Blues

Koko Taylor - Queen Of The Blues (1985)

2019-08-01T13:21:39Z

Koko Taylor - Queen Of The Blues (1985)


A1 	Evil 	4:58
A2 	Beer Bottle Boogie 	3:33
A3 	I Cried Like A Baby 	5:11
A4 	I Can Love You Like A Woman (Or I Can Fight You Like A Man) 	3:48
A5 	Flamin' Mamie 	3:27
B1 	Something Inside Me 	3:43
B2 	The Hunter 	3:26
B3 	Queen Bee 	3:46
B4 	I Don't Care No More 	3:08
B5 	Come To Mama 	4:44

Bass – Johnny B. Gayden
Drums – Ray "Killer" Allison
Guitar – Albert Collins (tracks: B2), Criss Johnson, Lonnie Brooks (tracks: B3), Son Seals (tracks: B4)
Harmonica – James Cotton (tracks: A1, B3)
Keyboards – Professor Eddie Lusk
Tenor Saxophone – Abb Locke (tracks: A2, A5)
Vocals – Koko Taylor

Co-producer Bruce Iglauer anticipated a future trend by making this a set filled with cameos -- but the presence of Lonnie Brooks, James Cotton, Albert Collins, and Son Seals is entirely warranted and the contributions of each work quite well in the context of the whole. Taylor's gritty "I Cried like a Baby" and a snazzy remake of Ann Peebles' "Come to Mama" are among the many highlights. ---Bill Dahl, AllMusic Review

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Koko Taylor - From The Heart Of A Woman (1981)

2016-01-31T17:04:09Z

Koko Taylor - From The Heart Of A Woman (1981)


A1 	Something Strange Is Going On 	4:01
A2 	I'd Rather Go Blind 	4:57
A3 	Keep Your Hands Off Him 	3:49
A4 	Thanks, But No Thanks 	4:14
A5 	If You Got A Heartache 	3:42
B1 	Never Trust A Man 	3:18
B2 	Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night 	3:05
B3 	Blow Top Blues 	4:15
B4 	If Walls Could Talk 	3:30
B5 	It Took A Long Time 	3:58

Koko Taylor – vocals
Criss Johnson, Sammy Lawhorn – guitar
Bill Heid – keyboards
Cornelius Boyson – bass
Vince Chappelle – drums

Another very credible outing, though Taylor's not quite convincing on the jazzily swinging "Sure Had a Wonderful Time Last Night." Far more suited to her raspy growl are her own "It Took a Long Time," a funky "Something Strange Is Going On," and Etta James's moving soul ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind" (beautifully complemented by Criss Johnson's liquidic guitar). ---Bill Dahl, allmusic.com

"From the Heart of a Woman"?! And just look at that cover! What the hell is this? Has the Queen of Blues gone soft? Is this a pop record?

Well, no. This is a bit different from most of Taylor's albums, which are usually straight-ahead blues outings with lots of grit and not a whole lot of finesse, but it is far from a pop record. "From the Heart of a Woman" includes Koko Taylor's magnificent take on Etta James' classic soul ballad "I'd Rather Go Blind", complete with some tremendous, understated lead guitar playing by Criss Johnson, as well as a great, funky "Keep Your Hands Off Him", a swinging "Never Trust A Man", and numerous other highlights.

And the band is top notch. Harpist Billy Branch lends a hand on two numbers, and pianist Bill Heid contributes mightly to the swinging R&B-groove of songs like "If You Got A Heartache" and "Sure Had A Wonderful Time Last Night", and the two guitarist (Sammy Lawhorn is the other) sizzle on the slow grind of "Thanks, But No Thanks". This is one of the most interesting and musically diverse items in Koko Taylor's catalogue, and fans of her ought to grab a copy right away. Casual soul and R&B-fans should take heed as well. --- Docendo Discimus, amazon.com

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Koko Taylor - Live At The Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia (1986)

2014-01-15T16:46:03Z

Koko Taylor - Live At The Chestnut Cabaret, Philadelphia (1986)

Setlist:

- Set One -
01 Love At First Sight (1)
02 Instrumental (with Koko Intro)
03 Let The Good Times Roll
04 I Cried Like A Baby
05 Beer Bottle Boogie
06 You Can Have My Husband
07 Chat
08 I'm A Woman
09 (fade in) I Don't Care No More
10 Come To Mama
11 Chat
12 Wang Dang Doodle

- Set Two -
01 Set Two Intro
02 The Woman I Love (1)
03 Something Strange Is Going On
04 I'd Rather Go Blind
05 Sweet Home Chicago (cut)
06 Chat
07 Hey, Bartender
08 Evil
09 Keep Your Hands Off Him
10 Band Intros & Chat
11 Walking The Back Streets
12 Chat
13 Flamin' Mamie
14 Chat
15 Find A Fool, Bump Her Head > Band Jam
- Encore -
16 (fade in) Woke Up This Morning > Band Outro Jam

Tape flips after track 8, set one, and tracks 5 and 15, set two

(1) Band only - Eddie King on vocals

Koko Taylor - vocals
Michael "Mr. Dynamite" Robinson - lead guitar
Eddie King - guitar, vocals (1)
Jerry Murphy - bass
Vince Chappelle – drums

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Koko Taylor – Basic Soul (1972)

2013-05-01T16:19:28Z

Koko Taylor – Basic Soul (1972)


A1. It's A Poor Dog
A2. Let Me Love You Baby
A3. Bills, Bills & More Bills
A4. I Need More & More
A5. Love Me To Death
B1. That's The Way Love Is
B2. Un Huh My Baby
B3. Tease Your Man
B4. Pollution
B5. Violent Love

Lafayette Leake - Piano
Joe Young, Reggie Boyd - Guitar
Louis Satterfield - Bass
Clifton James – Drums
Koko Taylor - Vocals

Koko Taylor was a long time Chicago Blues singer. Basic Soul I would guess from the sound, was an attempt to get her new fans amongst the Soul crowd as Chess had tried with other of its Blues players like Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf. Like those efforts, they didn’t do that bad of a job. It’s A Poor Dog finds a perfect mix between a funky Soul backing with horns and Taylor’s strong vocal style. Let Me Love You Baby and Pollution are very similar. Even better though, is the slow and groovy Tease Your Man. --- soulstrut.com

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Koko Taylor - South Side Lady (1973)

2013-04-04T19:07:58Z

Koko Taylor - South Side Lady (1973)


1. I'm A Little Mixed Up
2. Wonder Why
3. What Kind Of Man Is this
4. Black Nights
5. Love Me To Death
6. I Got What It takes
7. Big Boss Man
8. I'm Gonna Get Lucky
9. Twenty-Nine Ways
10. I Love A Lover Like You
11. Wonder Why II
12. Wang Dang Doodle
13. I Got What It Takes
14. Tewnty-Nine Ways
15. I Got My Mojo Working

Koko Taylor (vocals), 
Jimmy Rogers, Louis Myers (guitar), 
Willie Mabon (piano), 
Dave Myers (bass), 
Fred Below (drums).

Cut during the period when she was between Chess and Alligator, this 15-song selection, cut in a French studio and live in the Netherlands in 1973, is a potent set that finds Koko Taylor ably backed by the Aces, guitarist Jimmy Rogers, and pianist Willie Mabon. Lots of familiar titles -- a live "Wang Dang Doodle," studio remakes of "I'm a Little Mixed Up" and "Twenty-Nine Ways" -- and a few numbers that aren't usually associated with Chicago's undisputed blues queen. ---Bill Dahl, allmusic.com

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Koko Taylor - Force of Nature (1993)

2010-09-09T17:10:19Z

Koko Taylor - Force of Nature (1993)


1. "Mother Nature" (Campbell) - 4:41
2. "If I Can't Be First" (Turner) - 3:40
3. "Hound Dog" (Leiber, Stoller) - 5:33
4. "Born Under a Bad Sign" (Bell, Jones) - 6:22
5. "Let the Juke Joint Jump" (Jackson) - 6:08
6. "63 Year Old Mama" (Taylor) - 4:29
7. "Don't Put Your Hands On Me" (Estrin) - 2:53
8. "Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)" (Moon Martin) - 4:23
9. "Fish in Dirty Water" (Moore, Spencer) - 5:45
10. "Tit for Tat" (Lidsey, Shell) - 4:31
11. "Put the Pot On" (Taylor) - 3:48
12. "Nothing Takes the Place of You" (McCall, Robinson) - 4:41
13. "Spellbound" (Taylor) - 4:07
14. "Greedy Man" (Dollison) - 3:27

Koko Taylor (vocals); 
Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); 
Criss Johnson, Calvin "Vino" Louden (guitar); 
Carey Bell (harmonica); 
Gene Barge (alto saxophone); 
Henri Ford (tenor saxophone); 
Willie Henderson (baritone saxophone); 
Byron Bowie, Burgess Gardner (trumpet); 
Edwin Williams (trombone); 
Jeremiah Africa (keyboards); 
Jerry Murphy (bass); 
Ray "Killer" Allison, Brady Williams (drums).

‘Force of Nature’ is aptly titled; over three decades into her career, Koko Taylor is unstoppable. The Queen of Chicago Blues is in fine form on this 1993 release from Alligator, from her own "63 Year Old Mama," "Put the Pot On," and "Spellbound" to such blues classics as "Hound Dog," "Bad Case of Loving You," and "Born Under a Bad Sign" (featuring an appearance by Buddy Guy). "Mother Nature," with Carey Bell on harmonica, is a well-chosen opening track; Taylor's earth-shattering voice brings the roof down on your head and shakes you out of your shoes. Sit back and enjoy, but you'll soon find yourself up and dancing around the room. --Genevieve Williams, allmusic.com

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Koko Taylor - The Earthshaker (1978)

2009-12-28T12:47:28Z

Koko Taylor - The Earthshaker (1978)


01. Let the Good Times Roll 3:00
02. Spoonful 3:00
03. Walking the Back Streets 6:45
04. Cut You Loose 3:24
05. Hey Bartender 2:51
06. I'm a Woman 4:36
07. You Can Have My Husband 2:45
08. Please Don't Dog Me 5:16
09. Wang Dang Doodle 4:51

Koko Taylor (vocals); 
Johnny B. Moore, Sammy Lawhorn (guitar); 
Mervyn "Harmonica" Hinds (harmonica); 
Abb Locke (saxophone); 
Pinetop Perkins (keyboards); 
Cornelius "Mule" Boyson (bass), 
Vince Chappelle (drums).

Koko Taylor's second Alligator album from 1978 features eight blues standards and one self-composed number. As the title implies, the tempo is up. Subtle nuances give way to raw power. There's a remake of Taylor's only major R&B hit, "Wang Dang Doodle," amid like-minded floorshakers ("Let the Good Times Roll," "Spoonful," "Hey Bartender," and "You Can Have My Husband,") The band is very much in tune with the stated goals, and the solos are short and to-the-point. It has to be said that this music works better in concert than on record, but Taylor's protean energy goes a long way toward compensating for the inherent sterility of records. ---Colin Escott, Editorial Review

There is barely a single weak moment on Koko Taylor's 1978 LP. Sure, her remakes of "I'm A Man" (as "I'm A Woman") and "Wang Dang Doodle" are less than innovative, but everything else is just plain great. And Taylor is backed by an excellent combo which includes guitarists Johnny Moore and Sammy Lawhorn, saxist Abb Locke, and the legendary Joe "Pinetop" Perkins on the piano.

Very few people can cover Howlin' Wolf and get away with it, but Koko Taylor does as good as anybody on a really solid "Spoonful", and her swaggering renditions of Mel London's "Cut You Loose" and the saucy Irma Thomas-single "You Can Have My Husband" are just magnificent. "Let The Good Times Roll" and "Hey Bartender" still pop up on her set list today, and the self-penned slow blues "Please Don't Dog Me" is one of Taylor's best original songs. You really can't go wrong with any of Taylor's excellent recordings for Alligator records, but this one is as good as any of them, a must-have for fans, and casual listeners should find a lot to love as well. "The Earthshaker" is one great, well-arranged blues record with plenty of highlights and virtually no let-downs. ---Docendo Discimus, amazon.com

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Koko Taylor - Love You Like A Woman (1969 Edc. 1992)

2009-12-28T12:45:21Z

Koko Taylor - Love You Like A Woman (1992)


01 - Don't Mess With The Messer
02 - Whatever I Am, You Made Me
03 - I'm A Little Mixed Up
04 - Wang Dang Doodle
05 - Fire
06 - Insane Asylum
07 - I Don't Care Who Knows
08 - I Love You Like A Woman
09 - Yes, It's Good For You
10 - Twenty-Nine Ways
11 - Nitty Gritty
12 - I Love A Lover Like You
13 - I Got What It Takes
14 - What Kind Of Man Is This

Performer – Albert Luandrew, Buddy Guy, Clifton James, Donald Hankins, Fred Below Jr.,
 Gene Barge, Jack Myers, Johnny Shine, Lafayette Leake, M.T. Murphy, Walter Horton
Producer – Willie Dixon
Vocals – Koko Taylor

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Koko Taylor – Koko Taylor (1969)

2009-12-28T12:43:37Z

Koko Taylor – Koko Taylor (1969)


1. Love You Like a Woman
2. I Love a Lover Like You
3. Don't Mess With the Messer
4. I Don't Care Who Knows
5. Wang Dang Doodle
6. I'm a Little Mixed Up
7. Nitty Gritty
8. Fire
9. Whatever I Am, You Made Me
10. Twenty-Nine Ways to My Baby's Door
11. Insane Asylum
12. Yes, It's Good for You

Musicians:
Koko Taylor (vocals); 
Johnny "Twist" Williams, Matt Murphy, Buddy Guy (guitar); 
Walter Horton (harmonica); 
Gene Barge, Donald Hawkins (tenor saxophone); 
Albert "Sunnyland Slim" Luandrew, Lafayette Leake (piano, organ); 
Willie Dixon (bass, background vocals); 
Jack Myers (bass); 
Clifton James, Fred Below (drums).

In 1963 Koko Taylor was discovered by renowned bluesman Willie Dixon in a Chicago nightclub. Decades later, as a Grammy Award winner and the undisputed holder of the "Queen of the Blues" title, Taylor has achieved legendary status. An accomplished vocalist known for her hard-driving style, she is one of but a handful of women to receive widespread recognition in the male-dominated blues profession. The key to her success, Taylor admitted in an interview with Contemporary Musicians, is her adherence to traditional style. "I’m about the only woman out there singing the old, traditional Mississippi blues," she said. "Guys like the Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters … this is where I got my inspiration from. This is where I got my courage and strength. I would think that’s what caused me to be where I am today."

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Koko Taylor - I Got What It Takes (1975)

2009-12-28T12:41:42Z

Koko Taylor - I Got What It Takes (1975)


01. Be What You Want To Be Lyrics
02. Big Boss Man
03. Blues Never Die
04. Find A Fool
05. Happy Home
06. Honkey Tonkey
07. I Got What It Takes
08. Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean
09. That's Why I'm Crying
10. Trying To Make A Living

Koko Taylor (vocals); 
Mighty Joe Young, Sammy Lawhorn (guitar); 
Abb Locke (saxophone); 
Bill Heid (keyboards); 
Cornelius Boyson (bass); 
Vince Chappelle (drums).

The queen's first album for Alligator, and still one of her very best to date. A tasty combo sparked by guitarists Mighty Joe Young and Sammy Lawhorn and saxist Abb Locke provide sharp support as the clear-voiced Taylor belts Bobby Saxton's "Trying to Make a Living," and Magic Sam's "That's Why I'm Crying," her own "Honkey Tonkey" and "Voodoo Woman," and Ruth Brown's swinging "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean." ---Bill Dahl, allmusic.com

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