The Delirium Blues Project: Serve or Suffer

Reception

On a 1-to-5 scale, All About Jazz awarded the album 3 stars; AllMusic, 4 and a half. Writing for the former, Chris Slawecky notes Werner's "head-spinning arrangements," as well as strong soloing from trumpeter Randy Brecker, trombonist Ray Anderson, saxophonist James Carter, guitarist Adam Rogers and Werner himself on multiple keyboards. AllMusic's Ken Dryden also cites "Werner's inspired charts," as well as "Vitro's expressive vocals":

Vitro's moving vocal in the moody "Blue" (first recorded by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross with Annie Ross singing lead), backed by the dramatic horns, is breathtaking; her blues-drenched take of Mose Allison's "Everybody's Crying Mercy" is pure fun. Bassist John Pattitucci provides Vitro's sole backing for the simmering take of "In the Dark" (in honor of Nina Simone). Folk-rocker Joni Mitchell's "Be Cool" helps to lighten the mood a bit, while Vitro conjures a number of soul singers with her hip take of "Cheater Man."

Track listing

1. "What Is Hip?" (Emilio Castillo, John David Garibaldi, Stephen M. Kupka) - 5:59
2. "Goodnight Nelda Grebe, the Telephone Company Has Cut Us Off" (Tracy Nelson) - 9:05
3. "Blue" (Gildo Mahones, Jon Hendricks) - 7:40
4. "Be Cool" (Joni Mitchell) - 4:24
5. "Half Moon" (Janis Joplin) - 8:07
6. "In the Dark" (Lillian "Lil" Green) - 5:13
7. "Cheater Man" (Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn) - 4:45
8. "Everybody's Cryin' Mercy" (Mose Allison) - 6:42
9. "Don't Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down" (Eric Bibb, Maria Muldaur) - 8:26

Personnel