Off course, there were exceptions. The songs that were not or just a bit assaulted by Jarvis showed Elvis at his very best (Promised Land, Danny Boy, For Old Time Sake). It showed us the sheer magic of Elvis at work in the studio, with just him on or off the piano and his regular band backing him up. And 'no strings attached'. But these were just exceptions. The frustrating thing was, that you knew that somewhere, beneath all the orchestrations and choirs, there was this divine voice singing those beautiful songs. It was Elvis Presley, drowning, and desperately crying for someone who wanted to rescue him.
And that's where His Royal Highness Ernst Mikael Jorgensen comes in. Reaching out for that Voice, while getting rid of all the trash that's surrounding it. 18 Songs are on Essential Elvis Volume 5 - Rhythm and Country, and together they document the real Elvis, singing his heart out in songs he really cares for. Songs that give us a hint of where he came from (gospel and rhythm&blues) and where he was heading (modern, very white country&western). Jorgensen is responsible for the fact that Elvis' Stax recordings are now amongst my all time favourites. Essential Elvis Volume 5 proves that Elvis still did have that feeling is his body, as he states in the first track of this new BMG release. Between the songs we hear how magical it must have been to be in the studio with the King. Spontaniously bursting out in gospels and other songs that come to his mind. Like two lines of Softly As I leave You -a capella- that preceed Loving Arms. Like la la-ing Surrender, which proves that Elvis might as well have been an opera singer. This, and much more, proves how much fun he could have recording in the studio, but also how sincere and devoted he was to his music. I really felt like sitting in a corner of the Stax studio, watching Elvis at work. Getting more respect for the man every minute.
Seeing him rocking his way through Promised Land and Find Out What's Happening. Hearing his tenderness in sweet songs like She Wears My Ring and Girl Of Mine. And again, like he did in the Sun Studios some twenty years before, mixing black and white music like no one else could. The title of the CD says it all: Rhythm and Country. And the other title says it all too: this really is essential Elvis. This release is a must have for everyone who likes Elvis. For everyone who likes music. This is a must have for everyone in the world.
