Patrick Mayfield

Phil Upchurch - Feeling Blue (1967) {Milestone OJCCD-1100-2 rel 2004}
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© 1967, 2004 Milestone Records / Fantasy | OJCCD-1100-2
Jazz / Soul Jazz / Jazz Blues / Guitar

Phil Upchurch was a celebrated, in-demand sideman in R&B, blues, and jazz before he recorded Feeling Blue, his 1967 Milestone debut as a leader. He'd already worked with everyone from Jimmy Reed and Curtis Mayfield to John Lee Hooker and B.B. King, and would go on to accompany many more and release a string of killer solo albums. There is more than the seed of genius at work on Feelin' Blue. These ten cuts were recorded over two days in September and October with two different ensembles.

Talk about greatness – the Doobie Brothers, with Jeff "Skunk" Baxter added to their lineup, delivered their best album to date helped by a fairly big hit, though "Take Me in Your Arms" never did anything close to its predecessors despite some chords and modulations that recalled "Black Water" ever so slightly. Stampede's virtue was its musicianship, which, in addition to new member Baxter, was also showcased in the guises of some impressive guests…

One of her most overlooked '60s albums, on which she presented some of her jazziest material, despite the title. None of these cuts were significant hits, and none were Aretha originals; she displayed her characteristically eclectic taste in the choice of cover material, handling compositions by Percy Mayfield, Sam Cooke, Smokey Robinson, and, at the most pop-oriented end of her spectrum, John Hartford's "Gentle on My Mind" and Bob Lind's "Elusive Butterfly." Her vocals are consistently passionate and first-rate, though, as is the musicianship; besides contributions from the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, session players include respected jazzmen Kenny Burrell, Ron Carter, Grady Tate, David Newman, and Joe Zawinul.