Deuces Wild

Performer: B.B. King
Artist: Van Morrison; Tracy Chapman; Eric Clapton; Bonnie Raitt; D'Angelo; Dr. John; Heavy D; Marty Stuart; David Gilmour
Engineer: Chris Lord-Alge; Ron Black; Joe McGrath; Steve Holroyd
Producer: Chris Lord-Alge; John Porter
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: B.B. King (guitar); Sid Page (conductor); Paul Carrack (vocals, keyboards, Hammond B-3 organ); Bonnie Raitt, Eric Clapton, Marty Stuart (vocals, guitar, David Gilmour); Van Morrison, Tracy Chapman, Mick Hucknall, Dr. John, D'Angelo, Joe Cocker, Heavy D, Mick Jagger, Willie Nelson (vocals); Keith Richards, Ron Wood (guitar); Bruce Dukov, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian, Norman Hughes, Tamara Hatwan, Kenneth Yerke, Andrea Byers (violins); Robert Becker (viola); Larry Colbert, Marston Smith, Dane Little, Martin Tillman, Miles Tackett (cello); Joe Sublett (tenor saxophone); Brian Murray (trumpet); Jools Holland (piano); Leon Pendarvis (keyboards); Tommy Eyre (keyboards); Pino Palladino (bass); Andy Newmark, Charlie Watts (drums). DEUCES WILD was nominated for a 1999 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Personnel: B.B. King (guitar); Mick Jagger (vocals, harmonica); Paul Carrack (vocals, keyboards); David Gilmour, Dean Parks, Eric Clapton, Hugh McCracken, Lee Schell, Johnny Lee Schell, Keith Richards, Marty Stuart, Michael Landau, Neil Hubbard, Randy Jacobs, Ron Wood, Bonnie Raitt (guitar); Tamara L. Hatwan, Ken Yerke, Andrea Byers, Norman Hughes, Sid Page, Bruce Dukov, Armen Garabedian, Berj Garabedian (violin); Robert Becker (viola); Larry Colbert, Martin Tillman, Dane Little, Marston Smith, Miles Om Tackett (cello); Mickey Rafael (harmonica); Joe Saulsbury, Jr., Joe Sublett (tenor saxophone); Carl Blouin (baritone saxophone); Brian Murray, Darrell Leonard, Jamil Sharif (trumpet); Daniel Kelley, Yvonne S. Moriarty, Kurt Snyder, Daniel Kelly (French horn); Tommy Eyre (piano, Wurlitzer organ, keyboards); Jon Cleary (piano, Wurlitzer organ); Chris Stainton (piano, keyboards); Jools Holland (piano); Leon Pendarvis (organ); D'Angelo, Bill Payne (keyboards); Tony Braunagel (drums, percussion); Steve Jordan , Jim Keltner, Kenny Aronoff, Andy Newmark, Charlie Watts (drums); Lenny Castro, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Simon Climie, Paul Waller (programming); Terrence Forsythe, Vincent Bonham, Sir Harry Bowens (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Chris Lord-Alge; Joe McGrath. Recording information: Cherokee Rec; Cherokee Recording St; Conway Studio, Hollywood, CA; Conway Studios, Hollywood, CA; Sound Castle Studios, Silverlake, CA; Westside Studios, London, England. Photographers: Chris Taylor; Ron Keith; Daniel Root; Michael Wilson ; Kevin Mazur; Kevin Westenberg; Paul Cox; Timothy Duffy. Unknown Contributor Role: Tisha Fein. Arrangers: Darrell Leonard; Phillip Marshall; Wardell Quezergue. This is B.B.'s celebrity duet album, and a straight-ahead blues album this is not. But longtime fans who are aware of King's genre-stretching capabilities will find much to savor here. Kicking off with B.B. playing some beautiful fills and solo work behind Van Morrison on "If You Love Me," the superstars start lining up to jam with the King, with Tracy Chapman ("The Thrill Is Gone"), Eric Clapton (a funkified "Rock Me Baby"), the Rolling Stones ("Paying the Cost to Be the Boss," with a fine harp solo from Mick Jagger), Willie Nelson (his "Nightlife," long a standard in B.B.'s set list), Bonnie Raitt ("Baby I Love You"), and Marty Stuart ("Confessin' the Blues") all turning in fine efforts. The only clinker aboard here is an ill-advised attempt to make a rap record with Heavy D, the execrable "Keep It Coming." ~ Cub Koda You can't move an inch without tripping over a superstar on this album of celebrity duets. On DEUCES WILD, B. B. looks beyond the blues world to collaborate with such unlikely folks as Willie Nelson, Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, and even rapper Heavy D. On newly recorded versions of classic B.B. numbers such as "The Thrill Is Gone" (with Tracy Chapman) and "Paying The Cost To Be The Boss" (with the Rolling Stones), the legendary blues guitarslinger reinvents his own material to accommodate his famous pals, whose respect for King and enthusiasm for this project are apparent on each track. Most effective are the tunes that find B.B. paired up with veteran blues belters like Joe Cocker ("Dangerous Mood") and Van Morrison ("If You Love Me").

Down Beat (2/98, p.59) - 3 1/2 stars (out of 5) - "Every so often, the venerable Mr. King records with various pop stars: [DEUCES WILD] finds him entertaining with characteristic warmth and sincerity on a program mixing old favorites and new tunes..."

The great Memphis guitarist and singer B.B. King has been the most high-profile figure in blues since the 1960s, ever since his LIVE AT THE REGAL album established him as a superstar. King has collaborated successfully with everyone from Bobby Bland to U2, but he made his name as a soulful, enthusiastic bandleader. His beloved Gibson ES-345 guitar, "Lucille," is the source of King's trademark sound--percussive attack, dramatic string-bending, and spare lead lines with a vocal-like quality.

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