Are You Glad to Be in America?
| Are You Glad to Be in America? | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by James Blood Ulmer | ||||
| Released | 1980 | |||
| Recorded | January 17, 1980 | |||
| Genre | Jazz | |||
| Label |
Rough Trade Records (UK) Artists House (US) | |||
| Producer | John Snyder & James "Blood" Ulmer | |||
| James Blood Ulmer chronology | ||||
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| DIW Records Cover | ||||
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Are You Glad to Be in America? is an album by American guitarist James Blood Ulmer recorded in 1980 and originally released on the Rough Trade label in the UK in 1980, produced by Ulmer, with himself, Geoff Travis, Roger Trilling, and Mayo Thompson credited with the mix. A remixed version, credited to Ulmer and Bob Blank, was released by the Artists House label in the US in 1981.[1] The album was released on CD with a new third mix by Joe Ferla, approved by Ulmer, on the Japanese DIW label in 1999.
Reception
The Allmusic review by Nathan Bush awarded the album 4 stars and states "Shards of jazz, rock, funk, and surf guitar are shuffled together and unfurl in frenetic lines. At times the rhythms are too rigid and the results sound like an experiment from which the musicians are trying to break free. At best, the individuals lose themselves in a highly charged dialogue".[2]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [2] |
| The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide | [3] |
Trouser Press describes Are You Glad to Be in America? as an "exceptionally fine" album that "reveals a staggering understanding of the roots of jazz, dance music, Eastern polyrhythms and harmolodic textures in a lively sound mix.... [T]he music fairly crackles."[4]
Track listing
- All compositions by James Blood Ulmer
- "Layout" - 5:02
- "Pressure" - 3:48
- "Interview" - 3:06
- "Jazz Is the Teacher (Funk the Preacher)" - 4:19
- "See-Through" - 3:50
- "Time Out" - 5:19
- "T.V. Blues" - 4:32
- "Light Eyed" - 3:56
- "Revelation March" - 3:18
- "Are You Glad to Be in America?" - 4:37
- Recorded at RCA Studios, New York City on January 17, 1980.
Personnel
- James Blood Ulmer - guitar, vocals
- David Murray – tenor saxophone
- Oliver Lake - alto saxophone
- Olu Dara - trumpet
- Billy Patterson - rhythm guitar (track 4)
- Amin Ali - electric bass
- G. Calvin Weston, Ronald Shannon Jackson - drums
References
- ↑ James "Blood" Ulmer discography accessed July 9, 2010
- 1 2 Bush, N. Allmusic Review accessed July 9, 2010
- ↑ Swenson, J. (Editor) (1985). The Rolling Stone Jazz Record Guide. USA: Random House/Rolling Stone. p. 197. ISBN 0-394-72643-X.
- ↑ Margasak, Peter; Graham Flashner (2007). "James Blood Ulmer". Trouser Press. Trouser Press LLC. Retrieved July 28, 2010.