Five Feet of Soul

Read About This Recording

Jimmy Rushing boasted a big, strong timbre that became a blueprint for all vocalists to follow. During his younger years Rushing was a hardcore blues singer performing in small southern honky tonks from his hometown of Okalahoma City to Texas.

Upon joining the Count Basie Band, Rushing took to swinging his blues repertoire; the audience had the option of crying, singing or dancing along and such was the magical combination of Rushing and Basie.

While this recording does not include Basie's fabulous band it does capture much of the Basie sound with its arrangements by Al Cohen. This is the perfect setting for Rushing who offers a heavy dose of the blues colored in swinging rhythms and soulful harmonies.

Here he takes liberties by singing 'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do, made famous by Billie Holiday. The song became her signature and she did it so well that very few vocalists dared to enter it into their repertoire. Rushing, however, is a daring perfectionist, and his rendition is superb, a blues journey with soulful integrity. He brings a male perspective to this unforgettable song.

Rushing is the real leader here as his bold, bluesy voice brings a soulful texture to these ten gems that make up Five Feet of Soul.

-Ron Scott

Contents

Just Because; 'Tain't Nobody's Biz-Ness if I Do; Heartaches; I'm Walkin' Through Heaven With You; Trouble in Mind; Oooh! Look-A-There Ain't She Pretty; Please Come Back; You Always Hurt the One You Love; Did You Ever; My Buckets Got a Hole in It.

Jimmy Rushing, Vocals; Patti Brown, Piano; Billy Byers, Jimmy Cleveland, Willie Dennis, Urbie Green, Trombones; Freddie Green, Guitar; Milt Hinton, Bass; Bud Johnson, Zoot Sims, Tenor Saxes; Gus Johnson, Drums; Irwin Marky Markowitz, Joe Newman, Snooky Young, Bernie Glow, Trumpets; Gene Quill, Phil Woods, Alto Saxes; Sol Schlinger, Baritone Sax.