In fact, DEUCES WILD is just duets - seventeen of them in all! Don't let your imagination run wild though: Mick Jagger sings exactly one of the three verses of 'Paying the Cost To Be the Boss' and regretfully his voice is no match for BB's powerful, raw and loud vocal range. Mick's vocals are too thin and they come nowhere near the type of blues shouting that typifies the King. If only Jagger could have given this song a twist, but then he didn't. If only he could have persuaded BB to record a Jagger-Richards song or a type of blues he excels in (Slim Harpo for instan­ce), but then he didn't. Jagger sounds uncert­ain and immature, very much the way he did when sharing the stage with Muddy Waters at the Checkerboard Lounge in 1981! (see 2CD 'Sweet Home Chicago', TSP 115-2)

AS far as the guitars of Keith Richards and Ron Wood are concerned, they probably didn't survive the mixing stage. Besides, it's hard to compete with Lucille herself. Part-time Stone Darryl Jones is on bass, but I fail to see the difference this makes. Good old Charlie Watts's presence, however, is quite explicit: unlike many other white drummers he does not play too fast, too wild or too loud but keeps to a strict, straightforward and functional rhythm. Mick is also on harmonica, doing a much better job than on vocal chords.

All in all, the Stones leave a rather disappointing impression and stand for one of the weakest guest roles. Overall though, DEUCES WILD is a brilliant record with both BB and Lucille in top form and many creative and pleasant surprises (e.g. Tracy Chapman and Dionne Warwick).

EDDY BONTE

Reference

BB King: Deuces Wild, MCA, 1997, cat. no. MCD 11722. Other duets include Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, Tracy Chapman, Mick Hucknall, Bonnie Raitt, D'Angelo, Jools Holland, Dr John, Marty Stuart, Dionne Warwick, Paul Carrack, Zucchero, Joe Cocker, Heavy D, David Gilmour & Paul Carrack and Willie Nelson.