Keb’ Mo’ – Suitcase
Keb’ Mo : Electric Guitar & National Steel Guitar, Steel Dobro, Pogreba Resonator Guitar
Fran Banish : Electric Guitar, Volume Swells Guitar,
Michael Finnigan : Hammond B3
Reggie McBride : Bass
Sergio Gonzalez : Drums
Kat Dyson : Leslie Guitar
Jeff Paris : Wurlitzer Electric Piano, Mandolin
Jon Cleary : Piano & Hammond B3
Paulinho da Costa : Percussion
Greg Leisz : Pedal Steel Guitar
And the Texacali Horns
Darrell Leonard : Trumpet, Trombonium
Joe Sublett : Tenor Saxophone
Terry Wollman : Electric Baritone Guitar
Paul Oscher : Harp
Steve Ferrone : Drums
Greg Tardy : Clarinet
John Porter : Mandolin Solo
Background Vocals : Sir Harry Bowens, Sweetpea Atkinson, Vince Bonham, James Ingram & Vida Simon
1 LP, Gatefold sleeve
Original analog Master tape : YES
Heavy Press : 180g
Record color : black
Speed : 33 RPM
Size : 12'’
Stereo
Studio
Record Press : Pallas
Label : Pure Pleasure
Original Label : EPIC
Recorded by Rik Pekkonen & John Porter at Shangri La Studio, Malibu, ca & Studio West Los Angelea, ca
Mixed by John Porter at The Dune Room, Maliliu, CA
Additional Engineering by Mark Johnson at Stu Stu Studio, West Los Angeles, CA
Produced by John Porter
Remastered by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London
Originally released in 2006
Tracks:
Side A :
2. The Itch
3. Eileen
4. Remain silent
5. Still there for me
6. Rita
Side B :
2. Suitcase
3. Whole 'nutha thang
4. I see love
5. I'll be your water
6. Life is beautiful.
Reviews:
« On Suitcase, his eighth studio release, Keb' Mo' (Kevin Moore) reunites with John Porter, the producer of Moore's critically lauded first album, and the result is a pleasant, midtempo suite of songs dedicated to the emotional baggage everyone carries with them as they plow through increasingly complicated lives in search of peace, love, and some measure of personal redemption. Moore covers this ground with a wink and a grin in his voice, though, and Suitcase emerges as a wry commentary on modern life that still manages to sound bright and positive, beginning with the effervescent, sprung reggae rhythm of the opening track, "Your Love," one of the best cuts here. Other highlights include the lovely ballad, "Still There for Me," a celebration of the little man and his private victories, "I'm a Hero," and the soothing, hopeful shuffle that closes things out, "Life Is Beautiful." Moore is generally classified as a blues player, but the truth is, aside from his first album, he has actually done very little true blues material, and it is probably more accurate to call what he does blues-informed, but even that ignores the point that he is probably much closer in tone, theme, and feel to James Taylor than he is to Robert Johnson or any other blues figure. He does turn to the blues here, though, on the title track, "Suitcase," and morphs it into a wonderfully engaging song about what people bring into a romantic relationship and what they take away in the end, making full use of the "emotional baggage" connection inherent in the title. It is Keb' Mo' at his best, drawing on his ability to synthesize roots forms like the blues into completely contemporary commentaries on the struggles, travails, and blind faith in personal redemption that accompanies people as they slog their way daily ever deeper into the 21st century. » AllMusic Review by Steve Leggett
Ratings :
AllMusic : 3.5 / 5 , Discogs : 4.52 / 5