Ricky Jay Plays Poker by Ricky Jay

Description

Ricky Jay – Ricky Jay Plays Poker table poker show

Product Description

Ricky Jay combines his talents as a sleight of hand expert, historian of cons and cheats, and lover of poker and poker music in this remarkable CD/DVD deluxe set that celebrates the history, the language and literature, the art and the music of poker. 21 songs of hustlers, reprobates, blacklegs, scallywags and the passions and pleasures of the game. The deluxe gift box also includes a bonus dvd starring Ricky Jay performing some unbelievable deception at the card table, a 72 page color book with an in-depth essay written by Jay and beautiful reproductions from his incredible collection of art and memorabilia and – if all that weren’t enough – a custom poker pack from the U. S. Playing Card Company.

This royal flush of a card sharp’s compilation provides an inspired soundtrack for magician Ricky Jay’s poker obsession. The game (blood sport?) offers common thematic ground for blues king Robert Johnson, country queen Patsy Cline, folk great Bob Dylan, soul legend O.V. Wright, and the high bluegrass harmonies of the Country Gentlemen. The selection additionally extends from call-and-response musicals (Howard Da Silva’s “Politics and Poker”) to TV (Lorne “Bonanza” Greene’s “Five Card Stud”) to Irish balladry (“Dolan’s Poker Party”). The same song–“Ace in the Hole” (not the George Strait country favorite)–receives dramatically different readings from the sultry Anita O’Day and the gravel-voiced Dave Van Ronk. Listening to Townes Van Zandt’s allegorical “Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold,” you can’t help thinking that poker is the perfect metaphor for life (or perhaps that life is the perfect metaphor for poker). –Don McLeese

Track Listings

Disc: 1

  1. The Darktown Poker Club – Phil Harris and His Orchestra

  2. Rambling, Gambling Willie – Bob Dylan

  3. Turn The Cards Slowly – Patsy Cline

  4. Five Card Stud – Lorne Greene

  5. Don’t Turn The Card – Memphis Minnie

  6. Politics and Poker – Fiorello!- Original Broadway Cast

  7. Ace In The Hole – Anita O’Day

  8. Little Queen Of Spades – Robert Johnson

  9. Etienne Gonna Die – Saint Etienne

  10. Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold – Townes Van Zandt

  11. Poker Playing Baby – Harry Willis

  12. Gambler’s Guitar – Merle Travis

  13. The Darktown Poker Club – Bert Williams

  14. Dolan’s Poker Party – Frank Crumit

  15. Poker Woman Blues – Blind Blake

  16. Wild Card – Tex Williams

  17. Ace Of Spades – O.V. Wright

  18. Roving Gambler – The Country Gentlemen

  19. Ace In The Hole – Dave Van Ronk

  20. Bed Spring Poker – Mississippi Sheiks

  21. Politics and Poker – Howard Da Silva

Disc: 2

  1. The Guarantee – Ricky Jay

  2. The Second Deal – Ricky Jay

  3. Heads Up Hold ‘Em – Ricky Jay

  4. You Can Cheat An Honest Man – Ricky Jay

  5. From The Bottom – Ricky Jay

  6. Cutting Up Jackpots – Ricky Jay

  7. A Proposition Bet – Ricky Jay

  8. Bob Dylan Commercial – Ricky Jay