James Booker - Resurrection Of The Bayou Maharajah (1993)

This recording is a great, great treasure. We are lucky to have Booker live, and of all the booker albums out, this one is perhaps the most profound. The first two tracks are astonishing, and throughout the album, Booker fuses Chopin, Monk, Fatha' Hines, and Cecil Taylor- but it's pure Booker, that mad genius. Musicians play the piano, but this is one case in which Booker tames the piano; he is in complete control, and as most people have stated- I, too, could swear that I hear at least 3 hands on the piano on all his recordings. Listen to "St. James Infirmary" on this record. It is one of the most diabollicaly painful, lonesome performances ever, ranking with the painful tunes of Hank Williams, Leadbelly, and Lennon.

Tracklist:

01. Medley: Slow Down/Bony Maronie/Knock On Wood/I Heard It Through The Grapevine/Classified
02. Medley: Tico Tico/Papa Was A Rascal
03. Medley: Lawdy Miss Clawdy/Ballad At The Maple Leaf
04. Minute Waltz
05. All By Myself
06. Save Your Love For Me
07. Junco Partner
08. St. James Infirmary
09. Gitanarias
10. Medley: Life/Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee/It Should Have Been Me
11. Pop's Dilemma/Irene Goodnight