Jamie Oldaker's Mad Dogs & Okies

(Mint Blue Island/Concord)

First Appeared in The Music Box, October 2005, Volume 12, #10

Written by John Metzger

Sets that are supplied with an infusion of all-star talent tend to sound like ego-laden, financially-driven, vanity projects. Yet, although renowned session drummer Jamie Oldaker undeniably stacked the deck on Mad Dogs & Okies, his loving tribute to the diversity of Oklahoma’s music scene, the end result is an irresistible collection of exquisitely crafted material. Indeed, Eric Clapton delivers a pair of superb performances as he effortlessly settles into the laid-back, blues-inflected shuffle of Willis Alan Ramsey’s Positively and joins forces with Vince Gill to rip through the spirited bounce of Wait Til Your Daddy Gets Home — and that’s just the beginning. Elsewhere, Taj Mahal’s enthusiasm warms Don’t Let Your Feet Git Cold; Bonnie Bramlett (of Delaney & Bonnie fame) growls her way through a riveting rendition of Make Your Move; Tony Joe White transforms J.J. Cale’s Magnolia into a mesmerizing R&B-flavored ballad; and best of all, Ramsey himself returns from his self-imposed seclusion to blow gruffly through the weary refrains of Sympathy for a Train. There’s little doubt that the Sooner state has helped shape the stylistic development of rock, country, blues, folk, and soul. For those who have forgotten or are too young to remember, however, Mad Dogs & Okies serves as a splendid reminder as to how far reaching its influence has been. ½

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2005 The Music Box