| Blues Preacher | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Recorded | September–November, 1992 | |||
| Genre | Jazz, blues | |||
| Label | DIW | |||
| Producer | Kazunori Sugiyama, James Blood Ulmer | |||
| James Blood Ulmer chronology | ||||
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| DIW Records Cover | ||||
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Blues Preacher is an album by the American guitarist James Blood Ulmer, recorded in 1992 and released in Japan on DIW Records and in the US on Columbia/DIW. [1] [2] It was released in North America in 1994. [3]
Ulmer built the album around the drums, which he recorded with guitar and bass; he then rerecorded the guitar and bass parts once he was satisfied with the drum track. [4] Ulmer played a Steinberger on Blues Preacher. [5] "Jazz Is the Teacher (Funk the Preacher)" is a slower version of an older Ulmer song. [6]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [7] |
| The Indianapolis Star | [8] |
| Orlando Sentinel | [9] |
| (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide | [10] |
Trouser Press wrote that "the record places the emphasis on Blood's vocals amid unwavering rock and funk rhythms and more faux-metal guitars." [11] The Austin American-Statesman opined that "Ullmer's version of the [blues], full of crunching guitar chords and throat-ripping vocals, is well off the beaten path as idiosyncratic song structures and sermonizing lyrics take the music to new locations." [12]
The Indianapolis Star praised Ronald Drayton's "dazzling—and sometimes psychedelic—guitar variations and juxtapositions." [8] The Orlando Sentinel wrote that "Nobody but You" "is a gorgeous, Jimi Hendrix-style love ballad punctured by poison-tipped guitar licks—with Ulmer playing flute in a funky interlude." [9] Stereo Review noted that "in the noble tradition of early rock-and-roll, the words to some of the songs are so slurred and muffled as to be open to conjecture." [13]
The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow stated: "Ulmer sticks to a harsh blues-rock groove, with many of the one-chord vamps sounding like they are leftovers from John Lee Hooker's repertoire. There are no harmolodics (and little jazz) to be heard on the CD, and this rather primitive music is to be recommended only to fans of Ulmer's shouting vocals." [7]
Jamaaladeen Tacuma is an American jazz funk avant-garde bassist, composer and producer born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's Prime Time band.
Ronald Shannon Jackson was an American jazz drummer from Fort Worth, Texas. A pioneer of avant-garde jazz, free funk, and jazz fusion, he appeared on over 50 albums as a bandleader, sideman, arranger, and producer. Jackson and bassist Sirone are the only musicians to have performed and recorded with the three prime shapers of free jazz: pianist Cecil Taylor, and saxophonists Ornette Coleman and Albert Ayler.
James "Blood" Ulmer is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "raggedly soulful".
Harmolodics is a musical philosophy and method of musical composition and improvisation developed by American jazz saxophonist-composer Ornette Coleman. His work following this philosophy during the late 1970s and 1980s inspired a style of forward-thinking jazz-funk known as harmolodic funk. It is associated with avant-garde jazz and free jazz, although its implications extend beyond these limits. Coleman also used the name "Harmolodic" for both his first website and his record label.
In All Languages is a 1987 double album by Ornette Coleman. Coleman and the other members of his 1950s quartet, trumpeter Don Cherry, bassist Charlie Haden, and drummer Billy Higgins, performed on one of the two records, while his electrified ensemble, Prime Time, performed on the other. Many of the songs on In All Languages had two renditions, one by each group.
Defunkt is an American musical group founded by the trombonist and singer Joseph Bowie in 1978 in New York City. Their music touches on elements of punk rock, funk, and jazz.
It's a Jungle in Here is an album by the experimental jazz funk trio Medeski Martin & Wood, released in 1993. The trio supported the album by playing shows with Bio Ritmo. "Bemsha Swing/Lively Up Yourself" is a medley of Thelonious Monk and Bob Marley.
Political Blues is an album by the jazz group the World Saxophone Quartet released by the Canadian Justin Time label. The album features performances by Hamiet Bluiett, Jaleel Shaw, Oliver Lake and David Murray, with guests Craig Harris on trombone, Jeremy Pelt on trumpet, James "Blood" Ulmer on guitar, Jamaaladeen Tacuma on bass guitar, and Lee Pearson on drums.
Tales of Captain Black is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer, featuring Ornette Coleman, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, and Denardo Coleman, recorded in 1978 and originally released on the Artists House label. It was coproduced by Ornette. The album was remastered and rereleased on CD with a new mix by Joe Ferla approved and co-produced by Ulmer on the Japanese DIW label in 1996.
Are You Glad to Be in America? is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer, recorded in 1980 and released on the Rough Trade label in the UK. It was mixed by Ulmer, Geoff Travis, Roger Trilling, and Mayo Thompson. A remixed version, credited to Ulmer and Bob Blank, with a different running order and new cover art, was released by the Artists House label in the US in 1981. The album was released on CD with a new third mix by Joe Ferla, but the original running order, and with a new cover design featuring a recent photo of Ulmer, on the Japanese DIW label in 1995.
Free Lancing is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer, recorded in 1981 and released on the Columbia label. It was Ulmer's first of three albums recorded for a major label.
Black Rock is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer, recorded in 1982 and released on the Columbia label. It was Ulmer's second of three albums recorded for a major label.
Black and Blues is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1990 and released on the Japanese DIW label.
Forbidden Blues is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1996 and released on the Japanese DIW label in 1998.
Elec. Jazz is an album by James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble recorded in 1990 and released on the Japanese DIW label featuring performances by Ulmer with David Murray, Amin Ali and Cornell Rochester.
After Dark is an album by James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble recorded in 1991 and released on the Japanese DIW label featuring performances by Ulmer with David Murray, Amin Ali and Cornell Rochester.
In the Name of... is an album by guitarist James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble, featuring bass guitarist Amin Ali and drummer Cornell Rochester, with guest saxophonists Sam Rivers, Arthur Blythe and Hamiet Bluiett, recorded in 1993 and released on the Japanese DIW label.
Knights of Power is an album by James Blood Ulmer's Music Revelation Ensemble, with guest saxophonists Arthur Blythe and Hamiet Bluiett, recorded in 1995 and released on the Japanese DIW label.
Music Speaks Louder Than Words is an album by James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1995 and released on the Japanese DIW label.
In Touch is an album by James Blood Ulmer and George Adams' band Phalanx which was recorded in 1988 and released on the Japanese DIW label.
