Mess of Blues | 
| Artist: Jeff Healey
Label: Ruf (Idn)
List Price: $17.98
Buy New: $9.25
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Rating:  15 reviews
Sales Rank: 210
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 1126
UPC: 710347112624
EAN: 0710347112624
ASIN: B0013JYWP6
Release Date: March 11, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: sealed
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| Tracks:
| • | I'm Torn Down | | • | How Blue Can You Get | | • | Sugar Sweet | | • | Jambalaya | | • | The Weight | | • | Mess O' Blues | | • | It's Only Money | | • | Like A Hurricane | | • | Sittin' On Top Of The World | | • | Shake, Rattle and Roll |
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| Customer Reviews: Read 10 more reviews...
Thank you, Jeff! April 12, 2008
BDH (Massachusetts USA)
31 out of 34 found this review helpful
Jeff Healey's first blues-rock release in eight years, "Mess Of Blues" is primarily made up of recent studio recordings, a couple recorded live at his Roadhouse club in Toronto, and a couple recorded live at the Islington Academy in London.
Though some like to think that great musicians are elevated to a status of eminent legend once they're deceased, that announcement would be redundant in Jeff Healey's case. He was already an authentic legend before the fact.
Back in 1988, when he released his debut album, See the Light, listeners knew immediately that they were hearing greatness for the first time. The fact that he rested his Fender Stratocaster on his lap like a lap-steel and played all of the chordal and fretboard formations in an approach all his own rendered him truly innovative and courageous to guitar players and music fans everywhere.
He became an authentic six-string hero instantly.
The fact that he was blinded before the age of one from a rare cancer, the sole significance in forcing him to develop such an atypical playing style, shed a light of reverence on his amazing talent. Though he went on to live a rewarding and fruitful existence - garnering respect and admiration from fellow musicians and fans worldwide - cancer once again surfaced, taking him at the age of 41 on March 2nd, 2008.
The shining light to the story is that his musical legacy will live on, and his memory will fill the minds and hearts of many for years to come.
Mess Of Blues is very much a part of that legacy.
The disc is a collection of classic blues songs and a few good old bluesy rockers, most of which were live favorites of Jeff Healey fans. The album opens with a rollicking rendition of "I'm Tore Down," with Jeff's scorching lead work adorning the whole song. The band then slows it down for an eight-minute version of "How Blue Can You Get." They display an ability to connect in this slow blues classic, and show that they're at home in authentic blues territory. The rhythm guitar playing of Dan Noordermeer and the keyboard work of Dave Murphy are prominent here. Healey drives it home in the latter part of the song with a sweet and terse lead solo, an attribute of a genuine bluesman.
They take the atmosphere out of the city clubs and move it down to bayou country for "Jumbalaya," with bassist Alec Fraser on the vocals. The classic Americana song segues nicely into the earthy "The Weight," a respectful cover that easily would appease The Band and writer Robbie Robertson.
"Mess O' Blues" comes across as the pivotal blues song on the album, as solid musicianship completes this concise, vibrant number. Jeff's licks flow fluidly alongside his spirited voice. Pianist Dave Murphy is all over his own composition, "It's Only Money," vocally and instrumentally. His electrifying piano phrasing, in the vein of Jerry Lee Lewis, lights the room on fire. Jeff cuts loose in the latter part of the song with a scorching lead solo.
An interesting rendition of Neil Young's "Like A Hurricane" transpires next, one of only a couple of tracks that stray from blues territory on the album. The band enters slow blues mode for "Sittin' On Top Of The World," which highlights the talents of both Healey and Murphy once again. The album is complete with a rollicking "Shake, Rattle, and Roll."
Mess Of Blues is an exciting collection from the Jeff Healey Band. In the liner notes Jeff wrote: "I am most grateful to Thomas Ruf for making it possible for me to record this CD, a straightforward, straight-ahead collection of performances by a band of which I'm very proud to be a part."
We all thank you, Jeff, for bestowing upon us a lot of great music over the years. Thanks for the memories.
A Fitting Epitaph March 23, 2008
MPQ (San Diego, Ca. United States)
17 out of 21 found this review helpful
This live disc is one of the finest releases of his career after years of not having much of anything out on CD. A fine collectioin of songs, even though they're all covers they're done in his style. Great guitar and singing as well. It's sad that he won't be around to enjoy the good reviews I know he'll get, but this is a great epitaph.
PS - check him out on the DVD "Live At Montreux." Some great live performances there as well.
JEFF Healey [1966 to 2008]...His best cover song album , ever! May 4, 2008
REGAN FLINT (Toronto , CANADA)
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
On , Saturday , May 5th , 2008...CREAM's bass player and vocalist , JACK BRUCE...DEEP PURPLE's , IAN GILLAN...and the...GUESS WHO / B.T.O. , legend , RANDY BACHMAN...all gathered in , Toronto , Canada , for the start of 2 sold out tribute concerts to honour one man...
...JEFF HEALEY [1966 to 2008]...
Who was...JEFF HEALEY?
He was a Jazz radio host on the CBC. A mean Jazz Trumpet player. A Jazz record collector of over 25,000+ old American Jazz LPs. A blues / rock artist , a singer and a song writer. He was an actor in the movie called , ROAD HOUSE. He even owned his own road house bar in Toronto , Canada , that still bares his name.
On many Tuesday nights he could be seen at his own bar called , JEFF HEALEY'S ROADHOUSE , jamming with people from the audience who had brought their own instruments to his club.
Try doing that with...JIMMY PAGE?
I met him there once and he wrote me an autograph. YES , he could do that too.
He was also known as that BLIND Canadian guitar wizard that played the guitar on his lap like no one else did. He started playing his guitar at the age of 3 years old after he was blinded by cancer at the age of 1.
His first album was called...SEE THE LIGHT...and with it's hit...ANGEL EYES...it sold 5 million copies , world wide.
Many more studio , live albums and live DVDs of blues / rock / jazz , would follow.
Sadly...MESS OF BLUES...is his last album , ever. However , it is his BEST SOUNDING cover song album ever.
It is short and sweet with only 10 songs but his crack bar band can play some amazing keyboards , sings 2 of the songs and helps make...JEFF's...incredible / famous guitar playing sound even better. If that is even possible?
MESS OF BLUES...has 4 live songs and 6 songs recorded in the studio.
The sound recording is so clean and clear that it is like your are actually in the bars listening to his music played only the way...JEFF...could play it.
The opening 2 songs were recorded in , London.
1. I'M TORN DOWN ,
2. HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET , [what a blues guitar solo!!!].
The next 5 songs where recorded in the studio but they don't lose their live feel.
3. SUGAR SWEET
4. JAMBALAYA , [sung by , ALEC FRASER] ,
5. THE WEIGHT , [sung by the whole band] ,
6. MESS OF BLUES
7. IT'S ONLY MONEY [an ordinal song written and sung by the keyboard player , DAVE MURPHY].
JEFF...has always loved American music but it is nice to see that he pays tribute to the Canadian sound by performing 2 songs by his fellow Canadians. ROBBIE ROBERTSON's , THE WEIGHT...and...NEIL YOUNG's , LIKE A HURRICANE.
The next 2 songs where actually recorded at his own bar in , Toronto.
8. LIKE A HURRICANE
9. SITTING ON TOP OF THE WORLD
JEFF...finishes this classic album with the song , SHAKE , RATTLE AND ROLL , at song , # 10.
If you love older American / Canadian blues and rock and roll , played by a crack bar band from an album that sounds like you are there?
Then the album...MESS OF BLUES...is , " SUGAR SWEET NEVER TASTED , [sounded] , SO GOOD "
I would also highly recommend one of his live DVDs called...SEE THE LIGHT : LIVE FROM LONDON 1989.
THANK YOU , JEFF , for many fantastic years of excellent albums and your electric live shows!!!
Best Final Album By a True Bluesman!!!!! May 21, 2008
J. R Sategna (Martinez, California United States)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
Its a shame Jeff died recently. This album shows that Jeff had a lot of music left in him. All songs are covers, but he makes them his own. Great guitar playing and he selects all types of blues and rock and roll songs. He is a great guitar player, especially when you consider the way he plays the guitar--on his lap and blind as a bat!!!!!! Incredible!!!! Just listen to the way he plays the Neil Young song--Like a Hurricane--the singing and the guitar solos are the best I have heard of this song done by someone other than Neil Young. You got to have this album if you love Jeff Healey--may he rest in peace up there jamming with Hendrix and Rory Gallagher.
NOT ALL BLUES, BUT CERTAINLY NO MESS! April 7, 2008
Daggsy (Australia)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
Whether or not this album is the ultimate footnote to Jeff's career, it's one fine way to remember his genius.
While the song selection heads in some interesting directions (not all blues), the performances are right up there with anything from his earlier catalogue - "I'm Tore Down" is a perfect example.
If the song selection is varied, so too are the styles embraced, and it's a tribute to all concerned that the end results sometimes surprise. "Sugar Sweet" is one hell of a groove, and unlikely choices such as "Jambalaya" and "The Weight" turn out fine.
In conclusion - one of my guitar heroes leaves with a "BANG", and for that I salute him.
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