Lucky PETERSON - Black Midnight Sun 2002

Lucky PETERSON - Black Midnight Sun 2002

Blues

Black Midnight Sun is the first release on the Dreyfus label by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Lucky Peterson, joined here by producer Bill Laswell on bass and former Parliament/Funkadelic drummer Jerome "Bigfoot" Braily. While the disc features a few Peterson originals, the majority of the album relies on cover versions. Luckily, Peterson picked several that he's well suited to tackle, including "Herbert Harper's Free Press" (Muddy Waters), "Lucky in Love" (Mick Jagger), "Is It Because I'm Black" (Syl Johnson), "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone" (Johnnie Taylor), "Talkin' Loud and Saying Nothing" (James Brown), and "Thank You for Talkin' to Me Africa" (Sly Stone). Black Midnight Sun is a combination of electric blues, rock, soul, and funk that, for the most part, works just fine.
By Al Campbell. AMG.
**
Guitarist-organist-singer Peterson shatters the boundaries of blues to make his finest album. First, there’s the sound: crystalline, enveloping, and beat-conscious thanks to producer and bassist Bill Laswell. Then there are the stories, which range from Peterson’s take on the two-timing "Jody" yarns that run through southern blues to the hard-edged contemplation of prejudice "Is It Because I’m Black." His taste in covers is great, too, from a New Orleans funk version of the overlooked Muddy Waters anti-war gem "Herbert Harper’s Free Press News" to obscure soul demigod Howard Tate’s "She’s a Burglar" to Sly Stone’s "Thank You for Talkin’ to Me Africa." And jazz genius Henry Threadgill's flute helps Peterson transform Howlin’ Wolf’s "Smokestack Lightnin’" into an ethereal psychedelic trip. Best of all, though, is the sheer visceral quality of Peterson’s performances. His singing is strong, confident, and low-pitched, and his guitar is especially artful and gritty, finally matching the power of his organ virtuosity. Put this one on 2003’s "best-of" list.
By Ted Drozdowski.
**
Lucky Peterson- (Vocals, Guitar, Electric Piano, Organ, Synthesizer);
Henry Threadgill- (Flute, Horns);
Alex J. Harding- (Baritone Sax);
Graham Haynes- (Cornet);
Jesse Dulman- (Tuba);
Bill Laswell- (Bass);
Jerome "Bigfoot" Brailey- (Drums).
**
01. Herbert Harper's Free Press News 5:20
02. Lucky In Love 5:15
03. Is It Because I'm Black 4:50
04. Jody's Got Your Girl And Gone 3:53
05. Smokestack Lightning 5:07
06. Black Midnight Sun 4:58
07. She's A Burglar 4:39
08. Truly Your Friend 5:19
09. Talkin' Loud And Saying Nothing 4:12
10. Changes Your Ways 5:29
11. Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa 5:59
**
NoPassword
*
DLink
*

Lucky PETERSON - I am Ready 1993

Lucky PETERSON - I am Ready 1993

Blues

Lucky Peterson is a smooth operator, cool and always in control with a guitar tone reminiscent of the more restrained sides of Roy Buchanan or Carlos Santana. He's capable of lashing out, though, as the livewire showstopper "Don't Cloud Up On Me" ably proves. But this versatile musician is most distinctive with his Hammond organ and Wurlitzer electric piano sound, instruments that he's been playing professionally since the age of five. Check out the heady swirl of instrumental workout "Junk Yard" on this front although comparisons to Billy Preston will be inevitable.
By Roch Parisien, All Music Guide.
**
Lucky Peterson- (Vocals, Guitar, Wurlitzer piano, Hammond organ);
Danny Draher, Ernie Lancaster, Larry McCray- (Guitar);
Illinois Jacquet- Tenor Sax;
Paul Ossola, Wilbur Bascomb- (Bass);
Crusher Green, Tony Coleman- (Drums);
Jim Saporito- (Percussion).
Crispin Cioe- (Alto Sax,Baritone Sax);
Arno Hecht- (Tenor Sax);
Laurence Etkin- (Trumpet);
Bob Funk- (Trombone).
**
01. I'm Ready (4:33)
02. It Ain't Right (3:55)
03. You Shook Me (5:29)
04. Junkyard (6:19)
05. Who's Been Talking? (5:00)
06. I Lost Faith Last Night (5:23)
07. Tribute to the King (7:54)
08. On the Sea of Love (3:57)
09. Nothing But Smoke (8:13)
10. Spankin' Leroy (5:05)
11. Don't Cloud up on Me (3:47)
12. Precious Lord, Take My Hand (2:46)
**
NoPassword
*
DLink
*

Lucky PETERSON - Lucky Strikes 1989

Lucky PETERSON - Lucky Strikes 1989
Label: Alligator Records

Blues

Child-prodigy status is sometimes difficult to overcome upon reaching maturity. Not so for Lucky Peterson -- he's far bigger (in more ways than one) on the contemporary blues circuit than he was at the precocious age of six, when he scored a national R&B hit with the Willie Dixon-produced "1-2-3-4."

Little Lucky Peterson was lucky to be born into a musical family. His dad, James Peterson, owned the Governor's Inn, a popular Buffalo, NY, blues nightclub that booked the biggies: Jimmy Reed, Muddy Waters, Bill Doggett. The latter's mighty Hammond B-3 organ fascinated the four-and-a-half-year-old lad, and soon Peterson was on his way under Dixon's tutelage. "1-2-3-4" got Peterson on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show, but he didn't rest on his laurels, he was doubling on guitar at age eight, and at 17, he signed on as Little Milton's keyboardist for three years.

A three-year stint with Bobby Bland preceded Peterson's solo career launch, which took off when he struck up a musical relationship with Florida-based producer Bob Greenlee. Two Greenlee-produced albums for Alligator, 1989's Lucky Strikes! and the following year's Triple Play, remain his finest recorded offerings. Extensive session work behind everyone from Etta James and Kenny Neal to Otis Rush also commenced during this period.

In 1992, Peterson's first Verve label album, I'm Ready, found him boldly mixing contemporary rock and soul into his simmering blues stew. More high-energy Verve sets followed, making it clear that Peterson's luck remains high (as does his father's, who's fashioned his own career as a bluesman with albums for Ichiban and Waldoxy). Lucky made his debut for new label Blue Thumb with a self-titled effort released in 1999. Double Dealin' followed in early 2001.
By Bill Dahl, All Music Guide.
**
Lucky Peterson plays guitar, keyboards and sings on this Alligator release but generally ends up with what I call 'lightweight blues'. He is an adequate musician but fails to deliver much that is substantial. The first indication is that many of the tracks 'fill' the sound with horns which just end up clutterring the listening. There are some worthwhile tracks however such as 'She spread her wings' and 'Over my Head' which produce more on the pure blues lines.
By Bob Davis.
**
01 - Over My Head  3:56
02 - Pounding Of My Heart  3:08
03 - Can't Get No Loving On The Telephone  3:18
04 - She Spread Her Wings (And Flew Away)  4:39
05 - Lucky Strikes  4:01
06 - Dead On The Line  3:11
07 - Bad Feeling  6:17
08 - Heart Attack  3:10
09 - Earlene  4:16
*
NoPassword
*
DLink
*