Fine and Mellow (Ruth Brown album)

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Fine and Mellow
Studio album by
Ruth Brown
Released1991
GenreR&B, blues
LabelFantasy
ProducerRalph Jungheim
Ruth Brown chronology
Brown, Black & Beautiful
(1990) 		Fine and Mellow
(1991) 		The Songs of My Life
(1993)

Fine and Mellow is an album by the American musician Ruth Brown, released in 1991.[1][2] After recuperating from leg surgery, Brown supported the album with several concert appearances.[3]

Production[edit]

Fine and Mellow is an album of Brown's favorite songs.[4] Produced by Ralph Jungheim, it was recorded with session bands in New York City and in Hollywood.[5][6] The songs were arranged by Frank Owens.[7] Rodney Jones played guitar; Herman Riley contributed on saxophone.[8][9] The title track was written by Billie Holiday.[10] "Salty Papa Blues" is a version of the song made famous by Dinah Washington.[11] "It's Just a Matter of Time" is a cover of the Brook Benton song.[7] "Knock Me a Kiss" is a cover of the song made famous by Louis Jordan.[12]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD[8]
North County Times[13]
The Philadelphia Inquirer[10]
The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul[14]

Newsday wrote that Brown's "brash style never adapts to songs synonymous with other singers, but adopts them as her own."[6] The Los Angeles Times said that the album "underlines her versatility and her ability to use an actor's touch to inject drama or humor into a song."[15] The Vancouver Sun deemed Fine and Mellow "the blues in all its raunchy glory."[9] The Chicago Tribune opined that "her singing has plenty of snarl and bite, and she shrewdly has surrounded herself with a terrific lineup of instrumentalists."[16]

Stereo Review considered it the best album of Brown's return to recording, likening it to "taking a stroll down memory lane and on into the kind of crowded, smoke-filled club where countless organ-and-vocal combos delighted weekend crowds."[7] The Philadelphia Inquirer called it "another big, brash affair that showcases Brown as earthmother/vamp, a singer who ... can deliver lyrics with a wink and a sneer."[10] The North County Times labeled it a "mini-history of Black American music."[13]

AllMusic called the album a "nice contemporary effort with a strongly swinging R&B flavor running throughout."[11]

Track listing[edit]

No.TitleLength
1."Fine and Mellow" 
2."I Ain't Got Nothin' but the Blues" 
3."A World I Never Made" 
4."Salty Papa Blues" 
5."I'll Drown in My Own Tears" 
6."Knock Me a Kiss" 
7."It's Just a Matter of Time" 
8."Don't Get Around Much Anymore" 
9."Nothing Takes the Place of You" 
10."I'll Be Satisfied" 

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ruth Brown Biography by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  2. ^ Jenkins Jr., Everett (2001). Pan-African Chronology III: A Comprehensive Reference to the Black Quest for Freedom in Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia, 1914-1929. McFarland, Inc. p. 469.
  3. ^ Hinckley, David (24 Jun 1992). "Ruth's R&B for free". Daily News. New York. p. 39.
  4. ^ Heim, Chris (6 Dec 1991). "Ruth Brown returned with a new set...". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. P.
  5. ^ "Album Reviews — Fine and Mellow by Ruth Brown". Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 4. Jan 25, 1992. p. 53.
  6. ^ a b Anderson, John (5 Jan 1992). "A Pair of Bluesy Tributes". Fanfare. Newsday. p. 19.
  7. ^ a b c "Fine and Mellow by Ruth Brown". Stereo Review. Vol. 57, no. 7. Jul 1992. p. 67.
  8. ^ a b Hadley, Frank-John (1993). The Grove Press Guide to the Blues on CD. Grove Press. p. 31.
  9. ^ a b Rutter, Frank (21 Mar 1992). "Ruth Brown Fine and Mellow". The Vancouver Sun. p. D23.
  10. ^ a b c Stark, Karl (30 Jan 1992). "Ruth Brown Fine and Mellow". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. C8.
  11. ^ a b c "Fine and Mellow Review by Bill Dahl". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 February 2024.
  12. ^ Wald, Elijah (12 Mar 1992). "Ruth Brown Fine and Mellow". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 6.
  13. ^ a b Gallo, Mark (7 Feb 1992). "Ruth Brown gets 'Fine and Mellow' with rhythm and blues". North County Times. p. 13B.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of R&B and Soul. Virgin. p. 44.
  15. ^ Boehm, Mike (26 Dec 1991). "The Big 3 Together". OC Live. Los Angeles Times. p. 6.
  16. ^ Reich, Howard (17 May 1992). "Recordings". Arts. Chicago Tribune. p. 29.
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