REGGIE YOUNG: FOREVER YOUNG 

(CDCHD 1500; www.acerecords.com)

Coming Home To Leipers Fork / Memphis Grease / Soul Love / Seagrove Place / It’s About Time / Exit / Jennifer

  As amazing as it seems, during his 63-year recording career Forever Young is Reggie Young’s first-ever album.  He wrote and produced all seven new songs for the CD, and he’s backed by some of his long-standing colleagues such as Clayton Ivey on Wurlitzer, David Hood on bass, Chad Cromwell on drums and in the horn section Jim Horn on sax.  In Colin Escott’s great text in the booklet the guitar virtuoso tells interesting stories from his long career, involving working with Elvis, Roy Orbison, Bill Black, the Beatles, Chips Moman and numerous country artists.

  Recorded at LaLaLand Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, in Reggie’s own words “a lot of the tunes came from little warm-up licks.”  Coming Home to Leipers Fork is an atmospheric slow song with Jim Horn’s sax wailing on the background, while Memphis Grease, Exit and Seagrove Place are punchier toe-tappers.  It’s about Time has a jazzy tone to it, whereas both Soul Love and Jennifer are beautiful, romantic ballads.  At 79, Reggie is above all passing trends and his playing is subtle and laid-back, and the overall atmosphere is pleasantly soothing. (7)

© Heikki Suosalo

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