Sunbeam Rec.
Wizz Jones : The Legendary Me (UK,1970)****'
It’s nice to discover another worthy album by Wizz Jones. This is Wizz pure from heart, at his most mature, after a first long period of touring the folk circuit and having adapted ideas from other personalities (Clive Palmer, Bert Jansch and John Renbourne) whom he also worked with, with qualities like modesty, simplicity and spontaneity, here in a personal blend.
The liner notes tell me more background history and finally some background on songwriter Alan Tunbridge, who seems to be a painter and shared interests with Wizz Jones, wrote lyrics spontanuously to Wizz's pickings.
There is only little trace from bluesfolk or from playing covers on this album. I think it shows best Wizz own core of his unique individuality. The last, live track on the album, “Stick a label on it” with the lyrics “stick a label on it, and no one will know/give it a name, and everything can go just the same” could here also be about his personal muze of picking and singing, proving once more how independent and to the moment Wizz Jones was at this stage.
There are various classic songs included, like “See how the time is flying”, or “Dazzling Stranger” played here with some extra harmonium, the best version of this song I heard so far. There are also surprisingly strong new songs/beauties I haven’t heard before, like “If only I’d known” or “Slow down to my speed”, two songs almost destined to become covered by others this time.
The album flowers with perfectionism in guitar picking and recording, a warm voice, and perfect production by John Turner (who added only sparse touches). The album was engineered by Gef Lucena and Ron Geesin*. For me it might be one of the best starters for the rather modest personality of Wizz Jones. The album was made one year before the more arranged “Right Now” (where John Renbourne played along too, also with sitar on two tracks).
A few good live tracks were added, including songs like “Sisters Of Mercy” (L.Cohen) and “Needle of Death” (B.Jansch).
* See Pink Floyd's 'Atom Heart Mother', Ron Geesin & Roger Water's 'The Body',...
Wizz Jones made various from good to excellent albums based upon cover interpretations (which include often many Alan Tunbridge songs, and a few songs of his own). Favourites of mine of his works are “Right Now” (1972,***°°), “Lucky the Man”(2001,***°) and “The Village Thing Tapes” (1969-1976**°°), which is another album produced by Conny Plank. He also made an album with Clive Palmer, Banjoland (reviewed on next page) and another one with ex-COB member John Bidwell and Jake Walton called Lazy Farmer. Review on next page
I once saw him play live (2006?). It had charming moments. Personnally for me he played too many blues songs.
