McKinley is given the opportunity to record his music by some people making folk music records for the Library of Congress. McKinley Morganfield is a sharecropper down South who sings and plays guitar, but doesn't expect anything, as the South isn't kind to black people. Leonard Chess is a working-class Polish-American with a dream of opening up a music club one day. As far as the story of Chess goes, this music does little to illuminate the magic of the period or Chess' brand of turbulent, fast, loose, genius.Leonard Chess, a white man, starts a record label with black musicians during a time when black music had yet to become popular. This will likely appeal to those moviegoers who are fans of the above stars, particularly Knowles. Original Chess bluesman Little Walter appears here on the track "Last Night" that somehow, with Wright's contributions, redeems most of this slab. Also included as the last cut - inexplicably - is an already released track by Nas in "Bridging the Gap," a blues-hop track with his dad, Olu Dara. They need to get this on the radio, and Knowles, no matter how popular, isn't going to make Etta James sound contemporary enough for the suits who program radio or run record labels. What's really strange here is the inclusion of new neo-soul cuts by Raphael Saadiq and Solange, and Mary Mary, all of which feel forced, stylized and, to be honest, quite cynical in getting the maximum bang for the buck by the album's producers.
While the vocalists don't cut it, the backing bands mostly do, peopled with blues legend Hubert Sumlin, ex- Fabulous Thunbderbirds frontman Kim Wilson, Danny Kortchmar, Steve Jordan, Eddie Taylor, Jr., and bassist Larry Taylor, to name a few. He can't seem to raise himself to the disciplined level of phrasing or storytelling, either. Berry's voice is one of the most recognizable in recorded history, and the rapper turned actor and - now "blues" singer? - doesn't have the authority, hedonistic rebellion, or sexual swagger in his vocal grain as Berry does. Mos Def as Berry isn't nearly so successful. Likewise, Columbus Short's reading of Dixon's "My Babe" is another highlight. He comes closer than hundreds of others who've attempted it over the past 50 years. He has the requisite vocal depth and can reach for that combination of otherworldliness, abandon, and slight menace that Waters possessed in abundance. Waters may have been the hardest of the originals to pull off.
Jeffrey Wright plays Waters in this film, and his readings of "I'm a Man" and "(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man" are excellent. That said, her lone original "Once in a Lifetime," produced by Amanda Ghost, the Rural, and Ian Dench, could have come from either of her own solo records. She gets in a bit of the grit and looseness that the melody and lyric suggest. She fares far better on "I'd Rather Go Blind," that's closer to vintage Northern soul. Her phrasing doesn't come close in terms of inventiveness or inspiration, and her emotional conviction is lacking, to say the least. She's entirely too polished and restrained. It's one of her three selections here, and on it Knowles possesses little of the legendary singer's power or edgy finesse. The album's first single is Beyoncé Knowles' (playing Etta James' cover of the latter vocalist's classic "At Last"). As such, this set is a mixed bag, and one of two packages that features music from the film. The official soundtrack features re-recordings of songs from Chess' classic catalog by contemporary artists - who have prime roles in the film - as well as new songs by current talent, and one original stalwart, thank goodness. Its artist roster included Etta James, Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Willie Dixon, and dozens of others. Founded by Leonard Chess (played by Adrian Brody), it became the signature home of the Chicago blues, rhythm & blues, and early rock & roll. Cadillac Records is Hollywood's version of the Chess Records story.
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