Search - John Sebastian & J-Band :: I Want My Roots

The heart's still there, even if the voice isn't

Tad Nastic | 04/13/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This collection from John Sebastian and the J-Band is sort of an all-star jug band, with the addition of the late Yank Rachell, Rory Block, Paul Rishell and Annie Raines in addition to J-Band regulars Fritz Richmond, Jimmy Viviano and James Wormsworth. Sebastian's heart and soul have always been with this music, even as he rose and fell on the pop/rock charts. In a way, it's a shame that this real jug band material comes when John's pipes are shot. He just cannot sing any more. But he's still got the feeling for the music and he's still got the harmonica and guitar. Please give us more like this."

The "roots" refer to the blues and the jug

Tad Nastic | place USA | 01/30/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although I've came across this CD indirectly, I've come to appreciate it more and more with every listen. It's a fun do-it-yourself music appreciation party performed by pros. "Ain't No Place To Hobo Anymore" positively rocks (or, more precisely, rolls in a rocking way). The CD features many singers, all of fine quality, including Sebastian, whose voice is hoarser than his Spoonful days, but effective. The instrumentation is also right-on, which includes electric guitar, drums, mouth-harp, stompboard, and jug n' tub extraordinaire Fritz Richmond, among others. Old blues-man Yank Rachell adds a few songs for extra character, and this CD has plenty of it."