Kansas City Here I Come

by Scott YanowBig Joe Turner's next-to-last recording is certainly listenable but not prime material. Turner's elocution became quite blurry in his later years with a lot of slurring of words and rather loose singing and yet his ability to express blues feeling and his sense of swing were unimpaired. Among the mostly obscure backup crew are tenor saxophonist Lee Allen, Jerry Jumonville on baritone and alto and guitarist Terry Evans but in general the playing is pretty anonymous. This CD, one of many Big Joe Turner releases currently available, is mostly for completists.