Howard Tate

As my old buddy John puts it, "It's too bad that Jerry Ragovoy doesn't do more producing."
I couldn't agree more because his track record is nothing short of excellent. He produced
an incredible, now out-of-print United Artists album by the dynamic Garnett Mimms
(highlighted by the showstopper "Cry Baby") and Lor-raine Ellison's vibrant "Stay With Me,"
for Loma records. Ragovoy also was the mastermind behind Howard Tate's first a... More >

In which Jerry Ragovoy sets out once again to prove to a callous world that the man with the high aaahh deserves better than a hack license between visits to the studio. This does almost as much for Tate's amazing vocal and emotional range--as cocksure as Wilson Pickett one moment, as sweet and hurting as B.B. King the next, and as corny as Joe Tex to top it off--as his Verve stuff with Ragovoy. Reservation: a few too many compositions by the producer. "She's a Burglar" and "Keep Cool, Don't Be a Fool" are as memorable as "Piece of My Heart," but I don't know about the hitchhiking song. How about a little "Good Rockin' Tonight," Jerry? (Grade: A-)