The Ballad of Liverpool Slim in Bloomington, MN

Those who have
Jackie Lomax
pegged firmly onto the board marked "'60s veterans" probably need to update their address books. He may be best known for his long-ago association with
the Beatles
, and his
Apple
label waxings might be all that most people are familiar with. But he has been recording sporadically ever since then, and the same quality that won
George Harrison
's heart has been evident throughout. Indeed, 2000's
The Ballad of Liverpool Slim
might well be his finest disc ever. It certainly shows off that so-soulful voice to devastating effect, while the band behind him blazes with slick righteousness. A little funky, a little jazzy, and very American-sounding, it probably took some fans by surprise at the time, but it has now been recognized for what it is -- proof that age doesn't always have to take its toll on our older heroes. [The 2009 edition of the album --
The Ballad of Liverpool Slim...Plus
-- remasters the entire original disc and adds a pair of excellent bonus tracks,
"Friend a Mine,"
a tribute to
Harrison
and other fallen friends, and a live take on
"Sour Milk Sea"
recorded back in 1976.] ~ Dave Thompson