Matthew Robinson

Matthew Robinson - Bad Habits - 1998 - Fedora

The relatively unknown Matthew Robinson describes his music as "the result of the natural evolution of gospel, R&B, blues and the Texas sound he grew up around". The guy is a rarity, being an authentic blues singer and musician. Matthew was born on February 27, 1948 in Austin, Texas. Matthew and Donald “Duck” Jennings played in east Austin in the 1950s and 1960s, an era described as “one of the liveliest blues scenes in the Lone Star state.” In ’64 he and schoolmates formed the Mustangs (they had a huge hit – Tender Loving Care), and toured with James Brown, Jimmy Reed, Big Mama Thornton and Johnny Winter. Matthew's been hard at work in Austin's Eastside clubs for many years now, as well as heading to Europe and playing with Blues Boy Hubbard, Willie Foster, and of course his own Texas Blues Band. "Bad Habits" contains some great trumpet solos by Donald 'Duck' Jennings and excellent guitar work from Matthew. Don't expect any searing guitar solos. Matthew carries it off using his own "spare note" technique. A good blues album with plenty of funk and jazz touches. Try and listen to Matthew Robinson & The Texas Blues Band's s/t album

TRACKS / COMPOSERS

1 Got To Leave This Woman - G.H. Jackson 4:40
2 Mr. Pawnbroker - R.B. King, J. Taub 3:15
3 You Just Can't Take My Blues - B. Johnson / S. Mosley 5:57
4 Sunday Morning Love - R. Johnson / S. Mosley 4:20
5 Just Your Fool - L. Haywood, M. Tynes 3:50
6 I'm Gonna Stop You From Giving Me The Blues - D. Henry, G. Clement 3:35
7 Sugar Sweet - M. London 3:02
8 Don't Lose Your Cool - A.G. Collins 3:05
9 My Tomorrow - F. Washington 4:17
10 Give Me My Blues - G.L. Collins 3:38
11 West Side Baby - Traditional 4:52
12 Bad Habits - D. H. Brewer 3:52

MUSICIANS

Matthew Robinson - Vocals, Guitar
Eddie James Stout - Bass
Mickey "Tickey" Bennett - Keyboards
William Norman Fagen - Drums
Larry D.C. Williams - Saxophone
Donald "Duck" Jennings -Trumpet

REVIEW

Matthew Robinson, born February 27, 1948 in Austin, Texas. In ’64 he and schoolmates formed the Mustangs (they had a huge hit – Tender Loving Care), which toured with James Brown, Jimmy Reed, Big Mama Thornton and Johnny Winter. Now over thirty years later Robinson gives us Bad Habits. After a couple of listenings, Cornbread says it was worth the wait!
1. Got To Leave This Woman – a solid bass shuffle, organ highlights, sax throughout, and James Brown’esque vocals.

2. Mr. Pawnbroker – vocals are secondary, the guitar playing makes the song.

3. You Just Can’t Take My Blues – man this is a great blues song, plenty of guitar and excellent vocals.

4. Sunday Morning Love – vocals are dominant and have a ton of emotion. It’s a bluesy/jazzy combo with the guitar/vocals and backing saxophone.

5. Just Your Fool – another blues funk song. Blues funk don’t you love it? I do.

6. I’m Gonna Stop You From Giving Me The Blues – good song, I can picture Tony T. doing this song and bringing the crowd to their knees.

7. Sugar Sweet – I liked the guitar solo.

8. Don’t Lose Your Cool – a fast tune with a big band sound, really good guitar instrumental.

9. My Tomorrow – the guitar was blues at its best, the rest of the song was OK.

10. Give Me My Blues – lots of soul, “I can play a blues song all night long, some people seem to dig it y’all.”

11. West Side Baby – I liked the organ playing, getting tired of hearing horn playing though.

12. Bad Habits – a rock solid blues shuffle and rock solid song. I liked this song.

As a side note for you instrument heads (I’m one of the biggest) - the guitar pictured on the album cover sure looks a lot like a B.B. King Gibson Lucille. Bad Habits is a good CD, the vocals and guitar playing was right on, less horn and more piano or harmonica would’a been a good thing. Rating 3.977. Ciao' for now, peace. © Peter 'Cornbread' Cohen, CBP © 2000 -2010 http://www.stlblues.net/pete_matthewrobinson_badhabits.htm