King Ernest - King Of Hearts

Album: King Of Hearts
Size: 106,8 MB
Time: 46:15
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 1997
Styles: Blues
Art: Full

1. I Resign (4:47)
2. I'm Not The One (3:41)
3. In The Dark (4:10)
4. Black Bag Blues (4:26)
5. Better Days (4:38)
6. Long As I Have You (6:15)
7. Tell Me What's The Reason (3:51)
8. Cryin' For My Baby (5:04)
9. Sadie (5:04)
10. Forgive Me (4:14)

The title is descriptive of why Ernest deserves a royal title, as his punchy vocals are blues laden with a splash of soul. Also, the title serves as the central theme of the material which runs the gamut of emotions ranging from heartbreak ("Tell Me the Reason," "Better Days," and "Cryin' for My Baby"), doubt ("I'm Not the One"), preference to escape life's problems ("Black Bag Blues"), disgust ("I Resign"), jealousy ("In the Dark"), desire ("Sadie"), and remorse ("Forgive Me").

Ernest's musicians are proven blue(s) bloods, some of them being Paul Bryant (Robert Lucas), "Jimmy Rip" (Mick Jagger), and Lester Butler. Jagger's contribution, "Better Days," was originally slated for one of Jagger's solo albums, but then rightfully deeded to Ernest's pipes. Other well-chosen royal subjects come from songwriters/artists Junior Parker, Charlie Musselwhite, and Hound Dog Taylor. Hats go off to producer Randy Chortkoff, whose bold moves to record Ernest rightfully grants him the throne that's been denied him for far too long. /Char Ham, AllMusic

(For personnel details, see artwork included.)

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King Ernest - Blues Got Soul

Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:11
Size: 92.0 MB
Styles: Soul-blues, Chicago blues
Year: 2000
Art: Front

[4:18] 1. Suffer And Stay
[5:10] 2. Blues Conviction
[4:34] 3. Contentment
[3:36] 4. Rock Me In Your Arms
[4:02] 5. House Where Nobody Lives
[4:39] 6. Fallin' Down On My Face With The Blues
[3:00] 7. Till The Day I Die
[3:49] 8. Must Have Lost My Mind
[3:49] 9. Wood Rat
[3:09] 10. Regular Man

Tragically, singer King "Ernest" Baker only got to hear the final mixes of this album, Blues Got Soul, before he was killed in an automobile accident a few days later. Ernest was a fiery vocalist in the soul/blues vein of Little Milton or Bobby Bland, incorporating a mixture of gospel and gritty funk inspiration. While Ernest had been performing off and on throughout his life, he decided after retiring from his job with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to continue pursuing music. It's a shame that his career ended just as he was making promising steps forward. Highlights include the Ernest originals "Suffer and Stay," "Fallin' Down on My Face With the Blues," and the haunting Tom Waits-penned "House Where Nobody Lives." ~Al Campbell

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