Track Listing

1. I'm Tore Down
2. How Blue Can You Get
3. Sugar Sweet
4. Jambalaya
5. The Weight
6. Mess O' Blues
7. It's Only Money
8. Like A Hurricane
9. Sittin' On Top Of The World
10. Shake, Rattle And Roll

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11488 in Music
• Released on: 2008-03-24
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

CD Description
Following a lengthy struggle with cancer, Jeff Healey sadly passed away in March 2008, on the eve of the release of Mess of Blues, his first album in over eight years. Arguably one of the most distinctive blues-rock guitar players of our time, the album is already regarded as a storming return to Healey's blues-rock roots.

The album was recorded late in 2007, with the musicians who regularly accompany the guitarist at Jeff Healey’s Roadhouse in Toronto. While most of the album was recorded in the studio, two tracks were in fact recorded live at the club, and two more cut at a concert in London, England. The guitarist called his group "the best damned bar band in Canada"; it consists of Dave Murphy on keyboards (he also sings on two cuts), bassist Alec Fraser (who co-produced the record with Healey), Dan Noordermeer on guitar and Al Webster on drums.

"Making this record is a chance to introduce the band to wider international audiences and give some great songs a new and fresh lease on life," said Healey. Choosing the songs for the album was easy, he says. "For the most part they’re tunes that get the best response when we play them live, either on tour or at home in the club." Classics like "The Weight", "Jambalaya", "How Blue Can You Get" and "Shake Rattle And Roll" are all marked by Healey’s innovative and sparkling guitar work.

Customer Reviews

Jeff Healey's Sensational Swan Song
'Mess Of Blues' is an absolutely sensational collection of live, predominantly blues recordings from the sadly departed guitar virtuoso and his brilliant band. If you like blues guitar played with passion and feeling, coupled with a tight, jumping rhythm section then this album is for you. Jeff Healey, in the liner notes, describes his band as "the very best bar band that anyone could ask for" and he wasn't wrong - they're tremendous.

The choices of songs are interesting and varied and make for a rich, eclectic, engaging listen, including tracks such as The Band's 'The Weight', Neil Young's 'Like A Hurricane' and Hank Williams' 'Jambalaya', all performed brilliantly. Standards such as 'I'm Torn Down', 'Mess O' Blues' and 'Shake, Rattle And Roll' are executed as if they're being played for the very first time - no tired run-throughs here. The sound is exceptional and the performances absolutely scintillating, in fact it is difficult to believe that these are live recordings sometimes, they're so incredibly good.

It is an absolute tragedy that Jeff has been taken from us so early in his life, denying the world any more of these solid gold blues albums. This isn't just one of the best albums Jeff has released, this is one of the best modern blues albums ever. Animated, vital, stirring stuff - get yourself a copy and listen to a real legend having the time of his life and sharing it with the rest of the world.

A fitting tribute for a great performer
If you listen to this album it will make you happy and sad at the same time. Happy to listen to such an amazing talent showing the flash and fire of his younger days tempered, added to in fact, by the experience of his years on the circuit. Sad that he will not achieve the complete greatness he was undoubtedly heading for. This is not just a blues album, although everything he did had the blues at its core. A great album.

Healey marvellous!
A pleasure to listen to! Ok, quite a few cover versions, but this is the only guy I know(knew) who sounds better than the original artist!
Hopefully his sad demise will receive new listeners to his music.