Blues |
I am revisiting the man with 14 Blues Awards, but this time on a more ancient album. To understand where his beautiful melodic sense comes from, it’s essential to know that this artist also worked for a music publishing house as a composer and producer for demos. If there is a garden to grow talents, it’s this kind of work, which is certainly felt in every album by Keb’ Mo’. During the same period, he found himself playing in a group in a Los Angeles club, accompanying personalities like Big Joe Turner, Albert Collins, and Jimmy Witherspoon, among many other great blues artists. In 1983, he stepped into the big leagues with a first solo album that, according to my research, is now seemingly impossible to find.
“Slow Down” is the fourth studio album by Keb’ Mo’, released in August 1998, and the following year, this album won Keb’ Mo’ his second Grammy Award for “Best Contemporary Blues Album”. The album includes the song “Rainmaker” which shares its title with the album “Rainmaker”, made by Keb’ Mo’ under his birth name Kevin Moore. It’s also the first time the song “Henry” was heard. Over the years, Keb’ Mo’ has significantly improved this song with new arrangements, which is a peculiarity of Keb’ Mo’. Many of his songs have been long requested by the public, which is why you will always hear some old songs at his concerts, such as “Love in Vain” which is also present on this album. Over the years, the orchestral form of his albums has also evolved, through the choice of instruments in the album “Slow Down”. We are in a form of classical blues, with Keb’ Mo’s innovative melodies. Two years later, Keb’ Mo’ released the album “The Door,” an album that marked artistic changes and led us to his current creations.
“Slow Down” is therefore a particularly interesting album if you follow this artist’s career, as it links the eras of his creations. Here, the complete blues tradition is still present, with a temptation towards a more soul/jazz form that is already there but not yet fully assumed. This does not, of course, detract from the quality of this album because, let’s face it, it is rare to have blues albums with such beautiful arrangements. I only know three current artists capable of this in the blues world: Keb’ Mo’ of course, but also Boney Fields and Billy Price. Not being a blues specialist, you can probably extend this list. For these obvious reasons, it is always good to revisit the past. If “Slow Down” is an album that will certainly please those who prefer a more traditional blues, Keb’ Mo’ is and will always be the one who intelligently modernized the blues.
I consider this album an excellent Keb’ Mo’ album that misses the title of “Essentials” because it is a transitional album between eras and is above all a collector’s album..
Thierry De Clemensat
USA correspondent – Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, July 18th 2024
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