Jerry and the Rockets – Takin’ Off!
BLRCD 09 – Blue Lake Records [2006]
She’s Gone – Ballroom Baby – Cadillac Blues – Boogie Woogie Fever – Shadow My Baby – Girl Trouble – I’m On Fire – Ice Water – I Just Wanna Boogie – Four Alarm Boogie – Hot Rod Baby – Strollin’ Throught The Night – Wild Side Of Life – Bad Girl – Twilight
This band offers here a very eclectic album covering a broad musical spectrum that goes from the ’40s to the ’60s. You’ll find rockabilly (She’s Gone), Western Swing (Ballroom Baby), hard electric rockin’ blues (Cadillac Blues), Hillbilly Boogie (Gene O’Quinn’s Boogie Woogie Fever, Four Alarm Boogie), Rock’n’roll (I’m On Fire, Hot Rod Baby – a little bit wasted by the sax) a country ballad ala Jerry Lee Lewis and “twilight” a frantic instrumental to close the set. As you can see, it’s almost one song/one style, and in the end, it works against the band. Though the musicianship is solid and the listening is pleasant, there are maybe too many styles to hear the real personality of the group.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
