Rick Derringer Albums (25)
What The Critics Say
Rick Derringer tried a variety of different things in the 1980s, '90s, and 2000s. The singer/guitarist recorded his share of middle of the road pop/rock and adult contemporary albums, and he even recorded an instrumental jazz-pop/smooth jazz album that had George Benson-ish leanings (2002's Free Ride). But Derringer, who turned 61 in 2008, has a way of going back to blues-rock and hard rock -- which is exactly what he does on Knighted by the Blues. Granted, this 2009 release wasn't recorded with blues purists in mind; not everything on Knighted by the Blues adheres to the traditional 12-bar format. But the feeling of the blues is quite strong throughout this 51-minute CD; that feeling is as strong on Derringer's own songs as it is on enjoyable performances of Jimi Hendrix's "If 6 Was Nine" and Ray Charles' "Funny, I Still Love You." Knighted by the Blues is definitely one of Derringer's grittier, tougher, more ballsy efforts -- and given his history, it isn't surprising that he would return to this type of approach. Over the years, Derringer has fluctuated between very commercial recordings and recordings that were much edgier. It's no coincidence that even though Derringer is best known for "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo," he is also well known for the bubblegum pop/rock he played with the McCoys in the '60s. So taking his history into account, it really isn't surprising that Derringer would offer a jazz-pop/smooth jazz album in 2002 and come out with a blues-rock/hard rock album like Knighted by the Blues seven years later in 2009. Knighted by the Blues isn't among Derringer's essential releases, but it's certainly respectable and is well worth hearing if one fancies his edgier side. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Rockin' American'
Release Date 1/1/2007
Tracks 11
Label Sound Ground
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'Live at Cheney Hall'
Release Date 11/15/2005
Tracks 13
Label Fieldstone Ent
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What The Critics Say
Rick Derringer may not be a great singer or a great songwriter (he tops out at good with flashes of really good), but he is a great guitar player and Derringer Live is the record where you get the best display of his white-hot guitar-slinging talents. Containing songs from Rick Derringer's first three albums, Derringer Live is pieced together from 1977 gigs in Toronto; Hartford, CT; and Youngstown, OH. Unsurprisingly, they picked his hardest-rocking, most exciting tracks like "Teenage Love Affair," "Still Alive and Well," "Uncomplicated," and his classic "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." The performances are fiery, the band is tight, and Derringer wrings every last drop of rock out of his guitar. Anyone who isn't a fan of Derringer might find Derringer Live to be a little on the tedious and simplistic side, but if you are a fan, then this is great stuff. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'Spring Fever/Sweet Evil'
Release Date 7/6/2004
Tracks 18
Label Wounded Bird
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What The Critics Say
Wounded Bird's 2004 release of Spring Fever/Sweet Evil pairs Rick Derringer's second and fourth solo releases, from 1975 and 1977, respectively. Spring Fever is the more successful of the two records by far. Coming off the triumph that was his debut, All American Boy, Derringer sticks to his guns and delivers some hot rockers ("Gimme More," the rollicking "Still Alive and Well," the synth-laden "Rock"), poppier rockers ("Tomorrow," "Roll With Me"), and a couple of weird surprises: a recasting of the McCoys' (Derringer's first band) big hit "Hang On Sloopy" as a cod reggae dance track that -- against all odds -- works rather well in a silly way, as well as a moody and ominous take on Rufus Thomas' garage band staple "Walkin' the Dog," which features Derringer's rather tenuous falsetto but also some tough guitar slinging. The only song that falls flat is the jokey 12-bar jam "Skyscraper Blues," and it is still not terrible, just a little boring. Throughout the album, Derringer displays an impish charm vocally, a reckless approach to guitar, and an ear for a good hook. While not as strong as his debut, the record is about as good a straightforward rock release as you were liable to hear in 1975. It still sounds good 30 years later, too. All of which is sadly untrue of Sweet Evil, a bloated, tuneless disaster of a record. Tunes like "Keep On Makin' Love" and "One-Eyed Jack" are rudimentary and boring, and no amount of hot guitar soloing can save them -- nor does the slick and uninspired production by the usually reliable Jack Douglas of Cheap Trick renown. The record pretty much signaled the end of Derringer's short burst of good albums and comes off even worse when paired with Spring Fever. A better combination would be All American Boy and Spring Fever, as British label BGO realized and acted on in 2002. They later released Derringer's third album, Derringer, with Sweet Evil. Why Wounded Bird didn't follow their example for domestic audiences is a puzzler. If you can't track down the BGO release, this is worth buying just to get ahold of Spring Fever. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide
'Hoochie Koo Once More'
Release Date 4/26/2004
Tracks 16
Label Music Avenue
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'Rock & Roll Tragedy'
Release Date 1/1/2004
Tracks 10
Label Zero Velocity
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What The Critics Say
An instrumental jazz-pop album from Rick Derringer? That isn't the sort of project that one ordinarily expects from the singer/guitarist who is best known for his hard-rocking 1974 smash, "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo," but in fact, Free Ride is primarily an album of instrumental jazz-pop. Derringer doesn't get into any crunching hard rock guitar on this 2002 release; instead, his guitar playing brings to mind George Benson's more commercial work. Blending jazz, funk, and pop, Derringer takes dead aim at the smooth jazz market. But for the most part, he maintains his integrity and avoids outright elevator music -- someone who appreciates Benson's Breezin' but finds Kenny G and Dave Koz boring will likely find Free Ride to be generally pleasant, if slightly uneven. Most of the songs are Derringer originals, although he puts an instrumental spin on three '70s classics: "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo," Edgar Winter's "Frankenstein," and the title song (which Dan Hartman wrote when he was with Winter). The latter is the most disappointing of the three; "Free Ride" ends up being turned into elevator music, while Derringer's remakes of "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Frankenstein" have more bite. The only tracks that find Derringer singing are "Hold" and the melancholy "Big City Loneliness," both of which are likable adult contemporary items à la Gino Vannelli. Free Ride isn't the masterpiece that it could have been; Derringer has killer chops, and from a creative standpoint, he would have been better off providing an album that has more blowing, more improvisation, and less production -- not necessarily hard bop, but perhaps something along the lines of the jazz-funk that Grant Green gave listeners in the early '70s. Nonetheless, Free Ride is generally decent, and it is superior to most of the stuff that smooth jazz stations are quick to play. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
'Jackhammer Blues'
Release Date 5/9/2000
Tracks 11
Label Blues Bureau Int'l
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