The Blue Jukebox by: Chris Rea
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Rating: 
18 reviews
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Publisher: Jazzee Blue
Release date: 22nd March, 2004
Media: Audio CD
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Track List
- The Beat Goes On
- Long Is The Time, Hard Is The Road
- Lets Do It
- Let It Roll
- Steel River Blues
- Somebody Say Amen
- Blue Street
- Monday Morning
- Restless Soul
- What Kind Of Love Is This
- Paint My Jukebox Blue
- Baby Don't Cry
- Speed
Editorial Review
Chris Rea's voice has been maturing to a whisky-soaked growl in recent years, and The Blue Jukebox should wipe away any last, lingering bits of his MOR reputation once and for all. His voice--pitched somewhere between Mark Knopfler and Tom Waits--is the perfect accompaniment to the world-weary jazz of The Blue Jukebox. Since recovering from serious illness a few years ago, he's detoured far from The Road to Hell, taking his sound right back to fundamentals, and in the process become one heck of a blues singer and guitarist, leaving contemporaries such as Eric Clapton in the dust. The slide guitar, shuffling beat and low-wailing sax of "The Beat Goes On" are even reminiscent of former indie darlings Morphine--quite a feat for a man in his 50s. Most impressively, many of the songs here--particularly "Monday Morning" and "Long Is the Time, Hard Is the Road"--have a certain timeless quality, in spite of being Rea originals. The Blue Jukebox is the ideal late-night album, and more than just Rea's best yet--it's a genuinely exceptional collection of soulful, blues-drenched jazz. --Robert Burrow
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Average rating - (more reviews)
Rating: - Ollie
This is Chris playing serious music, the words and arrangements are from the heart. This album links into another favourite album of mine, 'Dancing Down The Stony Road'. Both albums are for listeners that like to be challenged, taken on a journey and love authentic blues. This is not background music, but work that needs to be taken seriously, I would thouroughly recommend it to Rea fans, the quailty is excellent and the instrumental arrangements inspired.
Rating: - The Blue Jukebox, Chris Rea - The beat goes on!
Following his cancer scare, Chris Rea decided on a change in musical direction, and started to produce records with a more bluesy orientation. 2002's `Stony Road' was an absolute revelation, an album of very personal hard blues.
In this, the second album in Rea's musical rebirth, the hard edged blues has been softened with a jazz tinge. This stops it feeling quite so raw, but leads to a highly satisfying musical experience. The expansion of the musical palette allows Rea to create a musicscape that draws you in and sweeps you along with gentle, shuffling beats, softly crying guitars and mercurial saxophones as he relates personal stories of his memories, strongly rooted in the North of England.
The standout track has to be `Steel River Blues, a powerful testament to the industrial North. But there is no filler in this album, it is an instant classic through and through. It really has to be one of my favourite albums of all time.
Highly recommended.
Rating: - Deep (jazee) Blue
With this release, Rea convincingly cemented his new direction into the blues. Following the self-produced 'Dancing Down The Stony Road' (2002), his first journey into blues, this album is slightly slicker, more polished and less raw. Guitars, piano,really effective sax, gentle percussion, and not a synth in sight. Moody and mellow. Lovely. When you've had a lousy day at work and kids are driving you crazy, find a cosy corner in a dark room, pour yourself a drink, and lose yourself in this.
Rating: - Simply Stunning
Conjure up a vision of a small smokey bar hidden down some forgotten side street, the music comes from a band hidden in a dark shadow in the corner of the room. Ok keep that thought, now put Blue Jukebox in the CD Player slip on the headphones and relax in a comfortable chair and enjoy. This is about as good as music gets, Chris and the boys know what their doing the playing is superb particulary the sax which adds that world weary atmosphere. Add it to your shopping basket now.
Rating: - Unlimited blues
It is impossible to quantitatively compare the work of Chris Rea. His brilliance as a songwriter and musician is undeniable. Many of his works are not truly appreciated on first listening and these often turn out to be the most enduring.
This recent compilation is in that category and is therefore a must for those who appreciate and study his musical journey. It sits well with Blue Guitars, Blue Street and Hoffner Blues. ie only for the serious Rea enthusiast.
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