Edgar Winter - Jazzin' The Blues (2004)

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Edgar Winter - Jazzin' The Blues (2004)

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Having seen Edgar Winter this summer at an outdoor festival, I was quite impressed with the chops he has maintained and the high level of musicianship that accompanies his act. He hasn't aged a bit, still sings like he was in his 20's and blows a mean sax and plays a meaner keyboard set up. This album is what I've preferred during my Edgar listening years – more of the R&B, white trash style. Granted, it's toned down quite a bit with a jazzier influence, but it makes for a very good listening experience. Superb mix, great vocals, and some crazy renditions of his old hits, plus some very tasty new tunes. Probably what stands out the most to me, however, is his organ playing. He's got the keyboards dialed in to sound like a very meaty B-3 and the chord arrangements are sweet indeed. Great guest artists, including his current band line up which are super players. It's not very often you can get a album that not only has great vocals, great rhythm, great arrangements, a wide selection of tunes (fast, slow, funk, blues, soul, smooth, old swing band), a great mix, and great musicians –- all together mixed up in a basket of jazz – Edgar style.

Review by The Bobster, Amazon.com

Edgar Winter is a genius with cajones of steel. His mighty music (actually it's so amazing it's beyond music) kicks your butt and hugs your soul always leaving you wanting more, more, MORE!!! His live shows take you on a varied musical voyage never leaving his Blues and Jazz roots behind. I've seen him perform about a-killzion times since 1971 including 4 brilliant performances this last month and he does the job and then some every single time. "Jazzin' the Blues" is quite simply a masterpiece, much in the tradition of his first album "Entrance" and 1975's "Jasmine Nightdreams". Brilliant songwriting, melodies that immediately attatch themselves to you not letting go (and you don't want 'em to!),brilliant instrumentation and arrangements, and even his reworked standards such as "Frankenstein (Frankie Swings)" and "Free Ride" become different songs than the originals and just as powerful. "God Did It" is a wonderful shuffle type song that puts the Bible into music in about 4 minutes making even the most confirmed Athiest into a believer (or at least an Agnostic) and "Keys to the Kingdom" are so beautiful that you'll swear that you've heard those melodies before, but you haven't. Once you hear them though they'll be in your head for a long time making a bad day good and a good day perfect. This beautiful disc should be a must for any Edgar fan and any fan of great music played by one of the best musicians/performers/all around great guys to grace our lives with his positivity and God given talent. BUY THIS ONE!!! You won't be sorry! Get it for someone you love and they'll love you even more.

Review by Steven Pearl, Amazon.com

This set of Edgar Winter's jazzy remakes of older tunes and some new ones is all over the place. With a cast that includes guitarists Robben Ford and Hiram Bullock, Steve Lukather, and Michael Hakes, and bassists like Will Lee, Mark Meadows, and Tom Lilly, as well as trumpeter Lee Thornburg, one gets exactly what one expects: a slick, groove-infested ride through Winter's past and present. Winter himself plays alto saxophone, keyboard and sings in places. He also acts as the album's producer, which is not a good thing. Other than the Hammond B3, the keyboards sound like bad 1980's sci-fi soundtrack-reject mixes, and the arrangements on some of the tunes border on the laughable – particularly the remakes of "Free Ride (Smooth") -yes, as in a smooth jazz version, and "Frankenstein (Frankie Swing)" that must have been an afterthought because it feels so forced and false.

Review by Thom Jurek, Allmusic.com

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Edgar Winter - Jazzin' The Blues (2004)

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Edgar Winter - Jazzin' The Blues (2004)

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Edgar Winter - Jazzin' The Blues (2004)

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