Enjoy...The Best of King Curtis

King Curtis

  • AllMusic Rating
    8
  • User Ratings (0)
  • Your Rating

Enjoy...The Best of King Curtis Review

by arwulf arwulf

Curtis Ousley, known to the world as tenor saxophonist King Curtis, cut these tasty tracks for the Enjoy record label in 1962 with a session band billed as "the Noble Knights." Because the Twist was really "in," the entire session has an irrepressible R&B-to-rock & roll quality perfectly suitable for freeway driving, food preparation, dancing, drinking, casual sex and moderate substance abuse. If any of these activities lead to trouble simply blame it on the band, for in addition to the King's beefy tenor sax there are solidly exciting tones from electric bassist Jimmy Lewis, electric guitarist Billy Butler, pianist George Stubbs, drummer Ray Lucas, groove organist Ernie Hayes and, on "Camp Meeting," harmonica man Buddy Lucas. In addition to a soulful vocal on "I Know," King Curtis does his best Ray Charles impersonation during part one of "What'd I Say"; part two is a lively throw-down instrumental jam, as is the funky "Hot Potatoes," also known as "Home Cookin'." Most certainly some of the hottest dance music heard in the U.S.A. during the Cuban Missile Crisis.

blue highlight denotes track pick