Various Artists - The Inner Flame: Rainer Ptacek Tribute

Combining two currently popular trends in compilation albums, this disc is both a tribute record and a charity project, the subject in each case being singer/songwriter/guitarist Rainer Ptácek, a friend of Robert Plant, who has recorded several of his songs as B-sides. The German-born Ptácek grew up in Chicago and now lives in Tucson, where he suffers from cancer. The set includes recordings by Plant with Ptácek and with Jimmy Page, by previous tribute/charity recipients Vic Chesnutt and Victoria Williams, and by such other notable musicians as Emmylou Harris, Evan Dando of The Lemonheads, PJ Harvey, and Jonathan Richman. Ptácek appears on six of the 14 tracks, singing and/or playing National steel guitar. The songs are sparely arranged (many of them acoustic), with a distinct Delta blues feel: Ptácek's chief influence seems to be Robert Johnson. His lyrics are preoccupied with moral quandaries. "He was innocent," and goes a line in the title track, "but that was a long time ago," and another song is called "I Am a Sinner." This is not easy listening by any means, but it displays a gritty determination that is appealing. And, of course, completists of the named artists will want to pick it up. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Name Credits Bill Carter Photography Bill Janovitz Guitar (Electric), Producer, Vocals, Performer Brady Blade, Jr. Drums Brenda Rotheiser Art Direction Bruce Buchanan Mixing, Engineer Buddy Miller Guitar (Electric) Charlie Jones Engineer, Producer, Mixing Chris Hughes Producer Craig Schumacher Engineer, Harp Darryl Johnson Bass, Vocals (Background) Derry Brownson Drums Don Heffington Percussion Emmylou Harris Guitar (Acoustic), Performer, Vocals Eric Drew Feldman Keyboards, Accordion, Performer Evan Dando Vocals, Performer Fred Drake Vocals (Background) Giant Sand Performer, Producer Guido Guitar Harvey Moltz Engineer Howe Gelb Vocals (Background), Guitar (Electric), Engineer, Organ (Hammond), Vocals, Percussion, Producer, Keyboards, Mixing, Piano (Electric), Bass J.W. Smith Photography Jason Rau Mastering Jean Pierre Sluys Engineer Jeff Moleski Mixing Jennifer Barbato Art Direction Jimmy Page Guitar, Performer Joey Burns Vocals (Background), Engineer, Bass, Bass (Upright), Piano (Electric), Producer, Vibraphone, Guitar John Covertino Percussion, Drums John Mahoney Mixing John Parish Bass, Drums, Performer, Guitar, Producer, Mixing Jonathan Richman Performer, Guitar Kris McKay Guitar (Acoustic), Producer, Mixing, Vocals, Performer Madeleine Peyroux Vocals, Performer Malcolm Burn Producer, Synthesizer, Tambourine, Mixing, Keyboards Mark Hallman Mixing Mark Olson Vocals (Background), Performer, Bass, Engineer Michael J. Ade Engineer Mike Gregovich Mixing, Engineer Mike Kirkpatrick Organ (Pump), Guitar, Producer, Mixing, Vocals Nick Augustine Bass Nick Luca Engineer, Piano Noland O'Boyle Assistant Engineer Oliver Wood Guitar Paul Bradley Drums Phil Andrews Mixing, Engineer, Producer PJ Harvey Performer, Vocals Rainer Ptacek Performer, Vocals, Guitar (Steel) Robert Plant Performer, Harmonica, Producer, Vocals Sean Cleland Viola, Mandola Taylor Didjeridu Ted Jensen Mastering The Drovers Performer Tina W. Chesnutt Performer Tom Larkins Drums Tommy Fabjance Engineer Vic Chesnutt Vocals, Engineer, Mixing, Piano, Producer, Performer, Guitar Victoria Williams Vocals (Background), Performer, Vocals, Producer, Dulcimer