Few musicians, regardless of genre or instrument, can communicate the pure joy of being caught up in their music the way
Terry Adams does, and
Crazy 8's, a live collection from
Adams' Rock & Roll Quartet, is a wildly enjoyable reminder of why
Adams is still one of the most irrepressible figures in American music four decades after
NRBQ cut their debut album.
Crazy 8's was recorded during a pair of 2009 radio sessions, and as the band's name suggests, this music finds
Adams and his bandmates digging into their rock & roll influences, with covers of classic
Big Joe Turner,
Allen Toussaint, and
Johnny Cash numbers appearing alongside a handful of
Adams originals. The sound and approach of this combo won't surprise anyone familiar with
Adams long tenure with
NRBQ, but they swing with the same free-spirited élan, and guitarist Scott Ligon, bassist
Pete Donnelly, and drummer Conrad Choucroun have the skill and the enthusiasm to keep up with
Adams as he explores the melodies of these songs on his keyboards, and Ligon is also a first-rate singer who takes over on lead vocals for a few numbers.
Crazy 8's is straightforward stuff, but listen carefully to this band in action, and you'll notice plenty of smart, adventurous things going on beneath the sunny surfaces, and if ever there was a response to the notion that rock & roll is dumb stuff without the imagination of jazz, this album is it. And if "Imaginary Radio" describes a broadcast outlet that exists only in
Adams' head, you'd be sure to tune in if they ever got an FCC license. Like a good grilled-cheese sandwich,
Crazy 8's may seem modest, but it's tasty and satisfying and more than welcome at any discerning table. ~ Mark Deming