J.J. Cale
's
The Definitive Collection
is an excellent single-disc collection from one of the most influential singer/songwriters to emerge from America during the '70s. Just as
Townes Van Zandt
and
Guy Clark
define Texas songwriting,
Cale
is the epitome of the Oklahoma writers. Although most people know him as the writer of
Eric Clapton
's hit
"Cocaine,"
constantly offered up other quality material that could only be defined by his vocal style, which can accurately be described as "reclining in the groove." Popular tunes such as
"Call Me the Breeze,"
"Hey Baby"
"Crazy Mama"
have a deceptively laid-back intensity that to a large degree influenced such rockers as
Lowell George
of
Little Feat
and the previously mentioned
Clapton
.
's guitar work proved to be influential as well (again on
), but also popular swamp rockers such as
Delaney Bramlett
offers a comprehensive collection from
's early-'70s recordings in Nashville, to Muscle Shoals in Alabama, to his later work on Hollywood. If you're going to explore
's groove, this is the place to start. ~ Matthew Greenwald