Picking up right where the first volume left off and continuing into 1964, this two-disc compilation (50 tracks!) showcases one of
Bland's most appealing periods at Duke.
Joe Scott was experimenting boldly with his protegé's repertoire, his brass-powered arrangements urging
Bland to increased heights of incendiary energy on "Turn on Your Love Light" and "Yield Not to Temptation" (driven by future
James Brown drummer Jabo Starks's funky traps) and advanced sophistication levels for the honey-smooth "Share Your Love with Me" and "That's the Way Love Is." Bennett's crackling blues licks invest "Stormy Monday Blues," "The Feeling Is Gone," and "Black Night" with T-Bone-derived tradition, while
Bland handles
Charlie Rich's "Who Will the Next Fool Be" with just the right amount of bluesy resignation. ~ Bill Dahl