Marcia Ball
Live! Down the Road
Alligator CD 4903
When the masses clamor, boy, you better pay attention. Ignore the masses
at your own peril. And the masses have been clamoring. Now while I don't know for sure the
technical definition of a clamor, I'm pretty sure it sounds somewhere between high pitched
whining and the rumble of a thousand stomachs growling in unison. Imagine that sound and
then, imagine it silenced by the arrival of a live Marcia Ball album. The masses spoke.
The Alligator company delivered. Low and behold, there is rejoicing in the land, dancing
in the streets and necking in the parlors.
Fourteen great tracks. Ms. Ball is an incredible, show stopping
performer and a live album from her just makes it all the more better. She is wonderful
live. There is nothing quite as exciting as hearing a world class blues piano player
hitting the 88's live, and this album adequately captures that raw energy and super
charged emotion of the moment. Lots of original tunes. Lots of great performances all the
way around. What more could those angry masses clamor for? Pat Boyack tearing it up on
guitar. Brad Andrew on tenor saxophone. Red Young on the B3! Reeeeeeeed!!!! Red is the
man. Mark Kazanoff on baritone saxophone. It's a remarkable crew of players turning in
some world class live music here.
But let's get to it: for my money, if I had any, the best tracks on the
disc are "Let Me Play With Your Poodle," a song for pet lovers I assume, and
""No Ordinary Woman" with help from Angela Strehli. On every song, Ms. Ball
demonstrates incredible prowess both on the vocals and the piano. She is a force of nature
and once again, the beauty of the live performance only reinforces what the studio albums
give us: incredible music. So clamor no more! You wanted her live? You got it!
- Bill Fountain -
Southwest Blues CD Review - May 2005
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