Re: Kim Wilson and song writing in general

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/15/03 3:09:13 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
mnessmith@xxxxxxxxxxx writes:


> Rainbow Jimmy wrote:
> "A friend lent me a Kim Wilson tape-succintly marked Kim Wilson in nice 
> block printing on a generic cassette. Nice music, excellent musicianship. 
> The harp playing was damn near perfect. Despite all that, the songs didn't 
> do it for me. Formulaic, kind of flat. I wasn't enamored with the singing 
> either."
> 

Jimmy, 

First off songwriting is hard period. Its even harder to write good songs, 
and great songs is a talent for the those somehow are able to achieve that 
wonderful pinnacle of creativity (Let that sink in while you ponder Little 
Walter's excellent songwriting ability). I agree, some of Kim's commercial 
stuff is....uh....well not exactly as good as some of his straight Blues 
stuff. His solo efforts are great recordings, and the Memphis Barbecue 
Sessions with Big Jack Johnson are great too. I will say this though that Kim 
Wilson is great musician who has that magical ability that not many musicians 
have, which is the ability to make his notes count (Kim can play one note and 
make it better than 20 notes better than most of us play- In my case he would 
need two notes ;-] ). Kim's voice is one of the best in the business, he is 
instantly recognizable and NOBODY sounds like him. I advise to check out 
Tigerman or My Blues; both of these records present something significant to 
all muscians. 

Andrew