J50: The Evolution of the Joker

by Steve Miller Band, Steve Miller

Overview

"You're in the wayback machine and the dial has been set to 1973," says Steve Miller at the start of J50: The Evolution of the Joker, a collection that documents the creation of the 1973 album that brought the Steve Miller Band from psych-blues cult favorites to album rock staples. It's a long journey, spanning two CDs and featuring 27 previously unreleased cuts, all assembled to follow a story narrated by Steve Miller himself. The first section features Miller playing a bunch of SMB material as solo acoustic numbers while on tour in 1972. Stripping away the band helps focus attention on the songs, preparing the listener for the rest of the collection where each cut from The Joker is surrounded by early or alternate versions intended to show how Miller arrived at the final version. This same approach also applies to such outtakes as "Lidi," "Travelin'," and "I Don't Mind," a strategy that does indeed help illustrate how songs can transform either on-stage or in the recording studio. It often makes for fascinating listening but as a collective, the album can play a bit like an extended Westwood One Radio Special: it's designed to be heard as a collective, not picked apart. This sense that J50 is a documentary, not entertainment, is enhanced by the fact that the original album of The Joker is not heard as an entirety anywhere on the set: it's all about the sessions, not the finished product. That ensures that J50: The Evolution of the Joker is only for diehards but that's the audience this set targets: it's a thorough exploration of familiar territory that manages to find something new. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	09/15/2023
Label:	Capitol / Umr
UPC:	0602455855657

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Steve Miller Band   Primary Artist
Steve Miller   Primary Artist,Vocals,Harmonica,Guitar
Dick Thompson   Organ
Dickie Thompson   Guitar,Clavinet,Organ,Keyboards
Jack King   Drums
Lonnie Turner   Bass
Ross Valory   Bass
Alan Thomson   Organ
Gerald Johnson   Bass,Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
John King   Drums
Curley Cooke   Guitar
Sneaky Pete Kleinow   Pedal Steel

Technical Credits

Obediah Donnell "Obie" Jessie   Composer
Janice Miller   Producer
Steve Miller   Mixing,Composer,Producer,Mastering,Liner Notes,Remastering,Group Member,Art Direction,Mastering Engineer
Kent Hertz   Mixing,Mastering,Remastering,Mixing Engineer,Mastering Engineer
Anthony DeCurtis   Liner Notes
Geoff Muldaur   Composer
John Palladino   Coordination
Dickie Thompson   Group Member
Sweet   Mastering Engineer
Ahmet Ertegun   Composer
Young Jessie   Composer
Gerald Johnson   Group Member
Ben Sidran   Composer
Eddie Curtis   Composer
Jay Ranellucci   Mixing,Engineer
Robert Johnson   Composer,Composer
Obie Jessie   Composer
Glyn Johns   Producer
Gene Hicks   Mixing Assistant,Assistant Engineer
John Van Hamersveld   Design
Michael Ruthig   Project Manager
Norman Seeff   Design,Photography
Vartan Kurjian   Art Direction
Greg MacCarthy   Engineer
John Hoernle   Art Direction
John King   Group Member
Charles Calhoun   Composer
Josh Graham   Design,Artwork
Steven Haworth Miller   Composer
Will De Zengotita   Associate Producer