Buster Poindexter
Buster Poindexter

THE REVIEW

Buster Poindexter... or how to transform from an ultra-kitsch doll wandering the seedy streets of New York in the early seventies, to an elegant swinger with a sly wink — against the backdrop of the dazzling metropolis — by the late eighties.

Specifically, the important thing is to be named David Johansen.

And, above all, to have a very particular talent that allows you to conceive a record that credibly fuses the New York Dolls and Frank Sinatra, returning swing to its rightful popular heritage.

Hard to believe, but in the thirties of the last century, the advent of the "Swing Era" made jazz mainstream commercial music, probably the most popular musical genre in the world. This resulted from the meeting of two cultures: the Afro-American jazz culture and the white American culture of European descent promoting swing (two names above all, Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman).

The golden age lasted relatively short, considering that after the war, jazz returned to being a fundamentally elitist genre. But as long as it lasted, the term swing imposed itself as a synonym for rhythm, euphoria, dance; precisely because the two musical cultures, white and black, fused in the physicality of the dance.

More than one, in recent times and not, has tried to revive the glories of the "Swing Era": David Johansen, in this record, is the one who has succeeded the best so far, precisely because he wonderfully epitomizes the blackest soul of music (jazz, but also blues and soul and Latin rhythms) and the white one (swing).

How successful David Johansen's work is, is fully understood even by just listening to the version of "House Of The Rising Sun" present on this record: one of those performances that are pointless to describe, or at least I am not able to do it in a way that conveys the emotion and intensity that exude from every single note. Suffice it to say that twenty years later, Eric Burdon has found a worthy successor.

But then, in this record, there is also and above all a great desire to party and have fun - and thus irresistible tracks such as "Hot Hot Hot", "Good Morning Judge", "Whadaya Want?"    and "Cannibal" follow one another (those who don't dance to these notes are probably dead or not doing very well) - and to share these moments with your loved one - "Oh Me Oh My", "Heart Of Gold" and particularly "Are You Lonely For Me Baby" (where it feels like listening to Wilson Pickett, ferried in great form into the eighties).

Final consideration on the world's injustice: if the success of groups like Cherry Poppin' Daddies and Brian Setzer Band or, especially, the vile garbage promoted by Michael Bublé worldwide and Paolo Belli in Italy, had contributed to bringing a minimum of visibility to Buster Poindexter... well, probably the world would have been a better place!

But perhaps, in the end, it is preferable and more dignified to be born to lose.

P.S.: after this record, others followed—fun but nothing more—along with the minimal (and very fleeting) visibility mentioned above, especially thanks to the cover of "Hit The Road Jack" by His Majesty Ray Charles in "Buster Goes Berserk".