The restless spirit of Alex Chilton found solace in New Orleans, where he lived out the final years of his life becoming an integral part of the city’s grassroots music scene. But Chilton’s roots were upriver in Memphis, where he cut his teeth working with Dan Penn, Chips Moman and Jim Dickinson. This record, documenting a 1999 set Chilton played in Memphis with the Hi Rhythm Section for a tribute concert honoring Memphis music legend Fred Ford, displays Chilton’s immense talents on a selection of songs that were known to all the players on the stand. They had to know them because Chilton played the show without rehearsing. The sympatico these players have for each other is inspiring, and Chilton is at the top of his game leading them through a killer set: “Boogie Shoes,” “Precious, Precious,” “634-5789,” “Kansas City,” “Lucille,” “Big Boss Man,” “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Maybelline,” “Hello Josephine” and “Trying to Live My Life Without You.” Chilton sounds like he’s having the time of his life fronting the amazing band that cut so many of the Hi hits for Al Green, Otis Clay and Ann Peebles, a group anchored by the Hodges brothers—Mabon “Teenie” Hodges on guitar, Charles Hodges on keyboards and Leroy Hodges on bass. The Hi horn section was also on hand coming up with lead arrangements for all the songs on the spot. Chilton’s soulful vocals on these songs underscore what a great singer he was. But his understanding of the inner workings of all this music was his true genius.
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