Reviews from April 1988

Notes Hot & Blue - This was a column of reviews I wrote for the DC Blues Society's original newsletter, the DC Blues Calendar. This is from April 1988 when it was a two-page flyer. The front-page noted the Blues Society was presenting a concert with Friz Hollway and John Dee Holeman. As noted from my review, Lonnie Brooks was appearing at the Bayou on April 4th.

Lonnie Brooks, in town at the Bayou on the 4th, has a new Alligator album, Live From Chicago- Bayou Lightning Strikes. Brooks has always had strong rock roots, first being part of the Louisiana swamp pop scene before moving to Chicago. This is a pretty tasty set of rocking blues and rhythm & blues which is sure to appeal to those who like blues laced with rock which strikes me as more bouncy than some other recent Alligator albums. As a label on the cover says, this is "Genuine Houserockin’ Music”.

The English Krazy Kat label has been issuing a variety of albums of blues, rhythm'n'blues, and gospel from the Gotham family of labels. A typical album is Big Band Blues (KK814) which includes several swinging selections by the great blues shouter Jimmy Rushing with a band including Bill Doggett and a variety of Basie alumni, a track by J.B. Sumners who sang with Tiny Grimes, three tracks by singer Tiny Tim (Timothy Flair, not the 60s" pop figure), and a jumping band led by trombonist Ernie Fields. Solid swinging and jazzy stuff.

A recent reissue, Alley Special (KK 820) represents  Sometime of a coup. This album includes Muddy Waters’ first commercially issued recording, "Mean Red Spider" from 1946 appeared on the 20th Century label as by James ‘Sweet Lucy" Carter. Muddy sings strongly and is backed by an urban blues band which includes strong piano and alto sax but some awful Soprano sax. Other recordings on this include the fine Detroit bluesman, Baby Boy Warren, a previously unissued Eddie Burns track, a track by harmonica player Sonny Boy Johnson (influenced by the 1st Sonny Boy Williamson) and several tracks by Texas bluesman Wright Holmes.

More unissued Eddie Burns along with some excellent John Lee Hooker can be heard on Detroit Blues 1950-1951 (KK 816). The Hooker sides are Strong solo recordings including an early version of “House Rent Boogie". The Burns selections feature some tough harp and a rough down home blues band with John Lee Hooker's quitar evident on a couple tracks. Great Downhome blues.

I likely received a review copy of the Lonnie Brooks from Alligator Records. I likely purchased the three Krazy Kat releases (which were English). The Krazy Kat label no longer operates and I believe its releases are out-of-print although maybe available as CDs from Collectables.

Eisenhower Blues Has Some Excellent Post-War Blues

The following review appeared in the September/October 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 286) I have made minor corrections. I should note that my original review did not include the recording's subtitle, Post-War Urban Blues Classics From the Eisenhower Era (1952-1960).

While J.B. Lenoir waxed a blues protesting the hard times during the administration of President Eisenhower during the 1950s, most of the recordings compiled on Eisenhower Blues (Empire Musicwerks) lack such a topical center but simply are strong blues recordings with most having a down home flavor.  

Long-time collectors will have some or many of these performances, but these remastered sides sound really nice. Others will discover a number of little known artists that have much to say. There are a couple of gems from Lenoir, including the title track and the lively medium tempo boogie, Fine Girls. The CD opens with John Brim’s topical Tough Times, with Jimmy Reed on harmonica. 

Others heard here of note include Jody Williams (as Little Papa Joe)  doing a peppy Lookin’ For My Baby; Harp player and vocalist Dusty Brown (recently heard on Severn’s Chicago harp anthology) on his fine downhome Yes, She’s Gone, more down home harp and vocals from Little Sammy Davis (who is still active and occasionally on Imus’ radio show) doing 1958 Blues based on the Rollin’ & Tumblin’ riff; and Joe Hill Louis’ Jealous Man (as Johnnie Louis) which sports a wild guitar break. There is Sunnyland Slim’s Goin' Back to Memphis, another Rollin & Tumblin’ variant; Willie Egan’s wild Fat Domino-inspired rocker Wow Wow Wow; a couple from Baby Boy Warren with Calvin Frazier on guitar and Washboard Willie (I believe on washboard), including Mattie Mae, adapted from a John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson recording; an early Albert King recording (showing a bit of Elmore James influence), (Be on Your) Merry Way; and Little Willie Foster’s tough Fallin’ Rain Blues.” 

There are other equally fine songs by others on this collection with annotation from Bill Dahl making for a treasure trove for the blues fan. 

As a sample of this here is Dusty Brown's Yes, She’s Gone.