HEAR TODAY A NEW `RAINY NIGHT' FROM TONY JOE WHITE.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer Forget the ``blue-eyed'' appellation ap·pel·la·tion n. 1. A name, title, or designation. 2. A protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district. 3. The act of naming. -- Southern songwriting icon Tony Joe White makes bayou soul music, pure and simple. Over a career now entering its fifth decade, White established himself as the uncontested king of a swampy, blues-drenched sound. An enigmatic, low-key figure who is a star in France, White is best-known in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. as the composer of numbers that became signature songs for others, like ``Polk Salad Annie'' (Elvis Presley) or ``Rainy Night in Georgia'' (Brook Benton, Ray Charles For the composer and conductor of the Ray Charles Singers, see . Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) known by his stage name Ray Charles, was a pioneering American pianist and soul musician who shaped the sound of rhythm and blues. ). Born 63 years ago in upstate Louisiana, White broke into the business on the tough Texas club circuit. His first record in 1969 contained the song (``Polk Salad Annie'') and vibe that would put his name into the Top 10 and make him an enduring favorite of r&b aficionados around the world. In nearly three dozen albums, White's ingenious minor-key guitar groove, minimalist arrangements and earthy whisper has never wavered. His latest album, ``Uncovered'' (Swamp; $17.98), positively oozes from the speakers. The slow-burning disc features seven new compositions and reimagined versions of his classics ``Rainy Night in Georgia,'' ``Did Somebody Make a Fool Out of You'' and ``Taking the Midnight Train.'' Friends making cameos include the late Waylon Jennings Waylon Arnold Jennings (June 15 1937 – February 13 2002) was a respected and influential American country music singer and musician. A self-taught guitar player, he rose to prominence as a bass player for Buddy Holly following the break-up of The Crickets. (in one of his last sessions) and guitarists Eric Clapton, J.J. Cale and Mark Knopfler. We reached White -- who makes a rare local appearance Oct. 3 at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood -- at his home in Franklin, Tenn. Q: Your new version of ``Rainy Night in Georgia'' is slower than the other versions I've heard. A: When I first wrote it, I did it kind of fast, and it lost some of its power. Then, when Brook Benton sang it, I had to learn how to do it all over again. It took years to get it the way I wanted it. This version -- it was real cold outside, and we just did it all in one take. Everything was right: the breath, the mood. We used a cello and church voices, a little bit of Spanish guitar. This is how I always imagined it should sound. Q: It was good to see J.J. Cale coming out of retirement to play on the record. A: People say we can sound pretty similar. I can see that. We've been friends a long, long time, but I've never asked him to put anything down on tape. We sent him two songs and didn't hear anything for a couple of weeks. Then, we got this CD in the mail -- he'd gone into his studio and laid down vocals, harmonies, guitar, mandolin mandolin (măn'dəlĭn`, măn`dəlĭn'), musical instrument of the lute family, with a half-pear-shaped body, a fretted neck, and a variable number of strings, plucked with the fingers or with a plectrum. , Wurlitzer piano -- all on one of the songs (``Louvelda''). And he sent along this note that said, ``Hope you don't mind, but I wrote a couple of extra verses, too.'' It was so cool, man; I framed the letter. Here's a sample of other new releases in stores this week: Beyonc(hrt)'s ``B'day'' (Sony; $18.98) comes the day after her 25th birthday. Joshua Bell refashions classical favorites on ``Voice of the Violin'' (Sony; $18.98). U.K. metal legend Iron Maiden roars back with ``A Matter of Life and Death'' (Sanctuary; $19.98) in a deluxe package. George Winston pays pastoral tribute to New Orleans in ``Gulf Coast Blues'' (RCA See RCA connector and video/TV history. ; $18.98). Four years after singer Layne Staley's fatal OD, ``The Essential Alice in Chains'' (Sony; $24.98) offers a reappraisal of the Seattle grunge grunge - /gruhnj/ 1. That which is grungy, or that which makes it so. 2. [Cambridge] Code which is inaccessible due to changes in other parts of the program. The preferred term in North America is dead code. peddlers. ALSO IN STORES ``Sister Soul: The Best of the RCA Years (1969-76),'' Carolyn Franklin (Kent import; $19.98) ``The Wicker Man'' (soundtrack), Angelo Badalamenti (Silva; $16.98) ``Legends of Country Music: Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys'' (Columbia Legacy; $39.98) ``Cool & Collected,'' Miles Davis (Sony; $18.98) ``Funnel Cloud,'' Hem (Nettwerk; $15.98) ``Crunchy Munchy Music,'' Wiggles wiggles - [scientific computation] In solving partial differential equations by finite difference and similar methods, wiggles are sawtooth (up-down-up-down) oscillations at the shortest wavelength representable on the grid. (Koch; $9.98) ``The Best of Kinky kink·y adj. kink·i·er, kink·i·est 1. Tightly twisted or curled: kinky hair. 2. Friedman,'' Kinky Friedman (Shout! Factory; $13.98) ``Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanukkah,'' Klezmatics (JMG JMG Journal of Medical Genetics JMG Junior Master Gardener JMG Journal of Metamorphic Geology JMG Junior Maine Guide JMG Joint Meteorological Group JMG Jam Master Geordie ; $17.98) ``Reina,'' Kinky (Nettwerk; $15.98) ``Good Monsters,'' Jars of Clay Jars of Clay is a rock band from Franklin, Tennessee. They met at Greenville College in Greenville, Illinois. Jars of Clay is Dan Haseltine on vocals, Charlie Lowell on piano and keyboards, Stephen Mason on lead guitars and Matthew Odmark on rhythm guitars. (Essential; $17.98) ``Twist in the Myth,'' Blind Guardian (Nuclear Blast; $16.98) ``Billy Gilman,'' Billy Gilman (Image; $17.98) ``Perfecto per·fec·to n. pl. per·fec·tos A cigar of standard length, thick in the center and tapered at each end. [From Spanish, perfect, from Latin perfectus; see perfect.] Presents Sandra Collins Part 2,'' Sandra Collins (Thrive; $21.98) ``Revelations,'' Audioslave (Sony; $18.98) CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) no caption (Tony Joe White) (2) no caption (CD cover) |
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