J.J. Cale
Naturally

Jean Jacques Cale, a perfect unknown to most, is one of those artists who carries with him a timeless charm due, in addition to the quality of his music, to his anti-star attitude, always far from the limelight. His unmistakable style, which emerges in all its spontaneity in "Naturally", has influenced many artists over the years and is based on the combination of voice-guitar: the first always reduced to a thread, on the verge of fading at any moment, is exalted by the languid strokes of the second, few but wise strokes at just the right moment that contribute to creating a unique atmosphere.

The gems of this album are many, starting with "Call Me The Breeze", with its obsessive rhythm, covered a few years later by Lynyrd Skynyrd. "After Midnight" was instead brought to glory by Eric Clapton, while "Magnolia" is the true masterpiece of the album: a serenade of rare beauty where Cale whispers the promise of returning to his beloved on a soft piano line supported by the inevitable guitar. All the songs on this album are noteworthy: in some, the rhythm becomes more intense while in others it becomes more relaxed, approaching country and blues.

Perhaps the uniqueness of this artist derives precisely from the fact of being on the border between rock, country, and blues and knowing how to best blend the three things. "Naturally" remains the pinnacle of his production simply because in the following years he was unable to recreate the spontaneity and magic of this record, even though he created works of excellent quality.