Bman's Blues Report

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' work, Are You One Of Jay's Kids , and it's creative, strange and cool. Screamin' Jay was a showman, being carried on stage in a coffin and emerging with a bone in his nose, but he was serious about his music. I first became aware of Hawkins' work through CCR and then later Leslie West but this guy way really hanging it all out there. Disc one opens with Louis Jordan's Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby , with his dramatic vocals but not at all lacking with production quality or musical integrity with tight backing vocals and clever guitar soloing. Jump track, I Feel Alright is played pretty straight with aggressive drums and classic 50's vocal backing and cool guitar work and a hot sax solo. His ultimate money track, I Put A Spell On You , gets an odd dance mix with Matt Guitar Murphy style guitar rhythm and rapping backing. BB King's track, I Hear You Kno...

Jalacy Hawkins (July 18, 1929, Cleveland, Ohio — February 12, 2000, Neuilly-sur-Seine, France), best known as Screamin' Jay Hawkins was an African-American musician, singer, and actor. Famed chiefly for his powerful, operatic vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of songs such as "I Put a Spell on You", Hawkins sometimes used macabre props onstage, making him one of the few early shock rockers. If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”