Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings - Anyway The Wind Blows (1998)

While his old bandmates rock on, this Stone is definitely not alone on his second go-around with an all-star combo. Georgie Fame and Paul Carrack vocalize alongside Gary Brooker on keyboards, Albert Lee and Andy Fairweather-Low on guitar, Chris Rea and Mick Taylor on slide, and Nicky Hopkins on keyboards -- well, not all on the same track. Nonetheless, the Classics IV song "Spooky" sounds lifeless. Performing favorites by J.J. Cale, Dan Hicks, Mose Allison, Willie Dixon and a handful of Wyman originals in the jazz and R&B traditions, only Fame turns in a fancy, characteristic performance on the Hicks song "Walking One and Only"; his voice throughout is the project's super-high spot. Wyman sounds perfectly happy plunking away throughout, though Eric Clapton and Peter Frampton's contributions are of no real consequence. In fact, Clapton's lead on "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" is just an annoyance.