Liner Notes
INTRODUCING THE BAR-KAYS BY BOOKER T. JONES
FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF I HAVE RELIVED THE TIME I SPENT IN DEVELOPING MY STYLE AS A MUSICIAN AND ARTIST.
I CAN RECALL THE MANY HOURS I SPENT IN MAKING THE ORGAN AND PIANO RESPOND TO MY TOUCH. EVERY NOTE, EVERY CHORD PROGRESSION WAS A REAL AND ENJOYABLE CHALLENGE SINCE MUSIC IS MY LIFE.
MY FIRST HIT RECORD WITH THE M.G.'S, GREEN ONIONS, FOR WHICH WE WERE AWARDED A GOLD RECORD, WAS VERY GRATIFYING TO ME. THAT ACHIEVEMENT HELPED PAVE THE WAY FOR THE MANY, MANY CONTRIBUTIONS I WANTED TO MAKE TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC.
ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTIONS I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN IS A NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE "STAX! VOLT SOUND" AS PORTRAYED BY TODAY'S GENERATION, THE YOUNGEST AND THE NEWEST EXPONENTS OF OUR "SOUL SOUND '67", THE BAR-KAYS.
I CAN'T CLAIM ALL THE CREDIT FOR HAVING GROOMED THE BAR-KAYS FOR THEIR PROFESSIONAL CAREER. OUR DRUMMER, AL JACKSON, JR., WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN TEACHING THE BAR-KAYS MANY OF THE FUNDAMENTALS. (JACKSON, A VETERAN PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN, IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S TOP DRUMMERS.) DONALD DUNN, BASS, AND STEVE CROPPER, GUITAR, ALSO SHARED IN CULTIVATING THE TALENTS OF THIS YOUNG, VIBRANT GROUP.
SO MUCH FOR ALL OF US AS TEACHERS. NOW THAT YOU'RE READY WE'LL BRING ON THE STUDENTS. ON GUITAR: JIMMY KING; ORGAN: RONNIE CALDWELL; SAXOPHONE: PHALON JONES; DRUMS: CARL CUNNINGHAM; TRUMPET: BEN CAULEY.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ... THE BAR-KAYS.
"BOOKER T. JONES" OF THE M.G.'S
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