Slingshot Professionals

Slingshot Professionals is an album by American blues singer and guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps, released in 2003.

Slingshot Professionals
Studio album by Kelly Joe Phelps
Released	2003
Recorded	Phase 1 Studios in Toronto, Canada The Factory in Vancouver, British Columbia Flora in Seattle, WA
Genre	Blues, Americana, folk
Length	51:47
Label	Rykodisc
Producer	Lee Townsend
Kelly Joe Phelps chronology
Beggar's Oil (2002) Slingshot Professionals (2003) Tap the Red Cane Whirlwind (2005)

History

Slingshot Professionals was Phelps' first album with producer Lee Townsend. Phelps is joined by guitarist Bill Frisell and bassist Keith Lowe on two tracks: "Not So Far to Go" and "Cardboard Box of Batteries," and the rest of the album features bassist Andrew Downing, as well as fiddler Jesse Zubot and guitarist Steve Dawson. Petra Haden (daughter of jazz musician Charlie Haden) whose album Townsend was producing at the time, harmonizes on one song.^[1]

Reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
Uncut	[3]

Music critic Mark Allan wrote in his AllMusic review that the album was "well worth a listen".^[2] Uncut wrote, "The transformation from revivalist bluesman to contemporary singer-songwriter, which began on 1999's Shine Eyed Mister Zen, continues apace on his fifth album. His songs are now mini stories, sans verse-chorus-bridge restraints, populated by seekers of truth and peddlers of dreams."^[3]

Track listing

All songs written by Kelly Joe Phelps.

1. "Jericho" – 6:29
2. "Window Grin" – 3:50
3. "Slingshot Professionals" – 5:07
4. "Not So Far to Go" – 5:16
5. "It's James Now" – 4:22
6. "Waiting for Marty" – 5:05
7. "Knock Louder" – 4:24
8. "Cardboard Box of Batteries" – 5:18
9. "Circle Wars" – 7:05
10. "Rusting Gate" – 4:51

Personnel

• Kelly Joe Phelps – vocals, guitar, harmonica
• Andrew Downing – acoustic bass
• Steve Dawson – Weissenborn lap steel guitar
• Bill Frisell – electric guitar
• Chris Gestrin – organ, piano, accordion
• Scott Amendola – drums, percussion, talking drum
• Petra Haden – background vocals
• Keith Lowe – acoustic bass
• Jesse Zubot – mandolin, violin

Production notes:

• Produced by Lee Townsend.
• Engineered by Tucker Martine and Shawn Pierce.
• Edited and mixed by Shawn Pierce
• Assistant engineers - Sheldon Zaharko and Greg Kolchinsky
• Mastered by Greg Calbi
• Design by Chris Pew