Elly Roberts reviews
Solomon Burke: Nashville
Distributed by
Snapper Music
- Released: October 2006
- Rating: 8/10
Dutch producer Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL, provided Solomon Burke
with his only UK single chart entry, a lowly positioned (no.63 for one week)
with Catch Up To My Step in 2003.
Back in the '60s the enormous 66 year old was a pioneer of soul music, though
ironically it was a country and western single, Just Out Of Reach (Of
My Two Open Arms) that brought his first American hit in 1961. Now Burke
reckons, "There’s a revival in my soul that’s called Nashville."
Produced at Buddy Miller’s home studio in Tennessee with country buddies,
Dolly Parton, Patty Griffin, Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless, Burke the
father of 21 children and 70 grandchildren has returned to his latent love
affair – country music.
Though his voice is definitely unsuitable in places on this album of covers
by Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Don Williams et al, it has an undeniable
charm where the musicians have created the Nashville spirit. Burke is at his
best with the gospel-tinged belters – full of gusto and pathos on Seems Like
You’re Gonna Take Me Back, Springsteen’s Ain’t Got You.
His duets – Tomorrow Is Forever and We’re Gonna Hold On are
given added countrification by some rootsy touches by Parton and Emmylou
Harris’ country lilts.
Atta Way To Go, with lush blues-harp, pedal steel guitar and banjo
make up for Burke’s lack-lustre delivery, though he’s back on form on
swinging You’re The Kind Of Trouble.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.