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Amy Black: The Muscle Shoals Sessions

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Amy Black: The Muscle Shoals Sessions
Yes, you can go home again. That place where two generations before you have deep roots, and nostalgia floods the emotions. Vocalist Amy Black is from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, so if anyone has the birthright to walk into legendary Fame Studios to record an album, it's her. On The Muscle Shoals Sessions, she booked the studio, engaged a clan of local musicians, turned it into a labor of love, and in the process laid down a dozen tracks in the swampy mist where country and gospel encounter southern fried rhythm and blues.

So many hits have been recorded in Fame Studios that it would have been easy pickings to just cover the more illustrious songs, and leave it at that. Instead Black was astute enough to pick some of the lesser known, yet recognized songs, and added three originals that align with the "sound and feel" of both the studio and the accompanying band.

Opening with an upbeat take on the Sam Cooke opus "Bring It On Home," she interlocks with her excellent backing vocalists Ann and Regina McCrary, who perform exemplary throughout. The horns on every cut are up front and center, led by veteran arranger and trombonist Charles Rose, who has an impeccable background of years in the business. The man in charge of the rhythm section is none other than Spooner Oldham, the brilliant mastermind of thousands of sessions, who also anchored the keyboards.

Black weaves her way through local favorites as "Uptight, Good Man," a perennial buckle shiner that played on countless jukeboxes, and "Starting All Over Again," a smoldering tale of second chance love. Two of the more interesting covers are Bob Dylan's "Gotta Serve Somebody," featuring guitarist Will Kimbrough laying down tasteful leads and fills, and a sultry take on "You Gotta Move," where she gives the The Rolling Stones a run for the money.

As a songwriter, Black came armed with songs that flow seamlessly with the others, and are in tune with the musicians who played them. "Get To Me," is a Latin flavored grinder, but the highlight original is "Please Don't Give Up On Me," which conjures up vintage soul ballads of yesteryear. The closure number is Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On," which incidentally was Fame Studios first hit in 1961. It maintains that scratchy cha cha rhythm which distinguishes it, Black adorning from a woman's point of view, hanging back her vocal just a tinge in the tempo, for added sentiment.

There are great expectations when someone is attempting to capture the supernatural spirit of a highly regarded studio. Amy Black not only went back home for this record, but she went well prepared and with the talent to back herself up. The Muscle Shoals Sessions , exudes confidence and is a throwback to the days when records were made the old fashioned way, by hard work and good music.

Track Listing

Bring It On Home; Uptight, Good Man; Get to Me; Woman On Fire; You Gotta Move; Please Don’t Give Up On Me; Watch Dog; Starting All Over Again; Tighten Up; Gotta Serve Somebody; You Left the Water Running; You Better Move On.

Personnel

Amy Black: lead vocals; Spooner Oldham: Wurlitzer, organ; Will Kimbrough: guitars; Ann McCrary: backing vocals; Regina McCrary: backing vocals; Bryan Owings: drums, percussion; Paul Griffith: drums, percussion (8, 9, 11, 12); Charles Rose: horn arrangements, trombone; Steve Herrman: trumpet; Jim Hoke: saxophones; Lex Price: bass, producer; John Deaderick: organ, Wurlitzer (1, 4, 10).

Album information

Title: The Muscle Shoals Sessions | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Self Produced

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