RIP J.J. Cale, 1938-2013

"Laid back." If an artist's sound is described as "laid back," more often than not, they will also be compared or contrasted with JJ Cale. The Oklahoma singer/guitarist/songwriter practically invented what it means to be "laid back" in rock and roll. But that can be deceptive, because at least in Cale's case, that rarely meant being boring. His artistry was never in your face, but as Neil Young said eariler this year, the two greatest guitarists he ever heard were Jimi Hendrix and JJ Cale. Pretty high praise, but if you listen closely to Cale's work, his fretwork will indeed impress, and you can hear his influence in players like Mark Knopfler and post-Cream Clapton.

Speaking of Clapton, Cale has Eric Clapton to thank for a career. JJ Cale was born, raised and breathed Oklahoma. He is given credit for being the prime originator of the "Oklahoma Sound," a loose and, uh, laid back mix of blues, jazz, folk and rock. He moved to L.A. in the 60's (didn't everybody?) and worked primarily as a sound engineer in a studio. That engineering experience was crucial, as one of the most distinctive qualities of his most celebrated work is also the production and recording. He failed to break through as a performer and returned to Oklahoma intending to move on to a different line of work, when Eric Clapton had a hit with Cale's "After Midnight." Cale the songwriter is much more commercially successful than Cale the performer, his songs have been recorded by Clapton (several times over, "Cocaine" was also penned by Cale), Lynyrd Skynyrd, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and the Allman Brothers.

But you really should check out his work, especially from the 1970's. I think the purest representative of the Cale sound is his debut, 1972's Naturally. I'd recommend starting there, then checking out Troubador from '76. Critic Richard Cromelin really nailed it when discussing Naturally, he said Cale's music is a "unique hybrid of blues, folk and jazz, marked by relaxed grooves and Cale's fluid guitar and laconic vocals. His early use of drum machines and unconventional mixes lend a distinctive and timeless quality to his work and set him apart from the pack of Americana roots-music purists." As Cale said himself, "I think it goes back to me being a recording mixer and engineer...I came up with a unique sound." He was never bothered by the fact that most casual music listeners have never heard of him, saying "What's really nice is when you get a check in the mail. (Fame) elevates your ego to the point where you start believing your own sh*t."

RIP JJ Cale.


ABOVE: Cale and band performing "After Midnight" sometime in the early 70's. As entertaining as the music are two things: notice how Cale keeps his cigarette going throughout the song, and then the band's fashion sense, especially the two keyboard players.