Willie J. Campbell - Be Cool

Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2023
Time:68:38 
Size:157,6 MB 
Label:8089266 Records DK 
Styles:Blues 
Art:Front 

Tracks Listing:
 1. You Better Let Go - 4:33
 2. No More - 4:26
 3. This Time - 5:24
 4. Can't Stay Away - 6:30
 5. Drone - 6:09
 6. Docksidin' - 4:08
 7. My Fault - 3:55
 8. Forever Shall Be - 4:33
 9. Standby - 4:35
10. Devil On My Shoulder - 4:30
11. She's a Twister - 3:16
12. One Man Chain Gang - 4:37
13. You Can't Stop Her - 3:04
14. Use As Needed - 5:42
15. Albatross - 3:09

Willie J. Campbell was one of those all-purpose musicians who was a bass player, singer, songwriter — and in his 50-year career he became an essential ingredient of several great bands, including the James Harman Band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, the Mannish Boys and the Proven Ones.
That heady career was interrupted in March of 2022, when Campbell was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, sometimes known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).
Knowing that his time was limited, Campbell planned a final album of the music he loved, created with the musical friends that he loved. And just eight weeks before he died, he recorded his final music.
That joyous final session is this album, “Be Cool,” whose title is based on words Campbell was fond of using, and includes as guests guitarist Kid Ramos, Campbells’s co-producer Brian Templeton, plus Fabulous Thunderbirds frontman Kim Wilson, Sugaray Rayford, Los Lobos’ David Hidalgo, Joe Louis Walker, Janiva Magness, Jimi Bott, Jimmie Wood, Jason Ricci, Anson Funderburgh, Mike Morgan, Shawn Pittman, Johnny Ramos, Condron Hampton, Mondo Cortez, Pat McDougall, and Brooks Milgate. Blue Heart Records worked with the Campbell family in preparing the release to ensure that this album accurately reflects the impact Campbell had on those around him.
The album opens with the funky-tough “You Better Let Go,” featuring Rayford on massive vocals, then Milgate’s piano sparks the rocking “No More,” featuring Funderburgh. Hidalgo provides vocals and guitar and joins Wilson on harmonica for a cover of Los Lobos’ easy-riding “This Time.”
“Can’t Stay Away” powers up next, with Magness soaring emotionally and vocally on the torchy blues. “Drone” evokes a Mississippi Hill Country trance with Ramos on guitar and swampy harp by Ricci. The rollicking instrumental “Docksidin’,” plays Cambell’s bass off Funderburgh’s guitar with tasty B3 licks.
“My Fault”, originally performed by Rod Stewart and written by Stewart, Ron Wood, and Ian McLagan, bursts its hard-rocking seams with Rolling Stone riffs, and “Forever Shall Be” is rich with soulful gospel tapestry. A snappy horn chorus welcomes Rayford back to the vocals on “Standby,” with an assist from Walker on guitar. Pittman gets down and swampy with vocals on “Devil on My Shoulder” featuring a stinging Funderburgh solo, and harp work from Wilson.
“She’s A Twister” is hard-driving, old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll with guitar and Milgate’s barrelhouse piano. “One Man Chain Gang” features Wood on haunting vocals pleading for rescue. Wilson is back on vocals and harp for a sparkling cover of Huey P. Smith’s “You Can’t Stop Her”, a New Orleans classic. Templeton pours his heart out in the plaintiff love ballad, “Use as Needed.”
The closer belongs to Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green, whose eloquent instrumental “Albatross” is a spirit-lifting finale, pointing to Campbell’s final thoughts in the liner notes: “Love fully in the moment. Enjoy everyone and everything that you can, while you can”.
“Be Cool” is an uplifting album, a fitting musical tribute to the great talents of Willie J. Campbell, overflowing with the music that filled his heart and his life.

Be Cool