Confessin' the Blues
1975 studio album by Esther Phillips
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Confessin' the Blues is an album by the American musician Esther Phillips.[2][3] It was released in 1975, with an Atlantic Jazzlore reissue in 1987.[4][5]
| Confessin' the Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1975 | |||
| Recorded | 1966, 1970 | |||
| Label | Atlantic[1] | |||
| Producer | Nesuhi Ertegun, King Curtis | |||
| Esther Phillips chronology | ||||
| ||||
The album peaked at No. 170 on the Billboard 200.[6]
Production
The album was produced by Nesuhi Ertegun and King Curtis.[7] It is made up of two recording sessions. The first side contains big band numbers conducted by Onzy Matthews.[5] The second side was recorded with a quartet of jazz musicians at the Pied Piper Club, in Los Angeles.[6] The songs on the first side were recorded in 1966; the songs on side two in 1970.[8] Donald Bailey played drums on some of the tracks.[9]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [10] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[11] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide |  [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [12] |
Robert Christgau opined that "consistent material (lots of twelve-bar) and the complete absence of violins make these sessions ... preferable to the run of her Kudu albums."[11]
The Washington Informer called the first side "Phillips at her best, with the kind intelligently conceived support that her major talent deserved."[5] The Ottawa Citizen wrote that "there's some gutsy, wailing playing here and great arrangements by Onzy Matthews."[8] The Omaha World-Herald determined that "the whining sound of her voice could become somewhat irritating, but she had a way with soulful songs."[13]
AllMusic called the closing medley "the highlight of the set, showing Phillips in a bluesy setting."[10] The Rolling Stone Album Guide wrote that the performances are "amusing, bittersweet and heart-rending."[12] The Houston Chronicle listed the album as one of the 75 essential Texas blues albums.[14]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I'm Gettin' 'Long Alright" | |
| 2. | "I Wonder" | |
| 3. | "Confessin' the Blues" | |
| 4. | "Romance in the Dark" | |
| 5. | "C.C. Rider" | |
| 6. | "Cherry Red" | |
| 7. | "In the Evenin'" | |
| 8. | "I Love Paris" | |
| 9. | "It Could Happen to You" | |
| 10. | "Bye Bye Blackbird" | |
| 11. | "Blow Top Blues / Jelly Jelly Blues / Long John Blues" |