Jimmy Burns & Soul Message Band – Full Circle
Delmark -2025
10 tracks; 51 minutes
Jimmy Burns released some singles on small labels in the 1960’s, took a long break in the 1970/80’s to raise his family before a second recording career with several successful albums on Delmark. Now in his 80’s this return to Delmark pairs Jimmy with Soul Message Band, anchored round the great Hammond player Chris Foreman and drummer Greg Rockingham and joined by tenor sax player Geof Bradfield, alto player Greg Jung and guitarist Lee Rothenberg; Steve Eisen adds tenor and baritone sax to four tunes and Typhanie Monique vocals to four. Jimmy handles lead vocals throughout and guitar on one cut. Jimmy also demonstrates that his memory is not at all dimmed by providing informative and detailed sleeve notes on all the songs included, the intention being to revisit those early singles and some tunes that were influential on Jimmy’s career.
We start with a 1970 song by Charles Wright, like Jimmy a Clarksdale, MS native, who recorded it with The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band. This version is given a definite Ska treatment with the saxes adding depth to the arrangement. It is immediately astonishing to think that Jimmy is 82, as he sounds half that age! “World Of Trouble” is a Big Joe Turner song but it is very unlikely that Joe imagined this version of the song which features Chris’ B3, Geof’s tenor and Lee’s guitar in a jazzy arrangement that runs over six minutes, leaving space for all three to feature. The first visit to one of Jimmy’s old 45’s is “I Really Love You” which he put out in 1971 and proved a winner on the Northern Soul scene in the UK where original copies of the single exchange for hefty sums; the remake has a great groove and good alto work from Greg Jung over Chris’ funky organ stabs. “Ain’t That Funk For You” is an extended blues and one of two instrumentals on the album, the interplay between the B3 and tenor sax recalling the days of organ trios, no guitar on this one. “Too Much Love” was written by Lowman Pauling (of The Five Royales) in 1953; Jimmy recorded it on his Night Time Again album in 1999, but always wanted to revisit the song and believes that this version gets to the heart of the song, a view confirmed by this reviewer as Jimmy, supported by Typhanie’s B/V’s, delivers a strong version. Another song previously recorded by Jimmy is Charles Colbert’s “Give Her To Me” which he cut in 1965 and is arguably the most obvious track here that meets the usual definition of ‘soul’. Jimmy himself wrote “It Use To Be” in 1966, a sultry ballad in which the band briefly quotes “Hang On Sloopy”, itself a hit in the previous year! Guitarist Lee plays a delightful solo here too.
The second Soul Message Band instrumental takes us all the way back to 1945 when Buddy Johnson wrote “Since I Fell For You”; the song has, of course, become a standard. Lee again sits this one out, but Chris, Geof and the two Gregs do a fine job on the familiar tune. Jimmy returns to the mike for Lil’ Son Jackson’s “Rock Me Mama” which, of course, is a close relative to the often recorded “Rock Me Baby”. Jimmy still hosts the weekly jam session at Buddy Guy’s Legends and recounts that this is a tune on which Buddy often joins him on stage. Jimmy’s smooth vocal fits the version laid down by The Soul Message Band, with the groove that the B3 provides. “Where Does That Leave Me?” is the final track, a song that Jimmy recorded in 1972 by overdubbing his vocal on to a track that had been recorded earlier, the original band having included Donny Hathaway! No saxes on this version, just Chris’ beautiful organ tones introducing the soulful ballad, Jimmy’s vocal having some echo on it, Lee and drummer Greg adding their own tasteful approach to the song.
Throughout the album the emphasis is on classy accompaniment that supports Jimmy’s excellent vocals really well, the band also getting its opportunity to shine on the two instrumental features. It is great to hear how good Jimmy still sounds and all credit to Delmark for supporting him on this project.
