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Jean moved
to Germany from her native Chicago in
1980 and has established a strong
reputation around Europe since that
time. That should not surprise56 anyone,
as she already was well-known, having
signed for Chess Records at the age of
12 and recorded for Brunswick Records
later. Her strong – very strong - gospel
based vocals are well-represented on
this largely live CD, recorded mostly at
an open air concert in Duisburg,
Germany. She sings the blues beautifully
on items such as 'One Day' and the
wonderfully soul-drenched 'Never Loved A
Man'. Fans of the heavier side of the
music should go for the ten minutes long
'Rock Me', whilst 'Old Time Rock 'n'
Roll' is just that, a chugging, boogying
rabble rouser, a couple of other tracks
recall the driving sound of eighties
classic rock. The accompanying musicians
are a very talented bunch and there are
also examples of soul and funk, so that
overall the album betrays a fine modern
approach, with Jean not afraid to reach
out top those who may feel a little
trepidation at tackling an out-and-out
blues set.
There
is plenty too for those who do want just
that though. And the closing 'Amazing
Grace' proves that Jean's gospel roots
are certainly not neglected.
---- Norman Darwen
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