Jennifer Review by Joe Viglione
With a plethora of producers over the years – including Martin Cooper, Al Capps, Stewart Levine, Rob Fraboni, Jim Ed Norman, Val Garay, and Jim Price – it is this obscure album produced by the Velvet Underground's John Cale that captures a very special moment for Jennifer Warnes. A beautiful faded cover photo with the word "Jennifer" floating across the top, this album stands as landmark interpretation by the artist, and a production for Cale as important as his first album for the Modern Lovers. Don't expect the sound to be anything like the quagmire of Velvetsonics that Cale allowed the legendary members of Jonathan Richman's band to create. This is a pure pop album. "Needle and Thread" is a replica of what Motown producer Frank Wilson was doing exactly at this moment in time with the new Supremes, and "Be My Friend" is Diana Ross from this same period, by way of songwriter Paul Rodgers from Free. As A&R for Warner Bros.

Man, does this set go down easy big easy! This gorgeous set features over 80 hits from New Orleans' most famous-and occasionally obscure-musical sons and daughters, 4 CDs of jazz, blues, Cajun, zydeco and funk all mixed together like a good 'n' spicy gumbo. An 84-page book takes you by the hand into the most notorious bars and restaurants as you listen to such Crescent City classics as Iko Iko Dr. John; Potato Head Blues Louis Armstrong; You Can Have My Husband Irma Thomas; I'm Walkin' Fats Domino; Let the Good Times Roll Shirley & Lee; Mother-in-Law Ernie K-Doe; Release Me Johnny Adams; Jambalaya Clifton Chenier; St. James Infirmary Preservation Hall Jazz Band; Hey Pocky A-Way Meters; Tell It Like It Is Aaron Neville; I Hear You Knocking Smiley Lewis; Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette) Benny Spellman; Tipitina Professor Longhair, and more.