Jools Holland Albums (12)
'Moving Out to the Country'
Release Date 1/1/2006
Tracks 22
Label Rhino
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Squeeze founder, keyboard pounder and celebrity hounder Jools Holland succeeds in packing another of his big-band albums with well-executed tunes (and Walk of Fame cameos) on Moving Out to the Country, his big-band stab at traditional country. As a guy who has explored every traditional, piano-driven style in music, Holland is more than qualified to apply his considerable technique (and slick big band) to country standards -- that's not a problem. The question is "Do these country standards really need this kind of treatment?" Moving Out to the Country is no train wrecked collection of songs -- it's not bad by any means -- it's just odd, and that odd factor comes from two things. Foremost, the big-band arrangements (that work so well in a jazzy or bluesy milieu) add little to these rarefied country numbers, mostly succeeding in sounding competently busy at their best and, at their worst, a bit overblown. Not at all bad, mind, just a few paces out of step with these (largely) intimate tunes. Everything here swings, for better or worse -- save for the two Tom Jones numbers that, inexplicably, drop the big-band ball (if you've got a big band and you've got Tom Jones, wouldn't you want to let him tear it up? Well, it doesn't happen here). Instead, there's India.Arie hollering all over "Georgia on My Mind" or Lulu belting out "She'll Have to Go" over a tepid backdrop of Late Show house band slickness. The other odd factor comes from the slight creative missteps that occur when the wrong celebrity-cameo-singer meets classic-country-song-of-all-time. Case in point (with a happy ending) is Bob Geldof's stab at Kristofferson's "For the Good Times." Geldof convulses throughout, and it is such a bizarre reading/coupling that the song begs three or four additional listenings, simply out of sheer, bewildered fascination. Geldof does redeem himself (and Kristofferson) with his much better reading of the superb "The Pilgrim." Here Geldof slides into a more Leonard Cohen, talk-singing delivery that better suits his own voice, as well as the material (but a song as strong as "The Pilgrim" could hold up to anyone's interpretation, so there's that). There's also Marc Almond's weird turn with "Games People Play," which succeeds in instilling that same feeling of bewildered fascination, but without the replay value. Odd moments, couplings, and dropped-balls aside, there are some times when Holland and his big band hit the mark. Not surprisingly, it's Holland's own vocal takes that seem the most at home. "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" gets the whole band into gear -- horns and all -- and Holland' rambunctious left hand helps bring this rocker to a full boil. "Rocket to the Moon" amps things up even more with an arrangement so freewheeling and complex that it nearly matches Roy Wood's "Rattlesnake Roll" in intensity and craftsmanship. These hefty, rollicking numbers really show off the big band in the best light but, when things cool down and the arrangements get sparse, some of that much-needed intimacy creeps in. Louise Claire Marshall's lovely "Sweet Dreams" is a real winner, and makes you wonder why they didn't do the whole album like this. Great piano work and an admirably restrained vocal take serve this song well, and probably would have worked wonderfully for every tune on the record. Lulu's helming of "I Can't Stop Loving You" proves to be way more reserved than her swaggering and overblown "She'll Have to Go," and only adds fuel to the should've-done-the-whole-album-like-this fire. Brian Eno does his dramatic, slow-builder thing on "Dreaming My Dreams with You" and seems to be channeling his Channel Light Vessel-ing bro Roger in the vocal department -- not very "country," but nice. Holland and Dr. John share bandmembers and vocals on the alternately eerie, swaggering and rousing "Dead Hosts Welcome" and their two decidedly unique voices work surprisingly well against each other. Mark Knopfler has done this kind of thing before with his Notting Hillbillies (and turns in a comfortable "You Win Again" to prove it), and KT Tunstall and Richard Hawley slide just as easily into Holland's country vibe on their respective tracks. It's not a bad outing and, barring some creative missteps, Moving Out to the Country is a well put together collection that may not satisfy the purists but does a good job for the rest. ~ J. Scott McClintock, All Music Guide
'Swinging the Blues Dancing the Ska'
Release Date 1/1/2005
Tracks 21
Label Radar
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
It's the third go-round for Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, and by now their formula is familiar -- Holland and his large band, anchored by his former Squeeze bandmate Gilson Lavis, invite a bunch of musicians to sing or play in front of them, and they run through a bunch of cheerful blues and old-time rock & roll-based songs. Some of these are covers and some of these are new tunes, but they all feel like revivals, since Holland and guests play them that way. These are classy, well-performed amalgams of big-band R&B and soul, spiced with hints of ska, mainstream pop, and rockabilly, which offer welcome changes of pace. As expected with any album that features over 20 guest spots, it's a bit of a hit-and-miss affair, but since the best moments -- such as Steve Earle's loose-limbed "Play It Sam" -- don't soar all that high and the lowest moments -- apart from "Just to Be Home With You," where Shane MacGowan is a drunken fish out of water -- don't tumble that low, it all evens out into a pleasant listening experience. That said, it's not a particularly distinctive one, either, since none of the guests are at their best and the band is primarily in a support slot, never really having a chance to shine. Nevertheless, anybody who enjoyed the first two Friends efforts will likely enjoy it -- and they'll also find the 21-track, 80-minute running time to be generous, while others might find it to be way too much of an OK thing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Jools Holland's Big Band Rhythm & Blues'
Release Date 1/8/2002
Tracks 22
Label Rhino
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Although this is nominally credited to Jools Holland & His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, really this is a 22-track various-artists compilation with Holland's ensemble serving as the house band. The lineup of old and new, superstar and cult talent is impressive, even if many of them are past their prime: Sting, John Cale, Stevie Winwood, Taj Mahal, Jamiroquai, Paul Weller, Joe Strummer, Dr. John, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler, Van Morrison, Paul Carrack, and Eric Clapton are some of the artists given a track. Holland has described his music as big band blues, and that's an apt description for a good deal of the songs, whether it's Sting's "Seventh Son," Taj Mahal's "Outskirts of Town," or Morrison's "Back o' Town Blues." Actually, though, some of this is soul, AOR rock, or ska. That doesn't necessarily count as a strike against the record, it just makes the groove less consistent. There is a consistent, hepped-up party mood, though one that's unrelenting yet slick enough so that it's rather like a party that tries too hard to succeed and goes on too long. Certainly it will attract the most attention for George Harrison's "Horse to the Water," his last recording (done shortly before his death in late 2001). Harrison was a great musician, but this is not a great or good track; the song isn't much, and his voice, unfortunately, sounds like it's in faltering shape. For the most part it's amiable and unmemorable, hitting its finest note on Steve Winwood's "I'm Ready," in which he (or someone, the part is not detailed in the credits) rips out some organ work straight from the spirit of his Spencer Davis Group days. The ska cuts by Suggs and Jamiroquai actually make for a nice change of pace from the grand blues strutting. There are also some missteps that might have been better left uncontributed, like Paul Weller's cover of Billy Preston's "Will It Go Round in Circles" and Stereophonics' version of the Beatles' "Revolution." ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide
'Sunset Over London'
Release Date 1/1/1999
Tracks 17
Label Warner Strategic Marketing
See Album Tracklist and Review
'A to Z Geographers Guide to the Piano'
Release Date 8/8/1995
Tracks 15
Label BUG
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
During his on-again off-again tenures with Squeeze, pianist Jools Holland's fondness for boogie-woogie and R&B seemed somehow out of step with Squeeze's reputation for delivering Beatlesque new wave pop. As a result, Holland often got shunted to the sidelines on the band's records. Turnabout is fair play, though, so A World of His Own features contributions from all of Holland's then-current Squeeze bandmates (as well as a crack horn section, Sting, and Holland's old Millionaires colleagues) -- and for this album, Holland's the one who is firmly in the driver's seat. For the most part, he forgoes trying to sound anything like Squeeze, and does what he does best -- he joyfully pounds his way through some polished but swinging jump tunes ("The Maiden's Lament," "Biggy Wiggy"); croons a few classic R&B sides (Percy Mayfield's "Danger Zone," Ray Charles' "In the Heat of the Night"); and generally has such a good time that it's almost impossible not to get caught up in the fun. Unfortunately, when Holland experiments with more modern sounds (such as the tedious three-part synthesizer suite "Thursday"), he gets too caught up in the mechanics of finicky multi-track production to find a groove, and the good times evaporate. Still, if you can program your CD player to skip the offending tracks, World of His Own offers up another solid helping of New Orleans-meets-South London bontemps roulez from the indefatigable Holland, surely one of Britain's greatest exponents of modern-day boogie-woogie. ~ Rudyard Kennedy, All Music Guide
