Genre: soul
Rating: ** (2 stars)
Title: From the Heart
Company: Rounder
Catalog: 2044
Year: 1984
Country/State: New Orleans, Louisiana
Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+
Comments: --
Available: 1
GEMM catalog ID: 4756
Price: $10.00
Cost: $2.00
Signed by Rounder Records, Johnny Adams label debut came in the form of 1984's "From the Heart". Produced by Scott Billington, the album served as a perfect microcosm for Adams' talents and his shortcomings. The album certainly got off to a killer start in the form of the ominous funk track 'Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home'. From that point on the album bounces all over the musical spectrum, including stabs at Gospel ('Scarred Knees'), scat jazz ('Why Do It?'), old school soul ('If Ever I Had a Good Thing'), R&B ('From the Heart')' and straight forward jazz - check out his 'performance on Percy Mayfield's 'We Don't See Eye To Eye'. Individually most of the tracks are worth hearing, but the album's sheer versatility leaves you wondering what he's trying to do. Adams nick name may have been 'The Tan Canary", but judging by this collection 'musical chameleon' is a far better description. To bad he didn't stick to more blues, funk and soul moves. This could've been one killer album.
"From the Heart" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home (Hal Jackson - Timothy Matthews) - 4:59
2.) Why Do I? (Roger Ebacher) - 3:07
3.) Laughing and Clowning (Sam Cooke) - 3:17
4.) If Ever I Had a Good Thing (Tony Joe White) - 3:45
5.) Scarred Knees (Janis W.Tyrone) - 5:04
(side
2)
1.) From the Heart (Doc Pomus - K. Hirsch) - 2:59
2.) Your Love Is So Doggone Good (D. Ervin - R. Love) - 7:21
3.) We Don't See Eye To Eye (Percy Mayfield) - 2:42
4.) Roadblock (J. Welch) - 3:10
5.) Teach Me To Forget (Mac Rebennack - McKinley - David) - 3:56
Sadly Adams died of cancer (note he's holding a cigarette on the back cover) in September 1998.