| Discography | Review |

Transatlantic 770. Excello 8024. 1972 Jimmy Dawkins: g,v. Joe Jammer: g. Bubbles White: g(1). Pete Wingfield: p,org. Novelle Williams: org (5). Tony Stevens: b. Bob Brunning: b (5). Reggie Isidore: d. Chris Mercer: ts,org (3). Cecil Moss: trumpet. Billy Graham: trombone. Dick Party: ts,bs. Mike vernon: perc. Voices: Rosa Dotson, Velma Smith, Novelle Williams. Things I used to do (3.07) Make my way in this world (4.30) Think twice before you speak (3.20) 1011 Woodland (3.44) The mighty hawk (4.58) All for business (5.40) High cost of living (2.32) Stoned dead (4.18) Love and understanding (4.30) No more trouble (3.16)

Review (+)

The Excello record deal proved to be a big disappointment in Jimmy's career. This album is recorded in London with around twenty musicians, producers and others involved. I guess Excello had a plan for Dawkins, but that Jimmy never fitted in to them. "Transatlantic 770" is overproduced and after Delmark´s solid blues albums this one feels experimental and "freaked out". Too bad. The signs of something good is there. Jimmy´s guitar are at times brilliant and his voice is really good.

• Thing I used to do (3.07)
  Guitar Slims classic is here turned into a funky shuffle and it works! When I heard this for the first time I didn´t like it at all, but as I grew older and wiser I started to like the groove here. And listen to Jimmy's guitar! Listen to it loud. He had never before hit the strings so hard. That first lick he plays. Wham.
• Make my way in this world (4.30)
  The funky and soulful feeling from the first track continues. Not really a bad song, I guess it´s contemporary, and the guitar still is tough and mean. But Jimmy Dawkins and "popsoul"? No, I prefer Jimmy when he plays the blues.
• Think twice before you speak (3.20)
  Pete Wingfield´s piano sets the mood and overall this slowblues is rather OK, but nothing happens.
• 1011 Woodland (3.44)
  Hmm. If you always dreamt of hearing Dawkins play through some kind of a fuz box, your dreams come true. I´ll change songs. This one stinks.
• The mighty hawk (4.58)
  It starts as a slowblues but turns into a soulblues kind of song. Some rather dreadful choir parts, luckily they´re rather discreet, and an uninspired guitar solo makes me just say no to this one too.
• All for business (5.40)
  As usual the "All for business" version is exciting. This is actually the first version I heard of the song. First I hated it, but now this is my favorite take. Jimmy Dawkins plays intense and forceful guitar and when first the horns and then the strings come in I´m down on my knees, I think this song is actually made better the more produced it is. This is a weird song, listen to it. You either like it or hate it.
• High cost of living (2.32)
  Didn´t Albert King include this one on "I´ll play the blues", the last track on side 1? Oh, well, I have to check it out. Jimmy Dawkins don´t have Albert Kings ease and the band here can´t match the Stax houseband.
• Stoned Dead (4.18)
  A tough guitar riff and some intense singing from Jimmy Dawkins makes this one of the toughest songs Jimmy ever recorded. No dynamics, there´s just that grinding guitar all the time.
• Love and Understanding (4.30)
  A traditional slowblues with some nice lyrics and with good solos from both the saxophone player and Jimmy Dawkins. But I promise you won´t remember the song ten minutes after you listened to it.
• No more trouble (3.16)
  If "Stoned Dead" was tough this is even tougher. The difference is that on "Stoned Dead" Jimmy seemed in control, here the band just does their own thing. Some aggressive guitar though.