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J.J. Cale - To Tulsa & Back


method77

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ToTulsaAndBack.jpgWhat can I say about this artist...

One of the most respected (and underrated) rock artists that ever existed is back on the scene. 8 years after his last release, he's back with a new album that everyone should listen but as he said, "It doesn't seem that long. You just can't rush the good things in life".

Ladies and gentlemen, mr Cale is back!

Track Listings

1. My Gal

2. Chains Of Love

3. New Lover

4. One Step

5. Stone River

6. The Problem

7. Homeless

8. Fancy Dancer

9. Rio

10. These Blues

11. Motormouth

12. Blues For Mama

Download "The Problem"

Press Release

Buy it

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Now we're talking - one of my favorite artists, whose music I would label country/blues rock. His songs have been covered by everyone from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Deep Purple, the Allman Brothers Band, Johnny Cash, The Band and Santana to Captain Beefheart and Bryan Ferry. Beyond the songs, his style has also profoundly influenced Dire Straits, Clapton and many others.

Incidentially, the CD is being released to coincide with Clapton's Crossroads Blues Festival, which is being held in Texas next week.

Here's a short bio by Stephen Thomas Erlewine at AllMusic.com

"Notorious for his laid-back, rootsy style, J.J. Cale (b. Jean Jacques Cale) is best-known for writing "After Midnight" and "Cocaine," songs that Eric Clapton later made into hits. But Cale's influence wasn't only through songwriting -- his distinctly loping sense of rhythm and shuffling boogie became the blueprint for the adult-oriented roots-rock of Clapton and Mark Knopfler, among others. Cale's refusal to vary the sound of his music over the course of his career caused some critics to label him as a one-trick pony, but he managed to build a dedicated cult following with his sporadically released recordings.

Born in Oklahoma City but raised in Tulsa, OK, Cale played in a variety of rock & roll bands and Western swing groups as a teenager, including one outfit that also featured Leon Russell. In 1959, at the age of 21, he moved to Nashville, where he was hired by the Grand Ole Opry's touring company. After a few years, he returned to Tulsa, where he reunited with Russell and began playing local clubs. In 1964, Cale and Russell moved to Los Angeles with another local Oklahoma musician, Carl Radle.

Shortly after he arrived in Los Angeles, Cale began playing withDelaney and Bonnie. He only played with the duo for a brief time, beginning a solo career in 1965. That year, he cut the first version of "After Midnight," which would become his most famous song. Around 1966, Cale formed the Leathercoated Minds with songwriter Roger Tillison. The group released a psychedelic album called A Trip Down Sunset Strip the same year.

Deciding that he wouldn't be able to forge a career in Los Angeles, Cale returned to Tulsa in 1967. Upon his return, he set about playing local clubs. Within a year, he had recorded a set of demos. Radle obtained a copy of the demos and forwarded it to Denny Cordell, who was founding a record label called Shelter with Leon Russell. Shelter signed Cale in 1969. The following year, Eric Clapton recorded "After Midnight," taking it to the American Top 20 and thereby providing Cale with needed exposure and royalties."

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?P=AMG&u....j.+cale&opt1=1

***

I bought his first album after hearing AFTER MIDNIGHT, about the same time that Clapton recorded it in 1971. Lynard Skynard did a cover on Call Me the Breeze, and my favorite song on the LP, Crazy Mama, features a nice slide guitar. Here's the cover and cuts for his debut album NATURALLY:

1. Call Me the Breeze (Cale) - 2:35

 

2. Call the Doctor (Cale) - 2:26

 

3. Don't Go to Strangers (Cale) - 2:22

 

4. Woman I Have (Cale) - 2:36

 

5. Magnolia (Cale) - 3:23

 

6. Clyde (Beavers/Cale) - 2:29

 

7. Crazy Mama (Cale) - 2:22

 

8. Nowhere to Run (Cale) - 2:26

 

9. After Midnight (Cale) - 2:23

 

10. River Runs Deep (Cale) - 2:42

 

11. Bring It Back (Cale) - 2:44

 

12. Crying Eyes (Cale) - 3:13

post-74-1085978594.jpg

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JJ Cale followed 'Naturally' with 'Really' in 1972, another breezy upbeat album (the two are hard too distinguish--they might as well be a double album). There's even a line I remember in there somewhere that JJ Cale must have dedicated to Redneck: "You get your gun and I'll get mine!:

1. Lies (Cale) - 2:56

 

2. Everything Will Be Alright (Cale) - 3:14

 

3. I'll Kiss the World Goodbye (Cale) - 1:47

 

4. Changes (Cale) - 2:25

 

5. Right Down Here (Cale) - 3:15

 

6. If You're Ever in Oklahoma (Cale) - 2:04

 

7. Ridin' Home (Cale) - 2:38

 

8. Going Down (Nix) - 3:01

 

9. Soulin' (Cale) - 2:20

 

10. Playing in the Streeet (Cale) - 1:51

 

11. Mo Jo (Morganfield) - 2:28

 

12. Louisiana Women (Cale) - 2:56

post-74-1085979410.jpg

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JJ Cale picked up a name for himself when Clapton recorded another song of his, Cocaine, and his own verson got quite a bit of airplay. This album, Troubador, was released in 1976, and was probably JJ Cale's biggest album ever:

 

1. Hey Baby (Cale) - 3:11

 

2. Travelin' Light (Cale) - 2:50

 

3. You Got Something (Cale) - 4:00

 

4. Ride Me High (Cale) - 3:34

 

5. Hold On (Cale) - 1:58

 

6. Cocaine (Cale) - 2:48

 

7. I'm a Gypsy Man (Curtis) - 2:42

 

8. The Woman That Got Away (Cale) - 2:52

 

9. Super Blue (Cale) - 2:40

 

10 Let Me Do It to You (Cale) - 2:58

 

11 Cherry (Cale) - 3:21

 

12. You Got Me on So Bad (Cale) - 3:17

post-74-1085980117.jpg

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There's even a line I remember in there somewhere that JJ Cale must have dedicated to Redneck: "You get your gun and I'll get mine!:

What a fine fellow! I have his anthology and another couple albums.

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I love the lyrics on the sample MP3 above:

The Problem

Have you heard.. the news...that's going 'round here?

The Man in charge has got to go

Causes he dances.. 'round problems, boy

And the problem is the man in charge, you know

Now the young knows..what..I'm..talking about

It's a con in the old man's game

The Man in charge ...he don't know what he's doin'

He don't know the world has changed

The problem seems to be...so far...

The Man on the street ain't gotta clue

The higher Top gets.. runnin' your life

It's a problem... for me and you

Piano Solo

Born in a time.. that has gone by

The old tell the young what to do

Have you heard the news...thats going 'round?

The problem is the Man in charge of you

The problem is the Man in charge of you

First Guitar Solo

The problem seems to be...so far..

The Man on the street ain't gotta clue

The higher Top gets.. runnin' your life

Thinks the problem is with me and you

Second Guitar Solo (***Hot licks here--hint, play the MP3 in Method's post!--id be willing to bet that this is Clapton himselft)

Have you heard the news...thats going down?

The Man in charge has to go

The Man in charge has to go

***

Wonder if he was thinking about GWB? :rofl:

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:rofl: You know he said he has been working on this album for 8 yrs. My guess is he wrote that song 4 yrs ago!!! :lol:

You're absolutely right - he knew GW had to go before he even got in! :bigsmile:

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  • 1 month later...

I just got J.J. Cale's new album, To Tulsa And Back, and I couldn't be happier with it. I've been on his bandwagon for over 30 years and I've rarely been let down. This album has a slickness that isn't present on most of his other albums, but rather than detract from Cale's clean and precise guitar licks and hooks, the studio polish seems to add even more funky layers to his work. Give this one a listen!

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  • 2 months later...

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