Katie Webster – I Know That’s Right / Arhoolie CD-393

Description

Arhoolie CD 393

Katie Webster – vocal and piano;
with John Lumsdaine – guitar; Clay Cotton – organ; Bruce Unsworth Jim Peterson Nancy Wright – sax; Steve Ehrmann – bass; Steve Griffith – drums.

Katie Webster, the queen of swamp blues piano, is one of America’s great rhythm and blues vocal and piano stylists, accompanied here by Hot Links. Most of the selections are Webster originals and based on real-life experiences.

This album includes all of ARH LP 1094 plus 4 previously unissued cuts.

1. I Know That’s Right
2. Jimmy Jimmy
3. Don’t Accuse Me
4. I Want You To Love Me
5. Katie’s Boogie Woogie
6. Million Dollar Secret
7. When Something Is Wrong With My Baby
8. Voodoo Bliss
9. Bo Jenkins
10. Jesus Loves Me (Trad.)
11. Snatch It And Grab It
12. Misty Blue
13. Shake Rattle And Roll
14. Only A Look (Trad)

REVIEWS

“’I Know That’s Right’ blends Katie Webster’s Louisiana style with straight blues and boogie-woogie. Webster’s a master pianist. She intersperses powerhouse runs nimble phrasing and gospel riffs and keeps everything moving in a casual yet hypnotic fashion. Webster’s vocal style has elements of down-home acerbity fervent pleas and plaintive questioning as well as comedic and intense aspects. She never sings a chorus or melody the same on any number and it’s extremely interesting to hear her changing direction or varying the way she sings from stanza to stanza. Katie Webster is the kind of singer who never gets boring or tiring…the album sizzles and shimmers.”

(Ron Wynn — The Bridgeport Post & Telegram)

“No doubt many people have become familiar with Katie Webster due to her recent recordings for Alligator Records. What many people may not be aware of is the fact that Katie has been around – at least on recordings – since the late 50s. She’s been playing piano and singing her brand of Louisiana musicblues soul R&B and boogie-woogie heading up her own groups and as the house pianist for Excello Records. Gee I’m making her sound like she’s ready for the rocking chair. Not true. I only wanted to let you know about her credentials which are many including a stint with Otis Redding during his “Dock of the Bay” days. Originally released as Arhoolie LP 1094 this new CD has added four previously unreleased tracks and as with the LP Katie is backed by the Hot Links band or performs as a solo artist. Most of the tunes are originals and all have that indelible Louisiana flavor and variation of style from the deep blues of “Bo Jenkins” (a tune about a man whose guitar only has five strings and three of those are rubber bands!) to the lively good times of “Snatch It and Grab It.” Also included are the bouncing solo piano of “Katie’s Boogie Woogie” and the candid “Jimmy Jimmy.” If you want to see what Katie Webster was doing before Alligator and the masses caught up with her (actually it was business as usual) then you couldn’t do much better than this fine reissue which rates up there with the best of her recordings.”

(Tony Miller — BBS Newsletter)