Boomer's Story - RY COODER***

Boomer's Story/Cherry Ball Blues/Crow Black Chicken/Ax Sweet Mama/Maria Elena/Dark End Of The Street/Rally 'Round The Flag/Comin' In On A Wing & A Prayer/President Kennedy/Good Morning Mr Railroad Man

Ry Cooder specialised in reviving and re-interpreting American blues songs from the pre-war era. Boomer’s Story has been described as revealing the more sombre side of his musical vision.

“This collection of instrumentals and traditional pieces find Cooder at the peak of his powers, braying and crooning endlessly while coaxing mellow slide sounds and countrified blues from his guitar, backed by a crackerjack group of musicians.”

“It features some beautiful moments , especially the Latin tinged Maria Elena and his instrumental version of Dark End Of The Street both of which I could listen to for hours. The title track and his collaboration with Randy Newman on the traditional Rally Round The Flag are also impressive.”

“The two instrumentals are the best, Dark End Of The Street and Cherry Ball Blues. A good group of songs, none of them overmatch Ry's singing ability, and his playing brings out the best in every song.”

“This in my opinion is Ry Cooder's best album. The songs on Boomer's Story stand out much more than on his other albums from this period. The sound is raw and meaningful.”

“The best songs on Boomer's Story are the instrumentals, which emphasize his phenomenal slide-guitar playing where Cooder can tell a story just with his axe. This is his real strength.”

“Many of these songs were written in the pre-World War II era and I don't think the compositions were changed too much from the originals. With a bunch of great musicians though these songs provide some incredible music.”

“Richly textured, this recording is a prime example of the future soundtrack work and the cultural melting pot that Cooder has refined into an eclectic style that is all his own. It draws on old traditionals, and has some really silky slide work.”

“Ry Cooder has a gift for playing music that seems fixed in time. Covering a group of folk bluesman from yesteryear he convincingly sets the scene with his adept playing.”