Steve Cropper (Provogue Records)
Perhaps no guitarist has carved out more great grooves than Memphis soul man Steve Cropper, and his new album is all about the beat.
The songs on âFire It Upâ mix it up in finding different ways to fill the dance floor, from the toe-tapper âOne Good Turnâ and hip-shaker âIâm Not Havinâ Itâ to the foot-stomper âFar Away,â finger-snapper âHeartbreak Streetâ and palate-cleanser âBush Hog.â
Cropper has made his career in a supporting role, and even on his own album, heâs a team player. His rhythm guitar work serves as a master class in elegant simplicity, with overdubs allowing Cropper to work his magic in multiple parts.