Organic - Cocker, Joe (CD 1996)

Do you remember the original Joe Cocker? In 1969, before his voice sounded like shredded wheat? Before the spasmodic hand movements? When he knew where he was; WHO he was?
A cross between an English pitbull and John Riggins, Joe Cocker was about as close to English gospel and blues as there was. Hooking up with Leon Russell, Rita Coolidge, and the whole, aptly named, Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour, Joe began his decent into rock and roll hell. Hey, he's one of the poster kids, along with Ozzie Ozborne, Jimmy Page, et al, of VH1's "Where Are They Now/Behind the Music" shows.
No, he'll probably never hit those soaring and glorious high notes again, and at times still suffers from a breathy, rather than, diaphragm-tight delivery, but he's new again: sober, thankful and somewhat back to his roots, the same sooty, gritty, industrial smog blues of yore.
Produced by Don Was, this is the best Joe Cocker in many, many years.
Titled Organic, Joe is surrounded by the old and the new: Chris Stainton, Billy Preston and Randy Newman among those on keyboards, Jim Keltner and Kenny Aronoff on drums, and guitar wizardry by the likes of Dean Parks, Johnny Lee Schnett and Tony Joe White. There is a choir of backing vocalists such as Merry Clayton (Gimme Shelter), Myrna Smith, Portia Griffin and Maxine Sharp.
Some of the classics are covered: You Are So Beautiful (not as excruciating to hear as in previous recordings), a rollicking and always good Delta Lady, as well as covers of Darling Be Home Soon, You Can Leave Your Hat On and Can't Find My Way Home. There are some slow and heart-felt ballads like Many Rivers to Cross, High Lonesome Blue and Sail Away.
It's good to see Joe in such good form and such fine company.