Queen of the Blues explained

Queen of the Blues is an album by the American blues singer Koko Taylor, released in 1985.^{[2] [3]}

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Traditional Blues Recording".^[4]

Production

The album was produced by Taylor, Criss Johnson, and Bruce Iglauer. Taylor used her Blues Machine Band on the album, with guest turns by Son Seals, Albert Collins, Lonnie Brooks, and James Cotton.^[5] "Flamin' Mamie" was written by Willie Dixon.^[6]

Critical reception

The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "tough, shouted blues by one of the genre's most vehement practitioners." The Kingston Whig-Standard thought that Taylor "comes across as a gruff earth mother," and noted that her guitar player, Criss Johnson, "more than holds his own on his solos" despite the many famous guest musicians.^[7]

The New York Times wrote that Taylor's "penetrating growl is menacing on the Willie Dixon stomp 'Evil', and self-assured on 'The Hunter'."^[8] The Columbus Dispatch concluded that "Taylor is in superb form, belting out ballads about passion, slow blues about broken hearts and barroom romance rockers."^[9]

AllMusic said that "Taylor's gritty 'I Cried like a Baby' and a snazzy remake of Ann Peebles' 'Come to Mama' are among the many highlights."

Notes and References

1. News: Blues Singer Koko Taylor, The Blues Machine to Appear at Odyssey Club. August 2, 1985. The Oklahoman. October 6, 2021. October 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006125204/https://www.oklahoman.com/article/2116686/blues-singer-koko-taylor-the-blues-machine-to-appear-at-odyssey-club. live.
2. Web site: Koko Taylor Biography, Songs, & Albums. AllMusic. 2021-10-06. 2021-10-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006125205/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/koko-taylor-mn0000376739/biography. live.
3. News: Music: Blues by Koko Taylor. Jon. Pareles. The New York Times . June 16, 1985. October 6, 2021. October 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006125203/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/06/16/arts/music-blues-by-koko-taylor.html. live.
4. Web site: Koko Taylor. November 23, 2020. Grammy Awards. October 6, 2021. October 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211006125213/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/koko-taylor/10327. live.
5. News: Koko Taylor, On a Blues Roll . The Washington Post . 6 October 2021 . 25 October 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211025044356/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1985/06/11/koko-taylor-on-a-blues-roll/e7968587-59a2-4912-bbc0-bc7e9b568e7f/ . live .
6. News: Salter . Rosa . Koko Taylor's Mainstream Blues . The Morning Call . 16 Aug 1985 . D1.
7. News: Burliuk . Greg . Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor . The Kingston Whig-Standard . 7 Sep 1985 . Magazine . 1.
8. News: Palmer . Don . A Handful of Labels Preserve the Troubled Blues . The New York Times . 15 Sep 1985 . A21.
9. News: Petric . John . Feeling the Blues? Listen to Koko Taylor . The Columbus Dispatch . August 18, 1985 . Accent & Arts . 4.