boredop
A marvelous album by the great New Orleans guitarist Danny Barker, playing and singing unaccompanied on eleven old standards. This album is filled with Barker's charisma and humor as he performs in a folksy style, allowing the songs to become vehicles for musical storytelling. There are no guitar solos to be found here, but there are plenty of ad libbed vocal asides that will put a smile on your face. The highlight of the album is Barker's performance of St. James Infirmary, perhaps the best version of that old song ever recorded. Barker somehow finds new life in this old chestnut with a slow, bluesy performance, full of improvised surprises and a gravitas that will take your breath away.
