He's About a Groover: An Essential Collection Vol. 2

Album Review

Fuel 2000 is a decent enough, if not extraordinary reissue imprint that has done a slew of fine vanguard jazz titles from the BYG/Actuel catalog, as well as nearly countless rock, blues, and R&B reissues since the 1990s. They often skimp on decent liners but their packages are usually assembled with some attention to detail when it comes to track selection. This set by the late, great, Doug Sahm is no exception. Containing 26 cuts and spanning a pair of discs, the first centers on his voluminous early material, while the second one focuses on the period that established his legend in the first place with the Sir Douglas Quintet. While the material on disc two has been well documented elsewhere, the stuff on the "Doug Sahm — in the Heart Of Texans" slab is an eclectic mix of cuts from various periods in his long career recording for various imprints such as Harlem, Cobra, and Warrior with bands as diverse as the Mar-Keys, the Pharoahs, the Knights, and the Dell-Kings as well as under his own name. Sound on this baby varies a bit, and the notes aren't terribly detailed, but they are sufficient. For the money, this is a pretty fine introduction to one of rock & roll's most important if under-celebrated talents.