| Ramblin' Jack Elliot has been recording music for over fifty years as the one time student and musical heir to the legendary Woody Guthrie. Riding comfortably into his twilight years, it's only fitting that Ramblin' Jack honors his guru on this release with “Woody's Last Ride,” a somber story of how the two musicians collected $11.44 singing in Washington Square Park and used that money to travel to Woody's place on the other side of the country, winding up with less than a dollar when they arrived. It's this kind of intimate tale telling that has established the great septuagenarian troubadour's singular American voice. Despite the title of the album, he carries on the endearing cowboy persona folk tradition with a little help from Lucinda Williams' beautiful backing vocals on “Careless Darling” and the surprising bass work of none other than Flea, who does a damn fine job plucking resonate country rhythms on the upbeat “Call Me a Dog,” Jerry Irby's “Driving Nails in My Coffin,” “Remember Me” and the delightfully silly and brief “Jean Harlow” in addition to the Woody ballad. Keeping to his guns, Jack covers a few traditional tunes: “Rake & Ramblin' Boy,” “Mr. Garfield,” “My Old Dog & Me,” “Leaving Cheyenne,” “Willy Moore” and “Honey Where You Been So Long?” The cover of Hoagie Carmichael's “Hong Kong Blues” is timeless. Jack does a fine job reminding us of why this music is still relevant, singing and strumming with the passion and pure down-home goodness we folk fans have come to know and love even after all these years. |