Queen of the Blues

Queen of the Blues is an album by the American blues singer Koko Taylor, released in 1985.[2][3]

Queen of the Blues
Studio album by
Released1985
GenreChicago blues, blues
LabelAlligator Records[1]
ProducerKoko Taylor, Criss Johnson, Bruce Iglauer
Koko Taylor chronology
From the Heart of a Woman
(1981)
Queen of the Blues
(1985)
Live in Chicago: An Audience With the Queen
(1987)

The album was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the "Best Traditional Blues Recording" category.[4]

Production

The album was produced by Taylor, Criss Johnson, and Bruce Iglauer.[5] Taylor used her Blues Machine Band on the album, with guest turns by Son Seals, Albert Collins, Lonnie Brooks, and James Cotton.[6] "Flamin' Mamie" was written by Willie Dixon.[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[8]
Robert ChristgauB+[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[10]
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide[5]
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings[11]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[12]

The Philadelphia Inquirer deemed the album "tough, shouted blues by one of the genre's most vehement practitioners."[12] The Kingston Whig-Standard thought that Taylor "comes across as a gruff earth mother," and noted that her guitar player, Criss Johnson, "more than holds his own on his solos" despite the many famous guest musicians.[13]

The New York Times wrote that Taylor's "penetrating growl is menacing on the Willie Dixon stomp 'Evil', and self-assured on 'The Hunter'."[14] The Columbus Dispatch concluded that "Taylor is in superb form, belting out ballads about passion, slow blues about broken hearts and barroom romance rockers."[15]

AllMusic thought that "Taylor's gritty 'I Cried like a Baby' and a snazzy remake of Ann Peebles' 'Come to Mama' are among the many highlights."[8]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Evil" 
2."Beer Bottle Boogie" 
3."I Cried Like a Baby" 
4."I Can Love You Like a Woman (Or I Can Fight You Like a Man)" 
5."Flamin' Mamie" 
6."Something Inside Me" 
7."The Hunter" 
8."Queen Bee" 
9."I Don't Care No More" 
10."Come to Mama" 

References

  1. "Blues Singer Koko Taylor, The Blues Machine to Appear at Odyssey Club". Oklahoman.com. August 2, 1985. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  2. "Koko Taylor Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  3. Pareles, Jon (June 16, 1985). "MUSIC: BLUES BY KOKO TAYLOR". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021 via NYTimes.com.
  4. "Koko Taylor". GRAMMY.com. November 23, 2020. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  5. MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 554.
  6. "Koko Taylor, On a Blues Roll". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  7. Salter, Rosa (16 Aug 1985). "KOKO TAYLOR'S MAINSTREAM BLUES". The Morning Call. p. D1.
  8. "Queen of the Blues - Koko Taylor | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06 via www.allmusic.com.
  9. "Robert Christgau: CG: Koko Taylor". www.robertchristgau.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-06. Retrieved 2021-10-06.
  10. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8. MUZE. p. 66.
  11. The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin Books. 2006. p. 632.
  12. Tucker, Ken (7 July 1985). "KOKO TAYLOR, Queen of the Blues". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. D8.
  13. Burliuk, Greg (7 Sep 1985). "Queen of the Blues Koko Taylor". The Kingston Whig-Standard. Magazine. p. 1.
  14. Palmer, Don (15 Sep 1985). "A HANDFUL OF LABELS PRESERVE THE TROUBLED BLUES". The New York Times. p. A21.
  15. Petric, John (August 18, 1985). "FEELING THE BLUES? LISTEN TO KOKO TAYLOR". The Columbus Dispatch. Accent & Arts. p. 4.
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