Audio CD review:
Popa Chubby - The Hungry Years

Popa Chubby - The Hungry Years

Band: Popa Chubby Title: The Hungry Years Rating: Release Date: 13 May, 2003 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Stoop Down Baby 2: Shake Down 3: Looking For One Kiss 4: Tak Off - A! 5: Working Class Blues 6: Lo Han Sway 7: Feel My Eyes On You 8: Rain On My Mind 9: It's Chubby Time 10: San Catri 11: What's Your Problem?/Pipeline

Customer Reviews Solid Compilation Much like his stomping grounds, Popa's musical style is a bit of a melting pot of the blues, and the songs on this collection really bear that out. The selections for this very good CD are culled from Popa's early work playing gigs in New York City from 1991 to 1996. He starts off putting his best foot forward with the funky groove of Stoop Down Baby. I say "best foot forward" because for me Popa is at his best when he's playing it funky. After all, it was Bernie Worrell, one of the founding members of Parliament-Funkadelic, that first dubbed Ted Horowitz with the moniker "Popa Chubby". Later in the CD, his band's theme song It's Chubby Time, also shows off his awesome funky side. Regardless of the style of blues, Popa plays it with a real strength and intensity. His versatility really stands out on this CD. Popa rocks it on the Zepplin-esque Shake Down, which happens to be one of three previously unreleased songs. He follows that with the Texas sound of Looking For One Kiss, and then jazzes things up with the second new tune, Take Off - A!. Before the CD is finished he's gone from the slow n' pretty Lo Han Sway (the 3rd new song) and San Catri to the fast n' gritty What's Your Problem/Pipeline. Along the way there's even a little taste of the Delta with the laid-back slide work of Rain On My Mind, one of my favorites on this CD. Best of Popa's Early Yeras! Having followed Mr. Popa Chubby has been described by some as a comic book character, a charlatan, a shameless self-promoter and by others as an accomplished blues musician, showman and entrepreneur. Horowitz's (aka Popa Chubby) career over the past many years, it is easy to understand the controversy. On the one hand he has proven to be a tireless musician with a rather large body (no pun intended) of work for a man with no major label support until his recent signing with Blind Pig. On the other hand, a lot of that early work, produced on his own label and/or oversees recordings, is often of inconsistent quality. This CD takes the pain out of trying to locate early Chubby material that is actually worth listening to. What you will find here is some pretty good original blues rock material put out by Chubby in his early years. The two lone exceptions seem to be "It's Chubby Time" which has its origins in an early disco number which will readily come to mind from the opening note and "What's Your Problem/Pipeline" which is a previously unreleased live version which seems disjointed and out of sync with the other selections. Guitarists will be especially happy with the selections as most feature Popa's bag full of chops and tasty licks. Overall, it's a pretty good compilation of Popa's early material. . You can see a complete list of all Popa Chubby discography, or go back to the Popa Chubby tabs