Crazy 8's

by The Terry Adams Rock & Roll Quartet

Overview

Few musicians, regardless of genre or instrument, can communicate the pure joy of being caught up in their music the way Terry Adams does, and Crazy 8's, a live collection from Adams' Rock & Roll Quartet, is a wildly enjoyable reminder of why Adams is still one of the most irrepressible figures in American music four decades after NRBQ cut their debut album. Crazy 8's was recorded during a pair of 2009 radio sessions, and as the band's name suggests, this music finds Adams and his bandmates digging into their rock & roll influences, with covers of classic Big Joe Turner, Allen Toussaint, and Johnny Cash numbers appearing alongside a handful of Adams originals. The sound and approach of this combo won't surprise anyone familiar with Adams long tenure with NRBQ, but they swing with the same free-spirited elan, and guitarist Scott Ligon, bassist Pete Donnelly, and drummer Conrad Choucroun have the skill and the enthusiasm to keep up with Adams as he explores the melodies of these songs on his keyboards, and Ligon is also a first-rate singer who takes over on lead vocals for a few numbers. Crazy 8's is straightforward stuff, but listen carefully to this band in action, and you'll notice plenty of smart, adventurous things going on beneath the sunny surfaces, and if ever there was a response to the notion that rock & roll is dumb stuff without the imagination of jazz, this album is it. And if "Imaginary Radio" describes a broadcast outlet that exists only in Adams' head, you'd be sure to tune in if they ever got an FCC license. Like a good grilled-cheese sandwich, Crazy 8's may seem modest, but it's tasty and satisfying and more than welcome at any discerning table. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	01/19/2010
Label:	CLANG
UPC:	0614511763226

Tracks

1. Never Cop Out
2. There Sould Be a Book
3. 'Til It's Over
4. Get Down Grandpa
5. My Girl My Girl
6. Crazy Eights
7. Hey Punkin Head
8. Honey Hush
9. Imaginary Radio
10. Get Rhythm

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Terry Adams Rock & Roll Quartet   Primary Artist
Conrad Choucroun   Drums,Vocals (Background)
Scott Ligon   Guitar,Vocals
Pete Donnelly   Bass,Vocals (Background)
Terry Adams   Piano,Vocals,Clavinet

Technical Credits

Chris Williams   Engineer
Conrad Choucroun   Cover Photo
Terry Adams   Composer
Johnny Cash   Composer
Lou Willie Turner   Composer
Allen Toussaint   Composer
Norm DeMoura   Mastering
Adam Clairmont   Engineer
T. Adams   Arranger
Howard Glassman   General Manager
Jill Christiansen   Art Direction
Anne Rolland   Graphic Design
Tib Miller   Project Manager