. Just Say I Love Him
9. The More I See You
10. Marry Me
11. The Long And Winding Road
12. The Times They Are A-Changin'
13. Sign O' The Times
14. Baseball Boogie
15. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter
16. Do I Move You (take 2)
17. The Times They Are A-Changin' (alternate take)
18. No Woman, No Cry
19. Do I Move You (take 1)
20. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter (alternate take)
21. Baseball Boogie (instrumental)

A Single Woman: The Complete Elektra Recordings is scheduled to be released on November 7, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings. It will be available on vinyl (a double album) as well as CD.

Jakob Dreyer: "Roots And Things" (2025) CD Review

Jakob Dreyer is a bass player and composer based in New York City. His first album as band leader, Songs, Hymns And Ballads Volume 1, was released in 2022. He followed that in 2023 with Songs, Hymns And Ballads Volume 2. Both of those album featured John Cowherd on piano, Jason Rigby on saxophone, and Jimmy MacBride on drums. Now Jakob Dreyer is giving us something a bit different on his new album, Roots And Things. A different band is backing him, and instead of piano, this one features vibraphone. Sasha Berliner, a composer and band leader herself, is on vibraphone. Tivon Pennicott is on tenor saxphone, and Kenneth Salters is on drums (they both are also band leaders and composers, so there is clearly a tremendous amount of talent on these tracks). The new album features mostly original compositions by Jakob Dreyer.

The album's lead track, "The Fifth Floor," opens with an air of mystery, which is kind of a surprise. It pulls us in, for sure, but also puts us on uncertain footing, keeping us curious, keeping us attentive. And then the drumming has a great force, as if determined to drive us farther in, and wanting to do it straight away, which is thrilling. In the middle of the action, this track begins a rather long fadeout. That is followed by "Constellation," which begins to swing, yet also contains something of an unpredictable nature, and that makes it exciting as well as fun. The bass keeps everything in motion, always pushing forward, engaged in a delightful dance. Even that bass lead doesn't slow things down or stray far from its main mission. Then there is an urgency to the rhythm at the beginning of "Follower," a sense of need. After the saxophone comes in, things get a little looser, particularly with the drums.There is still a sense of need, but also something fun about the track. It features a delicious lead on vibraphone, but I especially love the drumming on this one.

Jakob Dreyer changes gears then with "June Tune," which has a mellower feel at the start, yet with the feeling that the musicians are ready for some exploration.There is no rush, no stress; rather, there is something quite soothing about the movement here. Close your eyes, and let this one take you on a relaxing journey. We could all use that right about now, right? And you might find yourself doing a little inward exploration yourself. This track features a good lead on bass that takes us into that magic hour, as the sun begins to set and everything has a glow to it before darkness takes over. That's followed by "Land Of 1000 Blues," a play on "Land Of 1000 Dances," a song that was a hit for Wilson Pickett and others. It's a very short track that comes on fast and is over almost as soon as you realize what the musicians are doing here.

"With A Song In My Heart" is a song that was written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart for the musical Spring Is Here, here delivered with an arrangement by Jakob Dreyer. There is something of a romantic bent to the saxophone work, yet the rhythm has an excitement about it, an energy, so there is an interesting contrast there, helping set this rendition apart from others you've likely heard. When the vibraphone takes over, things are hopping. On the next sax lead, it begins to fly, perhaps feeding on that energy, turning more outward now. That in turn leads to the bass taking over, stepping into some cool territory. When the saxophone returns again, it is to that more thoughtful, romantic place from the beginning. "Bodega" is another incredibly short track, like we are dropped into the middle of a lightly swinging number, which soon fades out (though we get the sense it continues without us). "Downtime" has a more relaxed, introspective vibe at the beginning, with a sense of curiosity as to what might happen, but without a heavy drive one way or another. It's like a dream that pulls us along, offering some insights on the way. It features some really nice work on vibraphone, and a pretty lead on saxophone.

"Fight Or Flight" comes on with a burst of energy, getting us right into the action. As the vibraophone lead starts, less than a minute in, there is a strong sense of movement, especially in the bass work. Things begin to cook, building to a near-frantic feel at one moment, though we are pulled back before going over that particular edge. And the saxophone soon takes over. We take a breath, the briefest of pauses, near the beginning of the sax lead, and then things begin to build again. Here we are treated to a drum solo, which I love. There is some fantastic work. That's followed by "MTA," another short track. Interestingly, each of these short tracks is a little longer than the one before, each one allowing us to get a little more invested before it fades out (though that doesn't hold true for the two short tracks still to come). This one kind of swings.

With "Hold On," it is the saxophone work that we perhaps initially latch onto, for it seems to be offering some comfort, some sympathy, at least in those early moments. And underneath that, the bass and drums offer something different, drawing us in, giving us another sense of things and not letting us settle. The bass leads takes us on its own journey. As the sax comes back in, it returns to those initial moments. That's followed by "Room 1102," an intriguing number, holding some feeling of mystery. There is something spooky here, something mesmerizing. I love this. And check out that drumming. The drums are like the lead instrument here. This track fades out much too soon, less than two minutes in. I would have loved to get more of this.

"Roots And Things," the album's title track, invites us into a different sort of place. It is the saxophone that leads us in, but then the vibraphone that introduces a magical element, a sense of things being less real. There is a sort of beauty in that sensation. I also love the way the next lead on sax concludes, taking us up and leaving us there. Perhaps surprisingly, a wonderful lead on bass immediately follows, that lead walking us through that magic land, helping us find our footing. The drums actually lighten our steps toward the end. This is such an interesting track. It is followed by "Invisible," another short track, actually the shortest track of the disc, just a taste. Then "Big Apple" feels like it's all about its cool groove. It has a great vibe about it, a bit of pop, a bit of funk. It's a track to make us smile, to make us move, featuring some delicious work on drums. The saxophone has a thing or two to say in the second half, and we feel we might learn something there. This track is fun, one of my personal favorites. The album concludes with another of its short tracks, "Choral Diner," this one with quite a different vibe, a different sound, a different mood; a somber, almost spiritual thing.

CD Track List

1. The Fifth Floor
2. Constellation
3. Follower
4. June Tune
5. Land Of 1000 Blues
6. With A Song In My Heart
7. Bodega
8. Downtime
9. Fight Or Flight
10. MTA
11. Hold On
12. Room 1102
13. Roots And Things
14. Invisible
15. Big Apple
16. Choral Diner

Roots And Things is scheduled to be released on November 14, 2025.

Shakespeare On Vinyl, Continued

The world has grown mad and ugly, and I've been turning more and more to both music and the works of William Shakespeare for reminders of humanity. Those two collections of mine do at times overlap. On Saturday, I listened to a few of my Shakespeare records, and decided to continue today with the others that I hadn't yet enjoyed. 

Today I started with Hamlet, the John Gielgud production of 1964, with Richard Burton in the title role. I wasn't sure if this record would play. It's not in the best condition. Ordinarily, I would have not purchased a record in such condition, but it was only a dollar and I figured it was worth the risk. It's a famous Hamlet, and I wanted to own a piece of it. It begins with the first of the big soliloquies ("too, too solid flesh"), followed by Polonius' advice to Laertes. And, yes, the sound crackled throughout. It did skip twice on the first side, first during one of Polonius' speeches and again during one of Hamlet's speeches. The first side ends with "The play's the thing/Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." The second side then begins with the most famous soliloque. The record skipped on this side too, at the end of the "How all occasions" speech. This record was released in 1964.

As on Saturday, the second record I listened to today was a Julius Caesar record. And actually, it turned out to be the same record, just a different pressing with a different cover. Apparently, this particular version was released in 1953, and, unlike the 1986 pressing, it does include liner notes on the back of the jacket, including a synopsis of the play. This record skipped too, three times on the first side, and twice on the second side. Oh well. I guess I need to be a bit more particular about the Shakespeare records I purchase. I'm glad I have a second copy of this record. Marlon Brando's delivery of Antony's most famous speech is excellent, by the way.

I then moved to Othello, listening to a record I recently purchased in Massachusetts, a record containing scenes from Verdi's Otello. This is another that I wasn't sure about, regarding sound quality, since there were some scratchs and even the record jacket was torn on one side, but it was only fifty cents, so well worth the risk. It did skip once near the end of side one, but what incredible, beautiful performances. The performances here were recorded in 1939, and the record was released in 1968.

From there, I went to The Taming Of The Shrew, with a record of Kiss Me, Kate, featuring the original Broadway cast, including Alfred Drake, Patricia Morison, Lisa Kirk and Harold Lang. The songs are by Cole Porter, so of course there is a certain amount of joy to this album. Take "We Open In Venice," for example. It's not exactly Shakespeare, though there are lines from Shrew, as in the song "I've Come To Wive It Wealthily In Padua," and there is the song "Brush Up On Your Shakespeare." But Shakespeare or not, I'm glad to have this record in my collection. The jacket contains liner notes by George Dale.

I wrapped things up today with a record that is not Shakespeare, but is related: An Evening Of Elizabethan Verse And Its Music. It is presented by W.H. Auden and the New York Pro Musica Antiqua, directed by Noah Greenberg. It features some excellent vocal work. And it includes liner notes by W.H. Auden. According to Discogs, this record was released in 1955. I was sad to find that this record also skipped a couple of times. The final track is particularly beautiful.

Shakespeare On Vinyl

There are two big passions in my life (other than the people I love): music and Shakespeare. I have fairly decent collections related to each. Sometimes the two overlap. Whenever I find a Shakespeare record (assuming it's not scratched or too expensive), I purchase it. And I decided today would be a day dedicated to enjoying some of those purchases.

I started the day with Sir William Walton's Music From Shakespearean Films, which contains portions of the scores from three Shakespeare films, all Laurence Olivier movies. I had picked up this record at Freakbeat Records for only a dollar (which makes me think not a lot of folks share my passion for Shakespeare records, all the better for me). All the music on the first side comes from Richard III, and the second side contains music from both Hamlet and Henry V. I should revisit all three films at some point. I didn't find those films nearly as impressive as I'd been led to believe they were, but this music is making me want to give them another viewing. This record was released in 1964, and contains liner notes by Muir Mathieson.

I moved then to Julius Caesar, a record of highlights from the MGM film. It contains scenes from the film, dialogue and music, with some narration by John Houseman, who helps set the scene when it is determined necessary. The cast includes James Mason as Brutus, John Gielgud as Cassius, Deborah Kerr as Portia and Marlon Brando as Mark Antony. My copy is from the 1986 pressing. If I recall correctly, I got this record at Permanent Records Roadhouse. There are no liner notes. 

There are probably more records dedicated to Romeo And Juliet than to any of Shakespeare's other plays, and I've managed to pick up a few of them. I listened to the soundtrack to Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo & Juliet, with music composed and conducted by Nino Rota. This is the record without the dialogue, the one focusing on the music (it was released after the soundtrack containing dialogue). Beautiful stuff, as most people are aware. Has anyone not heard the gorgeous love theme from this soundtrack? I don't recall where I picked up this record. It was released in 1969, and contains liner notes by Neely Plumb.

Then I listened to an odd record that contains a mix of music and speeches from Romeo And Juliet. It begins with a version of the love theme from Nino Rota's score, with Romeo's speech about Juliet when he first sees her, and then the dialogue between Romeo and Juliet at the feast. The next track is "Greensleeves," and then the beginning of the balcony scene, with "Greensleeves" beginning again under Romeo's speech. In Juliet's speech the actor delivers the Q1 reading "rose by any other name" rather than the preferred Q2 and Folio reading "rose by any other word." The second side also opens with a bit of the love theme from the Zeffirelli film. The record also includes some of the song "Love Is Blue," a song I love. All the speeches are by Romeo and Juliet, no other characters, though the liner notes on the back contains the Prince's final speech of the play. The liner notes are by Lee Polk. The album was produced and directed by Herb Davison and Charlotte Sanders, and the group is called The Young Shakespeareans, but there is not much more information on this record. I don't know what year it was released, and have no idea where I bought my copy.

Hector Berlioz composed music inspired by Romeo And Juliet in 1839. The recording I have is by the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra Of New York, conducted by Dimitri Mitropoulos. I found this record for fifty cents at a used book store in Burlington, Massachusetts a month ago. I don't know what year it was released. There are liner notes on the back of the record jacket, with information about Berlioz and the tracks, but no date for this recording. The music is dramatic, often exciting, and sometimes beautiful.

Dr. John: "Live At The Village Gate" (2025) CD Review

The first Dr. John disc I bought was The Ultimate Dr. John, a compilation released in 1987. He was pretty popular at that time, at least in the circles I was moving in. I remember hearing several of his songs on the radio with some frequency, especially "Right Place Wrong Time" and "Such A Night." And of course everyone had seen his performance of "Such A Night" in The Last Waltz. Besides that, all of my friends who were into the Grateful Dead were well aware of Dr. John's rendition of "Iko Iko," which predated the Dead's first performance of the song by several years. In recent years, several of his albums have been reissued, including Gris-Gris and Ske Dat De Dat: The Spirit Of Satch, and we've been treated to some new compilations, including last year's Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya: Singles 1968 - 1974. Now we get something really special, a previously unreleased live recording from 1988, the time when my friends and I were getting really into his music. Titled Live At The Village Gate, this two-disc set captures his performance from March 5, 1988 at The Village Gate in New York City. His band includes Joe Caro on guitar, Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Richard Crooks on drums, Trazi Williams on congas, Ronnie Cuber on baritone saxophone, Lou Marini on tenor saxophone (yes, Blue Lou), and Lew Soloff on trumpet.

Disc One

The first disc opens with "Renegade," a song that was written by Dr. John and Gerry Goffin, and included on the 1979 album Tango Palace. It's a cool tune, and this is a strong rendition, with a funky edge and some nice stuff from the horn section. "I'm a runner in the jungle/Renegade from the law/Don't talk to me about morality/I don't want to hear it no more." The band stretches out a bit here, this version approximately twice the length of the studio version. And it's during that energetic jam that the brass section really shines, delivering some fantastic stuff. Dr. John does some vocal riffing toward the end. "See, I like to live the life I live, and I like to love the life I love/'Cause I want to do what I want to do anytime I feel like doing what I want to do/And I want to be how I want to be anytime I feel like being how I want to be/And I want to say what I want to say anytime I feel like saying what I want to say." There is some delicious percussion beneath him there, and his vocal riffing has a great rhythm too. That's followed by "Qualified," a song from his 1973 record In The Right Place, the album that also features both "Right Place Wrong Time" and "Such A Night." The song is great fun right from its start, with a rhythm that is almost guaranteed to get you on your feet and a wonderful vocal performance from Dr. John that has a playful vibe. "Look at me, I'm stepping up in class/You'd better watch out, child, I'm moving up fast." He also delivers some really good stuff on keys. As with the first track, this one is also quite a bit longer than the studio version.

Dr. John delivers a good cover of "Life Is A One Way Ticket," a song that at the time of the concert had yet to be included on a Dr. John album. It would be included on 2004's N'awlinz Dis Dat Or D'udda. This track begins with some delicious work on piano, and then Dr. John tells us, "Life is a one way ticket/There ain't no second time around/You'd better get all you can out of life/Before you're six feet in the ground." Oh yes, he digs into the blues here, and tells it as it is. "Some people believe in reincarnation/I believe when you're dead you're done." Yup, this is it, folks, so enjoy yourselves and try to not be shitty to other people. This rendition is overflowing with cool. Check out that work on saxophone. And then that trumpet is ready to tear a hole in the sky, if only to prove there is no big bearded man hiding there. There is also a great bluesy lead on guitar. This is a track where everyone gets a chance to shine. There is certainly time for it, this being the longest track on the disc. It is followed by "Keep That Music Simple," a song that Dr. John included on Tango Palace. "This here is our motto," Dr. John says at the beginning. "Keep that music simple/Come on, let's move/Keep that music simple/Everybody in the groove." And yeah, there is a good groove, one you can move to, with some funk. "I know what I'm talkin' about." Oh yes, no question about it.

"One Dirty Woman" gets going with some cool, mean work on piano, and then gets even cooler as it kicks in. In this song at one point he sings of "going down to Louisiana," and the music itself of course speaks of that place. Dr. John is one of the musicians most closely associated with New Orleans. Things get even cooler on "I've Been Hoodood" (which on In The Right Place was listed as "I Been Hoodood"). Its opening is fantastic, the way the horns and guitar interact. What a great job of setting that tone, creating the atmosphere. And Dr. John's vocal performance is exactly what we think of, what we want, when we think of this performer. He takes us into that darker, sexy realm that he would often inhabit, his voice and the horns working as our own passport into that world. The band jams on the great groove, this rendition more than twice as long as the studio version. Everything is working perfectly here. The first disc concludes with "Rain," a song from his City Lights album, released in 1978. This is a slower, bluesy, kind of gorgeous song. "Life ain't worth loving/Love ain't worth having without you." It's a passionate number that we can feel throughout our body. The ache, the need. "I need my baby/So bad I've gone crazy/Without you."

Disc Two 

The second disc kicks off with "Let The Good Times Roll" (someday I will make a mix CD of all the songs with some variation of that title), a song that was included on that compilation, The Ultimate Dr. John. Before that, it was included on his 1972 album Dr. John's Gumbo. He gives us a really good rendition here, this track featuring some outstanding guitar work. This is a song to get everyone loose, and it leads straight into "Ooh Poo Pah Doo." This is fun. "It's all in your mind." Then in introducing "Mess Around," Dr. John says they're going to "mix it all up, make a little gumbo for ya." And this track is even more fun, one to get you dancing, get you shaking. Dr. John delivers some absolutely delicious stuff on keys. The band is cooking, the song is popping. This is a celebration, to be sure, and all you have to do to join is let yourself go, give yourself over to the groove. The track features several excellent leads. It's a track I just don't want to end. Dr. John changes gears with a cover of "Georgia On My Mind," a song that he included on his 1984 live album Such A Night! Live In London. And what a great job he does with the song here, providing some passionate work on piano. I also love that work on saxophone, and I'm certain that anyone who listens will love it too. 

Dr. John introduces "Mama Roux" by saying it's a special request, and that he hasn't played it in a long time. For those somehow unfamiliar with it, it's a song from Gris-Gris. The backing vocalists aren't here, but the horns kind of fill in. There are some playful moments, and this becomes a fun rendition. The crowd is clearly appreciative. Well, it would probably be weird if Mardi Gras weren't mentioned at some point, right? Don't worry, this disc concludes with "Mardi Gras Day," This rendition eases in with some cool, timeless piano work, supported by guitar and drums. Then, after a minute or so, it kicks in to become a party. This music has such great cheer to it, we feel that life could really become a party, folks in a second line marching down the main street of every city, every town. The music pushes away all the current strife. It dispels fascism. Partway through, Dr. John introduces the band, and as each member is introduced, he takes a solo, beginning with Richard Crooks on drums. Dr. John gives each member a playful introduction. And, yes, he introduces himself before his lead on piano. And he sings his goodnights to the crowd near the end. When the track first seems to be ending, it suddenly starts up again, the band grooving. This track is the longest of the second disc, more than sixteen minutes of fun. Now take this joy out into the world where it's needed.

CD Track List

Disc One

1. Renegade
2. Qualified
3. Life Is A One Way Ticket
4. Keep That Music Simple
5. One Dirty Woman
6. I've Been Hoodood
7. Rain

Disc Two

1. Let The Good Times Roll/Ooh Poo Pah Doo
2. Mess Around
3. Georgia On My Mind
4. Mama Roux
5. Mardi Gras Day

Live At The Village Gate is scheduled to be released on November 21, 2025 through Omnivore Recordings. 

RJ Bloke at Bigfoot West, 10-29-25 Concert Review

Well, this is it, at least for a long while. Last night RJ Bloke (Jay Souza) played his final Los Angeles  gig before his move up to Portland. For the site of his last show, he chose Bigfoot West, a venue where he's done several shows in recent years. It's a cool bar with a decidedly rustic vibe. Playing on the several televisions before the show was one of those silly programs where people pretend to seriously investigate Bigfoot. And I wondered briefly if this program is played routinely there, you know, because of the name. Like those awful, so-called "found footage" films, the program had lines like "I thought I saw something move up there." The camera jerked around in that direction, focusing on nothing at all, because there is no such thing as Bigfoot. There was a decent crowd, especially for a Wednesday night. The stage area was decorated for Halloween, with cardboard machetes and knives hanging from the ceiling and a series of skulls on cardboard attached to the walls, and below them flames, an interesting choice. Even more interesting was the presence of a wardrobe rack stage left, with a tag saying "Costume Shop." I suppose if RJ Bloke had a desire to, he could don any of the two dozen items hanging there. A costume rack is something I don't recall ever seeing at a bar gig before, but then again my memory isn't always to be trusted.

Approximately five minutes before 9 p.m., the televisions were turned off, and just after nine, Jay was ready to go, opening the show with "Raining In My Heart," which featured some nice work on harmonica. He followed that with "Where Are You Now," a song from the Hold Drugs Dear disc. Jay introduced himself after that song, as RJ Bloke, and someone in the audience called out, "Good stuff, man, good stuff." The set contained a mix of original material and covers, and Jay followed "Where Are You Now" with a cover of Bob Dylan's "The Man In Me." The first set also included covers of The Beatles' "She Said She Said," Merle Travis' "Dark As A Dungeon," The Rolling Stones' "Waiting On A Friend," Robyn Hitchcock's "When I Was Dead," and CCR's "Lodi" (with him changing the line to "I'm stuck in Culver City again" just before the end). But of all the covers he did in that set, the one that especially stood out was "Drugs," a song written by Tracy Huffman and included on his Tracy Huffman And The Walking Sticks album. "I just learned this one a couple days ago," Jay said in introducing it. It's a fantastic and humorous song in which he sings that he's taking drugs now and they make him feel good, adding that they don't make him feel like shit, "like you do." "I'm going to take that one to Portland," he said afterward. Yeah, I imagine the Portland crowd will dig it.

But most of the highlights of the first set were originals. "Be Happy" received a big reaction from the crowd. After that song, RJ Bloke said, "I've always enjoyed playing at Bigfoot," and he talked a bit his imminent move to Portland (he leaves tomorrow), and how he's sad to leave Los Angeles. "I like Portland a lot, but I love L.A." That also received a cheer from the audience. I lived in Oregon for a while, and there is a lot to love about that state, especially about Portland, but the rain certainly got me down after a while. When I moved to L.A., I didn't want to see any rain for a year or two. "Coat Of Disappointment" also got a much deserved large reaction. That's one of my personal favorites. And "El Norte" got a cheer before he even started it, during the introduction. And that was the song he chose to conclude the first set.  

The second set also contained a good mix of covers and original songs. He opened with a cover of "St. James Infirmary," and followed it with "God Is A Scarecrow." Covers included Cheap Trick's "Surrender," a really nice rendition of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy," and Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" (with the first line changed to "When I look back at all the crap I smoked in high school"). The cover that really stood out for me in the second set was "Take Out Some Insurance," a cool blues number written by Jesse Stone and recorded by Jimmy Reed. It's great to hear Jay Souza really dig into the blues, and this song featured some excellent work on harmonica at the beginning. This set also included "Widow Next Door" and "A Sailor's Mind," the latter from the Hold Drugs Dear album. It was after that song that a guy in the audience requested the title track from that album. Jay told him he hadn't planned on playing it, but then decided to give it a go. He was joined on stage for part of the song by the guy who requested it. Jay ended the show with "Fast Life Slow Death," another of his best songs. The show ended at 11:03 p.m. And that's it. The end of an era, as they say. Jay Souza, as both RJ Bloke and as the main force behind Patrolled By Radar, has played an important part in the Los Angeles music scene. While it's possible he might come back at some point to do some shows, it will be at least a year before that happens. In the meantime, Portland is adding a talented singer and songwriter to its ranks.

Set List

Set I

1. Raining In My Heart
2. Where Are You Now
3. The Man In Me
4. I Feel Found
5. Drugs
6. She Said She Said
7. All You Need Is Enough
8. Dark As A Dungeon
9. Better Than Then
10. Waiting On A Friend
11. When I Was Dead
12. Be Happy
13. Lodi
14. Coat Of Disappointment
15. El Norte

Set II

1. St. James Infirmary
2. God Is A Scarecrow
3. Surrender
4. Jealous Guy
5. Widow Next Door
6. Take Out Some Insurance
7. A Sailor's Mind
8. Hold Drugs Dear
9. Kodachrome
10. Fast Life Slow Death

Bigfoot West is located at 10939 Venice Blvd. in Los Angeles, California.

Just Like Crazy Otto...

If you are a Grateful Dead fan, then you know the line "Just like Crazy Otto, just like Wolfman Jack" from "Ramble On Rose." Well, we all know who Wolfman Jack is, but we might not all be familiar with Crazy Otto. His real name is Fritz Shulz-Reichel, and he was a pianist and composer. Earlier this month I found a Crazy Otto record at a used book store in Burlington, Massachusetts, and so of course had to pick it up. I've been turned on to a lot of different music because of the Grateful Dead, and this particular record is certainly among the more surprising. It contains some fun piano music, including an unusual rendition of "In The Mood," the song written by Joe Garland and popularized by Glenn Miller. I don't think I've ever heard a version quite like this before.