'Cadillac Records' Is Worth Seeing

The highlight of our day was seeing 'Cadillac Records,' a biopic on the Chess record label and a compelling look at founder Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) and Muddy Waters (Jeffrey Wright).

We went to a 12:15 p.m. matinee at the Red Rock Casino theaters. Before the movie, we had a pizza lunch in the casino food court and I put $5 into a blackjack game and played until I ran it up to $6 - a 20% return on our money, LOL! That was the only gambling for today.

Narrated by Cedric the Entertainer, who plays blues songwriter-bassist Willie Dixon, the movie tells the story of Chess, a label that was a pivotal force in introducing Chicago-style blues to a much broader audience and in helping turn early rock 'n' roll into a national sensation. Chess and Waters meet and being making music in the late '40s and proceed to light up the record charts.

Chess went on to experience great success by recording blues artists such as Little Walter and Howlin' Wolf, convincingly played by Columbus Short and Eamonn Walker. Little Walter, especially, is portrayed as a tragic, edgy and unstable guy - a man quick to turn violent.

Chess hit its commercial peak in the '50s with Chuck Berry, played by Mos Def, who would deliver several chart-topping early rock standards. The company was so prosperous that all of its artists drove Cadillacs - hence the title.

The acting is top-notch. Brody is a man consumed by his musical mission. But it's really the soundtrack that makes this film so sweet for blues fans who will enjoy the great sounds of Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James (played by Beyonce) Chuck Berry, Howlin' Wolf, and Willie Dixon.

Especially interesting are the film's portrayal of Waters' first trip to Europe, his meeting with the Rolling Stones (who paid homage to their hero) and Chuck Berry's reaction to hearing the Beach Boys rip off his tunes.

If you have any interest in early rock n roll or the blues, see this entertaining flick. It'll leave you plenty Satified!

After the movie, we returned home and just relaxed. For dinner I whipped up ravioli with marinara sauce and side salads of baby spinach, thinly sliced tomatoes, kalamata olives, and topped with grated cheddar. It was pretty tasty, I must admit.

That's all the news for today...