Jools Holland
What Goes Around / Rock Me

Jools Holland... he was in Squeeze, he’s presented the few good music programmes on TV, he’s an all round good guy. If he wasn’t pursuing with vigour his love for ‘boogie-woogie’, this would be a man you’d want to be very good friends with. Unquestionably, he’s a terrific piano player, but whilst this all-star collaboration business can make fun television to watch whilst you're watching the Hootenanny and recovering from a hangover, on record it's a different matter.

Artists like Dionne Warwick and The Blind Boys Of Alabama, who feature on this cut sound like they’ve had the raw passion ripped out of them. The pain and pathos of their finer moments on their own recordings is taken by a faux joyousness. The Rhythm & Blues Orchestra make music for people who like to listen to the melodies without hearing the message. This is Mike Flowers Pops without the knowing wink.