Geoff & Maria Muldaur - Sweet Potatoes
1971 - Reprise Records
In the midst of leaving the Jim Kweskin
Jug Band and beginning the juggernaut that would be the solo career of
Maria Muldaur, the happily singing and swinging couple made several
sides which made expert use of a loose-knit group of players who had
grown into masters of the folk revival arts. At times the choice of
material on this album is unfortunately lazy; "Havana Moon" was a song
that not even Chuck Berry himself could complete without boredom
setting in, and the efforts here don't pay off much better. At the same
time, the players here really don't need much more than the most basic
framework from which to jump off and they are hard at it, pushing the
music forward with a sense of purpose that inevitably helped it earn
its hard-fought respectability. As a whole, Sweet Potatoes is something
of a masterwork, rich and revealing, possessing the contagious
enthusiasm of young musicians finding a personal voice in the rich
traditions of the past as well as the relaxed sophistication that
develops when these players are no longer novices. The Geoff and Maria
Muldaur combination, when it was working, was also very special, a
challenging partnership that also was something of an inviting nucleus
to the players with the talent to be drawn into the fold. This album
contains some of the better playing of harmonica man Paul Butterfield,
removed from the hyper-drive excess of his blues bands. "Kneein' Me"
and "Cordelia" are among the song highlights. © Eugene Chadbourne, All
Music Guide
1.Blue Railroad Train by Alton Delmore
2.Havana Moon by Chuck Berry
3.Lazybones by Hoagy Carmichael & Johnny Mercer
4.Cordelia by Geoff Muldaur
5.Dardanella by F. Fisher, F. Bernard, J. Black
6.I'm Rich by Geoff Muldaur
7.Sweet Potatoes by Jeff Gutcheon
8.Kneein' Me by Geoff Muldaur
9.Lover Man (Oh Where Can You Be) by R. Ramirez, J. Davis, J. Sherman
10.Hard Time Killin' Floor by Nehemiah James
BAND
Geoff Muldaur Vocals, Piano, Guitar, Luzan, Organ, Horns
Maria Muldaur Vocals, Tambourine
Amos Garrett Electric Guitar, Trombone, Vocal on track 3
Bill Keith Pedal Steel
Billy Mundi Drums, Luzan, Percussions
John Kahn Bass
GUESTS
Paul Butterfield Harmonica
Jeff Gutcheon Piano
Bobby Notkoff Violin
Trevor Lawrence Bariton Sax
Peter Ecklund Trumpet
Gene Dinwiddie Tenor Sax
Munc Blackburn Alto Sax
Junior Turlock Bass
Stu Brotman Bowed Bass, Bass Trombone
Billy Wolf Bass on track 10
Joe Boyd Producer on track 10