Johnny Burgin and Special Guests No Border Blues

Johnny Burgin and Special Guests
No Border Blues
Delmark Records

This unusual recording brings guitarist-singer Johnny Burgin together with some Japanese blues players that showcase blues music’s worldwide reach. On his Japanese tours, Burgin met and played with the musicians heard on this CD. Some like pianist Lee Kanehira have established themselves in Chicago, where she is a member of The Cash Box Kings.

On the 11 performances, they display their traditionalist approach to Chicago blues. Burgin writes about a stigma attached to a purist (what I would call traditionalist) approach. In contrast, in Japan, purism is a starting point. “The more ‘pure’ I played the blues — the more I stuck to the tone and the flavor of the original blues masters — the more the musicians and audiences liked it!” The simple fact is the musicians that he collaborates with here play authoritatively in this manner.

I should note that not all the performances come off equally, especially with the singing, which on occasion, come off as not natural, but this is minor. Certainly listening to the terrific harmonica player, Iper Onishi, cover Carey Bell’s “One Day You’re Gonna Get Lucky" is a treat even with his slightly slurred diction like Bell. With their singing, pianist Kanehira and harmonica player Kat Nogio evoke the vocals of Tampa Red and Little Johnny Jones on “So Crazy About You.” Kanehira’s “Pumpkin’s Boogie” has authoritative singing, rollicking piano, Kotez’s driving harmonica, and a terrific chorus from Burgin. Kotex powerfully sings, in addition to playing fine harmonica on “I Just Keep Loving Her (Mada Sukinanda).” It is intriguing hearing an early Little Walter recording sung in Japanese. “Hurry Up Baby,” featuring guitarist-singer Naomi Tanaka, with a frenzied garage rock sound is an unconvincing performance.

Burgin himself sings on five songs. He delivers credible vocals of Elmore James’ “Sunnyland,” John Brim’s “Rattlesnake,” and his original “Old School Player.” These tracks include Onishi’s robust harmonica and the guitar of Yoshi Mizuno, Mozumo's interplay with Burgin brings back memories of Robert Lockwood and Louis Myers. There is  blistering, stinging guitar from Minoru Maruyama on a lesser-known Bobby King recording, “Two Telephones.” This is the single track recorded in Chicago. “Samurai Harp Attack” is a harmonica duet showcase for Kaz Nogio and Iper Onishi, with the two also trading comments in Japanese.

The album closes with a rocking “Sweet Home Osaka,” a barely disguised retitled rendition of the Robert Johnson song with Nacomi Tanaka and Kotez joining in the vocal, and Nogio and Onishi wailing on harmonica. Is it Yoshi Mizuna channeling Earl Hooker on this closing track? Burgin’s liner notes provide background on the music, and the performers on a most entertaining CD of traditional Chicago style blues.

I received my review copy from Delmark Records. Here is Johnny Burgin playing with Lee Kanehira from the 2019 Chicago Blues Festival.