Kelly Joe Phelps - Shine Eyed Mister Zen
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Music CD Cover
Artist: Kelly Joe PhelpsEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Unknown)
Running Time: 57 unknown-units
Published: 1999-07-13
CD Release Date: 1999-07-13
Music Label: Rykodisc
Soundtracks:
- The House Carpenter
- River Rat Jimmy
- Hobo's Son
- Katy
- Wandering Away
- Dock Boggs Country Blues
- Capman Bootman
- Train Carried My Girl From Town
- Piece By Piece
- Many A Time
- Goodnight Irene
Free Music Notes for Shine Eyed Mister Zen
Free Music Review: Blazing a path to greatness.
Hit: 5 Stars
There's defintley something special going on here. KJP 1st CD "Lead me on" was just great blues, with flashes of Phelps songwritting poweress. "Roll away the stone" was a real eye oppener, much more then just "White boy plays the blues". It Combined Elements of Gospel and Country Blues, and it created a feel that was fresh, like you just heard this type of music for the 1st time, which is rare for that genre. On his 3rd release, "Shine eyed mister Zen" It's obvious Phelps has continued a rare and beautiful path, that only could be discribed as greatness. Form the opening trac, "House Carpenter"to Final trac, "Good nite Irene", the CD pulls you and never lets you go. The playing in pure and awe inspiring, The Songwritting is mystifying, and the singing is Haunting. Phelps has raised the bar with his songwritting, which grows more impressive with each relase. "River rat jimmy" is a song about boyhood friends growing up near the muddy Puyallup river. When you listen to it, it's like running a 8 millimeter movie of your childhood through your mind as Phelps sings about he different characters, "jimmy", "joehsapht", and "Drunken dads" and "copping cans of beer" we've all been there, and Phelps brings it all back with a soft intensity that is powerfull and awesome. Some of the other tracs like the self portait "capman bootman" The playing goes beyound blues, and feels more like Jazz/classical, except for the fact it simply cooks, keep up if you can. This Disc places Phelps among the all time guitar greats. I can't think of any other CD that comes close. "Katy", "Many a time", "House Carpenter", all have awe inspiring playing. Kelly Joe has started down a path to greatness, The best is yet to come, and when you think about where he has been and where he is at now, that is indeed exciting for all of us listeners.
Shine Eyed Mister Zen Poster
With a gently self-assured voice and a guitar style like quiet water, Kelly Joe Phelps does imbue his music with a certain Zen-like quality. There's something quite meditative about Shine Eyed Mister Zen, especially on the song "River Rat Jimmy," which evokes a contemplative mood. --Genevieve WilliamsIt's great--Kelly Joe Phelps has all of the earnestness of a singer-songwriter without the overbearing holier-than-thou-ness that infests so many of them. It's a testament to his skill as a musician that he lets the music speak for itself; sure, there are message lyrics on Shine Eyed Mister Zen, but one needn't spend hours perusing them to appreciate Phelps's deft guitar work or strong but unassuming vocals. His cover of the Leadbelly classic "Goodnight Irene" is as bittersweet as one could hope for, and he infuses his own arrangements of traditional numbers like "The House Carpenter" and "Dock Boggs Country Blues" with his distinctive touch without in any way disrespecting the songs themselves. His own songs stand up well to the covers, too; "River Rat Jimmy" is a ballad in the traditional sense, with a tense moodiness that draws the listener in, and the slow shuffle of "Piece by Piece" (with harmonica from Dave Mathis) is equally evocative. True, it's not straight blues--there are elements of folk, country, and bluegrass here as well. But those genres share a great deal in terms of origin, and Phelps explores these connections superbly. --Genevieve Williams
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