Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I was able to purchase this in a store before it was made available on Amazon. I have to admit that my expectations weren't high although I am a huge fan of Hugh Laurie. So I was surprised by the strong points of this one...and there ARE indeed some very solid aspects to this CD. But first...the largest objection... Laurie's voice. Admittedly, it won't be to everyone's taste but I found it to have an emotional depth that surprised me. As Laurie himself notes in the liner notes, "why listen to an actor's music?" He doesn't pretend to be anything other than "a white, middle-class Englishman" one who is "openly trespassing on the music and myth of the American south." So there you have it. He clearly loves the music and is trying to share his pleasure with listeners. I think he succeeds. But what about the music? As soon as I heard the intro to "St James Infirmary" I was hooked. The intro is deep and resonant, nicely arranged and conducted by Allen Toussaint. Whether you like Laurie's voice or not, the horn arrangements by Allen Toussaint on this CD (St James Infirmary, Tipitina and Buddy Bolden's Blues) are breath-taking. And I do like Laurie's voice. Then there are special guests such as Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Brian "Breeze" Cayolle, and Sir Tom Jones. If for no other reason, their vocals, Toussaint's involvement, and Cayolle's sax playing make this one worth buying. But I think Laurie himself is also worth purchasing the CD. He deserves credit for making a bold move and throwing himself wholeheartedly into this compilation. While other reviewers have complained about his voice, I don't find it distracting. There is so much more to the CD than just "an actor's music." Give it a try and see for yourself.