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An Instant review of the new JJ Cale Anthology
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Don't know about you folks there in the states but I saw the JJ Cale
Anthology in the stores already in May here in Tampere, Finland in
Northern Europe. Found it accidently while I was just
browsing for some real steals or something. (It was filed under J instead
of C, by the way... Will they ever learn!?). It sure looked like a nice
package with a terrific cover photo of the Man they call Mr Laid-back...

I haven't got the tracklisting but I listened and flicked the CD through
in the store and this is the (p)review info I got:

Songs are:

4 songs of Naturally (for example After midnight)
3 of Really (Lies)
6(!) of Okie (Same old blues)
4 of Troubadour (Cocaine)
4 of "5" (Sensitive kind)
3 of Shades (Runaround)
6 of Grasshopper (City Girls)
5 of Eight (Unemployment, why so many of this thin sounding record?)
4 of Travel-loque (Humdinger)
3 of 10 (Artificial paradise)
2 of Closer to you (Closer to you)
none of the last album Guitar Man, I'm afraid!

plus:
6 previously unreleased songs:

1 "Midnight in Memphis", of Really sessions (duration: 4,24)
- quite pleasent instrumental songs with piano intro and nice horns or
whatever, obviously remastered as it doesn't quite sound like Really
recording hiss -wise

2 "Woke up this morning", of Okie sessions
- a bit too bounding a mix, you can't really hear the vocals
underneath... I wonder how many songs are the of that name...!?

3 "Durango", of Troubadour sessions (d:5,20)
- eerie nonsense, a quite dull instrumental.

4 "Things ain't simple" of "5" sessions
- a sad sounding vocal song, sounding quite like the better lot of
the 90's JJ Cale songs when it comes mastering and mixing side. (the name
of this song sounds like Lynyrd Skynyrd, doesn't it!?)

5 "Wish I had me dollar", LIVE in Solana, California 1981
- Oh yes, this is it! The guitar sound is a bit annoying maybe but it
nice to here the women in the crowd getting excited. But the song is pure
JJ. What comes to my mind about the title is CCR and Fogerty singing
something like: "Wish I had me a dime for every song I wrote" and JJ on
the Okie song "Rock'n roll records": " ...selling the for a dime" (I love
that song!)

6 Santa cruz of Eight sessions
- "Hey JJ can you play Cocaine", he sings, I wonder if that line is the
reason for not releasing this on Eight? It must have been kind of
annoying that people started thinking of him as a hard rock guitarist
when Clapton made Cocaine big.

Well in the sleeve notes which run something 15-20 pages JJ tells (in
interview "clippings") about how they decided to make Cocaine a rock song
among all other things. The story cover all of his career
chronologically. But not surprisingly one can't find a shread of info on
his child hood, though...

The sleeve notes are good and the pictures of JJ in nice BW and
beige are really superb!

All in all this collection was done in good taste and well. No
songs seem to have been spoiled with new remastering and I think all the
major songs are there... give or take some personal favourites(!). The 2
CDs include 50 songs and over 150 minutes all together. You aren't paying
for nothing here, the CDs are really packed to full extent, you don't
have to go changing the racord every 35 minutes, I like that! I'm
thinking
of buying this although I've got all the records already! Should I or
shouldn't I!? I honestly don't know!

6/6/97

Ville Kotiaho, Tampere, Finland

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Hey Steve,

I like the previously unreleased tracks, but I had hoped for something a
little better. Still, it's always nice to hear new Cale tracks. I
especially liked the live track, Wish I had me a dollar.

Mike

**********************************************
Mike Ayling
LeonRuss@ix.netcom.com
LeonRussel@aol.com
http://members.aol.com/leonrussel
**********************************************
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Steve,
Here are some thoughts on the previously unreleased songs.

J.J. Cale's "Anyway the Wind Blows-THE ANTHOLOGY" offers something for
us folks who are always waiting for new music from him. Six of the 50
songs are previously unreleased tunes and were recorded over the
11-year period from 1972-1983. They are a varied bunch.

Two of the "new" half-dozen songs are instrumentals.

1. "Midnight in Memphis" is a solid r&b number with some fine piano
and Cale guitar. This one is a product of the much respected Muscle
Shoals, Alabama studio.

2. "Durango" is a curiosity for me. Does the place really exist? If
so, did J.J. ever visit there? Could it be the northern state of
Mexico by the same name? If so, maybe the peyote grown there had some
influence on the tune. "Durango" could be the sound track for a sci-fi
western I dreamed I saw one time.

3. "Woke Up This Morning" is a pleasure and different from anything
I'm familiar with by Mr. Cale. The guitar riff is really catchy and
seems to serve as the chorus. He expresses in words and music having
been blown away by a once in a lifetime scene from Nature...and
credits a supreme creator.

4. "Things Ain't Simple" is a J.J.'s "All the Good Times Are Past and
Gone".

5. "Wish I Had Me a Dollar" takes me back to honky tonk, country rock
days here in the South. Ole Waylon Jennings would be a comfortable fit
for this tune. It's the only time I've ever heard a live recording by
Mr. Cale; makes me wish for more.

6. "Santa Cruz" lyrically reminds me of "Sho-Biz Blues" from "Closer
To You". The emphasis of "can't do nothin' right" on the gig rather
than the industry. Mr. Cale continues his tradition of including
top-notch guitarists (Reggie Young, James Burton among others) with
Richard Thompson lending an expert hand. Fine tune.

jim jett
Clayton, NC
hpjett@earthlink.net
Hello Steve,

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I have not anticipated an answer to my E-mail and I have to
admit that you have provoked me to write back. This time I
would like to present my reasons why I think that the
Mercury Records did a very sloppy job, issuing "The Very
Best of J.J. Cale." The European version of the latest J.J.
Cale CD, manufactured in Holland, has twenty (20) tracks
and running time of 60 minutes 50 seconds (50'60''.) There
is only one (1) previously un-realised track, number six (6)
"Midnight in Memphip", an instrumental cut, 4'24'' long. All
other tracks were taken (obviously and understandably)
from J.J. Cale's years at Mercury Records (PolyGram
Company.) But, the European compilation, "The Very
Best of J.J. Cale" should have been rather called "The Very
Best of J.J. Cale at Mercury Records" or "The J.J. Cale' s
Mercury Records' Years."
Here it is, what is on it. It starts with "Call Me The Breeze"
2:35, and goes on with: "Crazy Mama" 2:22, "Magnolia"
3:23, "After Midnight" 2:23, "Lies" 2:56, "Midnight in
Memphis" 4:24, "Cajun Moon" 2:32, "Rock And Roll
Records" 2:07, "Cocaine" 2:48, "Hey Baby" 3:11, "I'll Make
Love To You Anytime" 3:12, "Don't Cry Sister" 2:13,
"Thirteen Days" 2:49, "Sensitive Kind" 5"09, "Carry On"
2:18, "Mama Don't" 3:48, "City Girls" 2:49, "Devil In
Disguise" 2:01, "Don't Walk" 3:09, and "Money Talks" 4:15.

There is a recording (manufacture) error between track #9
and track #10. The "Cocaine" plays into "Hey Baby" for
about 10 seconds. (The digital clock tells you that you
have started #10, but you hear about 10 last seconds of
"Cocaine.") Also, if you select only #10 it starts with the last
part of "Cocaine."

It seems to me that "The Very Best of J.J. Cale" songs'
selection was done at random; first come, first serve basis.
It does not reflect any changes in his playing style, as it
evolved through years. After all, J.J. Cale played with
many musicians - in Nashvill, in his native Oklahoma or in
Los Angeles - and had ventured many musical avenues
The "Very Best", unfortunately, resembles very much
another compilation done by the European subsidy of
Mercury Records back in 1984. That year, the Phonogram
(Mercury) International BV at Baam, in Holland, marketed a
"Special Edition" CD by J.J. Cale with 14 tracks (818-633-
2.) It included: "Cocaine", "Don't Wait", "Magnolia", "Devil
In Disguise", "Sensitive Kind", "Carry On", "After Midnight",
"Money Talks", "Call Me The Breeze", "Lies", "City Girls",
"Cajun Moon", "Don't Cry Sister" and "Crazy Mama." The
only difference is that the cuts on the newest CD have been
digitally re-mastered

Still, I wonder who does the selection ? J.J. Cale, or people
at "Mercury", and by what criteria ? After all there are many
good cuts always left out, for instance a brilliant "Downtown
L.A." 2:25, or "One Step Ahead Of The Blues" 2:23 (all on
"Grasshopper album 800-038-2), "Fate Of A Foll" and
"Mona" (from #5 album 810-313-2), or "Wish I Had Not
Said That" from the "Shades" album 800-165-2.
I am perfectly aware that J.J. Cale recorded since his
"Mercury Years" for - at least - two (2) other labels. For
"Silvertone Records" (a BMG group) - "Travel-log" ZD
74291, in 1989, and "# 10" (Number 10), in 1992 -- and for
"Delabel" (Virgin Records subsidy) - the last two (2) albums:
"Closer To You", in 1994 and last year (1996), "Guitar Man."
Therefore his last two CDs with "Mercury" were: the "#8",
811-152-2, and "Troubadour" 810-001-2.
If we speak of J.J. Cale complete anthology, therefore even
the two (2) US CDs are not covering all of his recordings
and performances.
And final note. J.J. Cale dedicated "The Very Best" album
in memory of his mother and father Lois and E.A. Cale and
signed it January 21, 1997. I respect him for that.
Because we all have roots, somewhere, and ought to refer
to them from time to time.

That's it for now.

Regards from Warsaw,

Chris Klimiuk

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Here it is! The long awaited review of the six new songs on the anthology cd
set.
I feel sorry for those Europeans who have been left out of new 50 song double
cd set.
The collection of 44 previously released songs is a sweet sample from each
and every album with the exception of the "Guitar Man" release.
This means starting with the "Naturally" lp and ending with excerpts from the
"Closer To You" lp. We get to hear 2,3, or 4 songs from each album, in
chronological order.
This cd set is well worth the $ when you factor in the nicely done 26 page
booklet complete with JJ Cale qoutes, info., and pictures. Thank you
Polygram!! There are more pictures and information in this booklet than was
included in all the other releases combined!
Now for the best part. Six previously unreleased songs!
After listening to them each 10 times, I've made my choices. Here's how I
rank them personally:

6. Durango- Recorded during the "Troubador" era this is a futuristic sounding
instrumental. I'd swear I'm listening to "The Allan Parsons Band" on this
one. I would have preferred some vocals on this song so that it would be
branded by JJ Cale.

5. Midnight In Memphis- From the "Really" era. Yes, this is the other
instumental only song. A very catchy tune. The only way to keep from tapping
your toes to this beat is to nail down your shoe. (with your foot inserted.)
Plenty of piano and brass to go around for everyone.

4. Woke Up This Morning- From the "Okie" era. Yes! This is it. Real JJ Cale
vocals are used. Better get your headphones out if you want to hear the
words. The vocals are used almost as a background sound. They kind of make
you lean into the music instead pushing you away.

3. Things Ain't So Simple- From the "5" timewarp. This song is excellent! It
sounds especially good on the headphones! Has some great instrumental work
woven into to it. This was recorded live at Crazy Mama's studio.
Very well done and released with no remixing. This song really hits home. The
older I get, the more Things Ain't So Simple.

2. Wish I Had Me A Dollar- Recorded live in Solana, CA 1981. How they could
have kept this song from us this long is beyond me. An absolutely wonderful
number that is my favorite until I listen to the Santa Cruz song. I could
listen to this classic Cale like song over and over and over and
over..........

1. Santa Cruz- Recorded in the #8 sessions. It just doesn't get any better
than this man! This is the kind of JJ Cale song you play in front of your
friends and soon they are asking "who's this playing?". Like most of the #8
lp itself, this song is rocking with some heavy guitar licks and loud drums.
JJ you are a musical genius! Thanks for giving us so much in your lifetime my
friend.

Like my good friend Charles Throat said as he threw out the first aluminum
bat,
"Well that's what it says here, And I'm only reading it."

These deep thoughts were dug from the shallow mind of yours truly, live from
the frozen tundra of mighty Minnesota,

Jim Fetterly

So line up, sign up, and buy your copy TODAY!!