Word: motowners
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...earthy intimacy of top-notch blues. Along the way, Houston also turns in a patient, slow-building, ultimately satisfying rendition of 'Amazing Grace' -- an impressive feat, since the song has been covered so exhaustively by other performers that it's nearly impossible to find a fresh take. It's Motown with angels' wings, and gospel at its finest -- taking something secular and making it divine...
...slow blues-lyrics-meets-Motown-rhythms tune followed with the rather humourous lyrics, "If you leave me, take your dog with you... and you pooper scooper too... scoop you way back to your mama's house." Diddley then joked, "If I was in Vegas, I'd have to sing it like this" and slipped into a witty Sinatra imitation singing "I'm calling it quits, no more Kibbles and Bits..." Blues with a sense of humor...
Playing his funky square guitar, the seated Diddley led his band through rockabilly, Motown, and delta blues numbers with occasional Carribean and rap infusions. The mostly danceable tunes were as quirky and fun as his guitar solos. There was none of the guitar-hero intensity of the likes of Buddy Guy; Mr. Diddley had little to prove. His authentic down-home blues riffs came simply and naturally, projecting an expressive but hey-let's-just-have-some-fun attitude...
DIED. JUNIOR WALKER, 53, saxophonist; of cancer; in Battle Creek, Michigan. As the front man for the Motown hitmakers, Junior Walker and the All Stars, Walker wielded a saxophone drenched in the blues. His high-wire riffs propelled such sixties standards as How Sweet It Is (to be Loved By You), Come See About Me, and These Eyes...
Distinguishing between resurrection and ripoff can be a highly subjective matter. Performers are often fiercely possessive of their work and protective of their vision; such artists might be troubled at the thought of record-company executives altering their unfinished work after their death. In life Marvin Gaye fought Motown Records to release his classic, risk-taking soul album What's Going On just the way he wanted it. But in September, Motown will bring out a promising Gaye tribute CD on which other performers, from Madonna to Lisa Stansfield, offer renditions of his greatest songs, many drawn from that album...