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Review of
Too Much Coffee Man -
by
Joel Siegel
Too Much Coffee, Man
confirms singer, pianist, songwriter and arranger Bob Dorough's
long-overdue ascension from cult artist to national treasure. His
second Blue Note release offers him a broader musical canvas than
his customary small group formats, including, on various tracks,
trombones, tuba, guitar, a battery of percussion, a vocal trio and
guest soloist Phil Woods' alto saxophone.
Dorough wrote the music and/or lyrics for nine of the dozen songs,
including the tender, loping "Wake Up Sally, It's Saturday"
(dedicated to his wife) and the unabashedly ardent "There's Never
Been a Day," along with his carefree signature tune "I've Got Just
About Everything" and "Love (Webster's Dictionary)," the best-known
of his "pop art" compositions based on found texts.
Dorough supplements his own songs with the Cootie Williams jump tune
"Fish for Supper" (dig the witty interpolated allusions to Tadd
Dameron's "Good Bait,"), Dave Frishberg's mordant "Oklahoma Toad"
and the opening track-the irresistible '40s samba "The Coffee Song."
This CD is 54 minutes of pure pleasure from the planet's youngest
76-year-old.
by Joel Siegel |