Old School *

Rating

Album: Old School *
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Piece Of Man	More Info...	0:04
2)	Gonna Buy Me A Mule	More Info...	0:04
3)	Black Rat	More Info...	0:05
4)	Money Is the Name of the Game	More Info...	0:06
5)	You Ain't Worth A Good Woman	More Info...	0:05
6)	Better Watch Your Step	More Info...	0:05
7)	Bad Avenue	More Info...	0:05
8)	Bad Rooster	More Info...	0:05
9)	Don't Go No Further	More Info...	0:03
10)	All Your Love (Live 1990)	More Info...	0:06
11)	Hard Pill to Swallow	More Info...	0:06
12)	Young Fashioned Ways	More Info...	0:04

Album: Old School *
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Piece Of Man	More Info...	0:04
2)	Gonna Buy Me A Mule	More Info...	0:04
3)	Black Rat	More Info...	0:05
4)	Money Is the Name of the Game	More Info...	0:06
5)	You Ain't Worth A Good Woman	More Info...	0:05
6)	Better Watch Your Step	More Info...	0:05
7)	Bad Avenue	More Info...	0:05
8)	Bad Rooster	More Info...	0:05
9)	Don't Go No Further	More Info...	0:03
10)	All Your Love (Live 1990)	More Info...	0:06
11)	Hard Pill to Swallow	More Info...	0:06
12)	Young Fashioned Ways	More Info...	0:04

Performer Notes

Personnel: Koko Taylor (vocals); Koko Taylor; Vino Louden, Shun Kikuta, Bob Margolin (guitar); Brother John Kattke (piano); Melvin Smith (bass instrument); Jimmy Sutton (upright bass); Willie 'The Touch' Hayes, Rick Nelson (drum); Criss Johnson (guitar); Billy Branch (harmonica); Mark "Kaz" Kazanoff (tenor saxophone); Stanley Banks (piano); Kenny Hampton (electric bass).
Audio Mixer: Sam Fishkin.
Liner Note Author: Koko Taylor.
Recording information: Rax Trax, Chicago, IL; Rax Traxx, Chicago, IL.
Photographer: Marc Norberg.
OLD SCHOOL, Koko Taylor's first album following a life-threatening hospitalization in 2003, finds the queen of Chicago blues singers in remarkably strong voice throughout. A 12-track set split between familiar covers and solid originals, the album features classic gems from Willie Dixon ("Don't Go No Further") and Memphis Minnie ("Black Rat"), among others, alongside new material such as "Bad Rooster" and "Piece of Man." The band, led by Taylor's longtime foil, guitarist Bob Margolin, cooks throughout, making OLD SCHOOL as vital as any of Taylor's previous albums.

Professional Reviews

Down Beat (p.73) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[S]he packs a wallop handling five of her own freshly minted songs and old numbers associated with the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Memphis Minnie..."

Dirty Linen (p.41) - "OLD SCHOOL finds Taylor's voice in fine form. She sings with the keen worldliness of a veteran blues woman..."

Living Blues (p.38) - "[T]he material is a nice mix of proven covers and solid originals....The background is provided by such seasoned players as harpman Billy Branch, guitarists Criss Johnson, Bob Margolin and Vino Louden..."

No Depression (p.84) - "[W]hat's most impressive is not her raw power, formidable though it remains, but the way she keeps her absolutely sure rhythmic footing as she shouts, growls and rasps..."