Jon Cleary
MOONBURN
Pointblank 7243
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This disc by Jon Cleary is solid New Orleans funky rhythm and blues. Though he was born and raised in England, he has spent considerable time here absorbing the flavours and nuances of his adopted home city. He has done a very good job of creating music that is true to the love for the city in his heart. Plus he has surrounded himself with some fine musicians from the area to strengthen his effort. I mean how much more New Orleans' sound can you get then to have Wardell Quezerque arrange your horns, Ernie K-Doe on some vocals, and "Doc" Paulin on trombone. The music reflects the rhythms that are heard on the streets of the city. That combination of jazz, R & B, second line, with shifting polyrhythms that reflect the Latin and Caribbean influences. There is even a gospel track, GETTIN' CRAZY UP IN HERE, that is done with a gospel choir that sounds has that up tempo sound of a church in the height of passion. It is a disc that doesn't quite satisfy, and I can't place my finger on the reason why. I have see him perform and he has it in him to bring it out however on this disc I get the feeling he is pushing too hard. It is good and has a good overview of the mood of New Orleans music, but that special ingredient seems to be missing. I am looking for good things from him in the future, this is good but it isn't the one.
Produced by - John Porter
Songs and times - all songs written by Jon Cleary
1 FOOLS GAME - 4:41
2 SO DAMN GOOD - 4:28
3 HEAVY UNDER PRESSURE - 3:58
4 UNNECESSARILY MERCENARY - 3:46
5 PORT STREET BLUES - 3:07
6 GETTIN' CRAZY UP IN HERE - 3:57
7 HELP ME SOMEBODY - 5:16
8 WOULD I LIE TO YOU? - 3:52
9 WHO'S THERE WITH YOU - 4:36
10 STEPPING IN ON YOUR THING - 4:51
11 SALTY WATER - 3:34
12 MOONBURN -4:40
Musicians
Jon Cleary - piano, wurlitizer, clavinet, guitars, bass, organ, electric percussion, vocals
Jeffrey "Jellybean" Alexander - drums
Cornell Williams - vocals, bass
Earl Smith - vocals
Nick Daniels - vocals
Ernie K-Doe - vocals
The Arc Singers - Kim A. Ross, Ramona Pierre, Mia Johnson, Denise Smith, Cindy Belizan, Adrian Smith, Peter Skinner, Inger Stevenson - vocals
Joseph Saulsbury - tenor sax
Dwayne 'Doc' Paulin - trombone
Bernard Floyd - trumpet
Brian Murphy - trumpet
Bill Summers - percussion
Tony Braunagel - cymbals
Joe Sublette - tenor sax
Darrell Leonard - trumpet and trombone and horn arrangement (11)
Wardell Quezergue - horn arrangements