Lurrie Bell & the Bell Dynasty Tribute to Carey Bell

Lurrie Bell & the Bell Dynasty
Tribute to Carey Bell
Delmark Records

Guitarist and vocalist Lurrie Bell is joined by his siblings Steve on harmonica, Tyson on bass and James on drums and vocals on a tribute recording to their late father, legendary harmonica wizard, Carey Bell. Also present on most of this is Eddie Taylor Jr., whose father had a long association with the elderly Bell. Guests on several tracks are Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica, Billy Branch on harmonica and vocals and Sumito 'Ariyo' Ariyoshi on piano. Included are a number of songs associated with Carey, one original from James Bell and one from Billy Branch.

This is one of the better recent blues tribute recordings I have heard as the Bell Dynasty is a real fine band and the sharing of vocals between Lurrie (7), James (3) and Billy Branch (2), adds variety along with the solid vocals. One has to be impressed by Lurrie who opens on a rocking shuffle, Muddy Waters "Gone on Main Street" with Steve displaying his strong harmonica chops while Lurrie tosses in a neat solo. A rollicking take on Little Walter's "I Got To Go," has Musselwhite and Steve Bell both playing with their interplay energizing but Lurrie and Taylor also play to great effect. James Bell shows himself to be a singer of considerable merit on a fine slow original "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize." It is followed by a hot shuffle performance of "Tomorrow Night," while it is Billy Branch I believe who is heard on chromatic harp (with Steve Bell also playing) as well as taking the vocal on another fine slow blues, "So Hard To Be Alone." Branch's own "Carey Bell Was A Friend Of Mine," set to a John Lee Hooker boogie groove showcases the interplay between the two harpists along with Branch's heartfelt singing and lyrics.

James Bell's singing also stands out on terrific performances of "What My Momma Told Me" and "Break It Up," which is given a fresh arrangement from the more familiar versions by Bell and the late Bobby Parker, who had this as a staple of his performances for decades. Among the remaining songs is another superb slow blues "Heartaches and Pain," but the level of these performances is consistently high. In summary, a tribute to Carey Bell full of first-rate Chicago blues.

I received my review copy from Delmark. This review has appeared in the July-August 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 379). Here is a video of Lurrie Bell and Carey Bell from 2005.

Taking the Blues Time Machine Back to May 1977

This is my blues column from the May 1977 Buffalo Jazz Report which had the great Roy Haynes  on the cover. My column was relatively lengthy, and included a Blues On EP segment which I will post next week. have noted the first 58 issues of Buffalo Jazz Report (now Jazz & Blues Report) have been digitized and can be downloaded from the University of Buffalo Library system. The website for these archived issues is: http://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/BuffJazz. Note that Southern Record sales from which I obtained some releases no longer exists, and of course Living Blues is no longer published in Chicago. Some of the recordings I reviewed are not easily found these days, but the Carey Bell, Johnny Shines and Phillip Walker should be available in some form.

March and April have been good months for live blues in Buffalo. Muddy Waters came to town with Johnny Winter and James Cotton for an entertaining show at the Shea's though Winter's contribution was strictly his name as he sang terribly and his guitar playing characterized by the typical excesses of rock guitarists. The following weeks concert of B.B. King and Bobby Bland has each do nice sets of their hits and then dueted together to close a fine evening of blues.

Johnny Shines, Big Walter Horton and the Rhythm Rockers were at the Belle Starr in Colden. The Rhythm Rockers are an excellent white blues band led by John Nicholas on vocals and guitar and Ron Levy on piano (He played with B.B. for several years). They played some fine West Coast styled blues mostly and did provide strong support for Horton and Shines. Horton proved himself the greatest living harp player alive with his warm fluid style of playing and his fat tone. Shines played some electric slide guitar and sand with his gut-tearing vibrato. The highlight of the night I saw them was the duets of Horton and John Nichols which was great stuff.

I missed Muddy's appearance at the Belle Starr with his regular group though I'm told they did well. Finally Robert Jr. Lockwood's appearance at the folk festival was marred by the sound at the Clark Hall. Robert's guitar work suffered as he and his band's other vocalist Otis Trotter sang well. Robert's white guitarist Mike Hahn did much of the soloing and displayed considerable mastery. "Hold Everything" was Robert's best number as the sound was sorted well enough for Robert's dazzling chord-work to shine. It was nice, but Robert and his band should be booked into a club where they can get a better feel. Robert is playing weekends (Thursday through Sunday) in Cleveland.

For those who caught Walter Horton and Johnny Shines at the Belle Starr I would suggest you check up on their recordings. Big Walter's album on Alligator (4702) features his fluid work backed by Eddie Taylor. Carey Bell, one of Walter's pupils on harp, also duets with his teacher on a nice set ranging from Having a Good Time, Little Boy Blue to Trouble in Mind. Johnny Shines has several fine albums out. His Advent album (2803) is stunning featuring six solo performances in the Mississippi Delta tradition and five tracks where he is backed by guitarist Philip Walker's band. One of the band tracks My Love Can't Hide is done over a smoldering band with Shine's vibrato singing creating an intensity matched only by Otis Rush. I agree with Living Blues that this is not to be missed. Both of these albums have been available for some time now but as many may be unfamiliar with these, do try to pick up on them.

Philip Walker incidentally has a solid new album, Someday You’ll Have These Blues (Joliet 6001). Philip had a now out of pr!nt album on Playboy and has done much session work (Johnny Shines and Eddie Taylor for Advent) and is a fleet guitarist and a grainy singer who comes through with strong performances. Particularly fine are Mama's Gone, EI Paso Blues and a gospel number When It Needs Gettin' Done. Definitely one to check out. If you can't find it at stores try Southern Record Sales, 42 North Lake Ave., Pasadena, Cal. 91101. Stores interested in carrying this album night write Joliet Record Co P.0. Box 67201, Los Angeles, Ca. 90067 or Southern Record Sales for information on where they might be able to acquire copies for sale.

Another West Coast bluesman is Sleepy Jim Berry who I had acquired a 45 of a few years back. That single Long Time Blues is included on his album The Berry Patch (Consolidated BR-103) an album which is mixed in material and quality but does Include some good strong slow blues notably Long Time and Dehydrated Love. Southern Record Sales can supply this.

It is great to have James Peterson back in Buffalo playing the blues weekends at the Sunset Inn on Main Street. Buddy Guy and Junior Wells are scheduled at the Belle Starr May 4-8 and of course the great Big Joe Turner and Lloyd Glenn at the Tralfamadore at the end of May (the 27-29) as a benefit for WBFO and part of Listener Support Week.

And This Was Maxwell Street

Blues was a staple of the Maxwell Street market for decades before gentrification led to the closing of the market some years ago. In the late 1990s and 2000, there were Ds that released some of the amazing music that might be heard on a Sunday there. This review from the latter part of 2000 was published in the DC Blues Calendar. I likely received review copies from the labels. This is out of print so you need to look for used copies but Amazon, for example, shows several sellers for this.

While efforts continue (bluesman Jimmie Lee Robinson is still on a hunger strike) to preserve the remaining portions of the historic Maxwell Street market area, Rooster Blues has released a three-disc compilation, And This is Maxwell Street that presents music that was recorded as part of the making of the film, And This is Free. Some of the music heard here was previously issued by Rounder on lp and cd as Robert Nighthawk, Live on Maxwell Street. 

The Rounder release has since been repackaged and reconfigured with some previously unissued selections and including tracks attributed to J.B. Lenoir, Carey Bell and Johnny Young. The Rooster Blues set has a full two Îhours of music and also includes selections from Little Arthur (Red Top/Ornithology which is deleted from the latest version of the Rounder); John Wrencher; Arvella Gray, Carrie Robinson; and James and Fannie Brewer. Additionally, Mama Talk To Your Daughter, credited to JB Lenoir on the Rounder is credited to Big Mojo Elem here. 

There are several Nighthawk performances here that are not on the Rounder including a Dust My Broom that includes Mike Bloomfield on guitar (possibly being Bloomfield's earliest recording). The full range of music here is quite powerful and entertaining including ArvNighthawk s updating of Dr. Clayton’s Cheatin’ and Lyin’ Blues, the fervent gospel singing of Carrie Robinson as well as James and Fannie Brewer, street singer Arvella Gray’s vigorous renditions of Corinna, Corinna and John Henry, and one armed harp wizard Big John Wrencher’s Lucille. 

Several tracks spotlight Carey Bell, with I’m Ready perhaps being Bell’s first recorded vocal. Portions of vendor sales pitches and street preachers sermons are heard here as well. Providing some context to the recording. The ounder has a portion of Mike Bloomfield s interview with Robert Nighthawk (uncredited however) which is heard in its entirety (nearly 50 minutes) as the third disc of the Rooster Blues set. 

My advance copy of the Rooster Blues lacks the booklet that should be accompanying it so I cannot comment on this aspect of the package, but because of the more complete reissue of this historic and wonderful blues, And This Is Maxwell Street is preferable, and is a contender for vintage reissue of 2000.

Here is the legendary Robert Nighthawk on Maxwell Street some 50 years ago.

Lousiana Red Is Here And Gone

Word of the death of Louisiana Red certainly has affected the blues world. Born Iverson Minter, he led a lengthy and distinguished career marked by numerous fine recordings over the years starting sixty years ago for Chess Records and running through the excellent Memphis Mojo that I reviewed this past October. Back in 1995, Red was making one of his regular US tours at the time that Michael Frank issued this fine recording, Sittin’ Here Wonderin’ that I reviewed for the DC Blues Calendar and Jazz and Blues Report (November 1995- Issue 206). At the time, he did a US tour and the DC Blues Society presented Red with Carey Bell at Tornado Alley, a defunct Washington DC area club. Backstage, Archie Edwards joined Red to remember the good times in the past, and Red returned a slide Archie gave him years earlier. It was a wonderful night of blues and there were more to come at clubs and festivals worldwide. The last time I saw him perform was at the 2008 Ponderosa Stomp.Long may Louisiana Red’s music ride on. A resident of Europe for over a decade, Louisiana Red’s brief US tours and festival appearances of the last couple of years were certainly deservedly anticipated. He has made several recordings overseas in recent years, including some fine duets with harp player Carey Bell. Earwig has issued Sittin’ Here Wonderin’ that makes available some solo recordings he made in Phoenix, Arizona in 1982, shortly before he moved to Europe. Red is heard in forceful solo performances with strong echoes of Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins and John Lee Hooker being evident. After Muddy Waters’ death, Eric Clapton made a comment about how no one played guitar like Muddy. Not true, as Red was one of several artists who could, and did, play slide in Muddy’s vein. Early in his career as Rocky Fuller, he recorded a 45, I’m Gonna Play My Guitar, where he menacingly threatens Waters with his violent, distorted slide. There are several tracks here where his amplified slide recalls Waters, although Red uses Waters’ music as frames for his own blue stories. So one hears echoes of Waters’ Long Distance Call and Standing Around Crying on Red’s violent sounding Stella Blues and Pittsburgh Blues, while I’m Lonesome echoes Muddy’s Rolling Stone. The opening E Street Bridge and Sadie Lee are suggestive of John Lee Hooker’s early recordings, with their chugging rhythms and repeated bass figures punctuated by repeated single note runs The closing Prison Blues #1 adds some piercing slide to the Hooker flavored backing. Back Door Friend, attributed to Jimmy Rogers but dating back to Tony Hollins (and also recorded by Lightning Hopkins), shows the variety of Red’s repertoire and influences. The forcefulness of Red’s guitar and vocals helps put his own stamp on this set of blues songs that may be suggestive of several legends, but at the same time are compelling personal examples of the down home blues art. I believe I received a review copy from  Earwig Records. Here is the late Louisiana Red from you tube.

Looking Back At Superharps II - A Blues Harmonica Showcase

The following older review is from 2001 and likely was published in the DC Blues Society’s newsletter.

I have not heard Telarc’s initial Superharps session, but it was obviously successful enough for Telarc to follow it up with, Superharps II. The new volume features four blues legends, Chicago blues veterans Carey Bell and Snooky Pryor, and Louisiana blues legends Lazy Lester and Raful Neal (patriarch of the Neal clan). They are backed by a studio band that includes guitarist Kid Bangham and pianist Anthony Geraci.

It is only on the lengthy closing slow instrumental, Harp to Harp that all four play together. Each has at least one track on which they are the sole harp player. Various combination of players are heard on other tracks and all four acquit themselves capably although much of this material has been recorded by them before. Bell is his usual solid performer on a couple Muddy Waters tracks and Junior Wells What My Mama Told Me. I believe Snooky Pryor waxed Shake My Hand on his most recent Blind Pig album, and turns in a superlative performance on the jaunty Let Your Hair Down.

Lazy Lester’s four tracks do a very good job of evoking the classic Louisiana swamp blues sides with his remakes of Strange Things Happen and Blood Stains on the Wall being particularly strong highlights of this. Raful Neal's two selections are worthy additions to his body of recordings.

This is not a harmonica battle, but rather a showcase of four very strong blues personalties who get to showcase their music in the company of some colleagues for a very satisfying album.

Here is Raful Neal.

Here is Snooky Pryor

Steady Bob Margolin's All Star Chicago Blues Jam

Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin continues to play in the style of blues he played with Muddy Waters two decades after that legend’s death. He has added to his growing discography with a new Telarc disc , Bob Margolin’s All Star Blues Jam. The disc brings together Carey Bell, Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Willie Smith and Jimmy Lane for renditions of mostly classic blues tunes. It was recorded mostly at the Blues Heaven Studio in Salina, Kansas, and captures the classic Chicago blues sound of Waters and others with Margolin sharing the vocals with Waters band veterans Perkins, Bell, and Willie Smith, and bassist Mookie Brill.


Smith, longtime drummer with Muddy does a first-rate job on Waters’ Country Boy and plays harmonica on the reworking of Juke. Pinetop’s steady piano helps anchor much of this disc along with Brill on bass and Smith on drums. Margolin tackles Johnny Shines’ Brutal Hearted Woman, which he has rearranged the number into a Waters’ styled Chicago blues, but vocally does not come close to Shines’ vocal on the original. Bell is solid throughout whether playing fat chromatic harp behind Smith’s vocal on Always on My Mind, or singing, with his gruff delivery, on the shuffle One Day You’ll Gonna Get Lucky.

Pinetop ably does Robert Nighthawk’s Sweet Black Angel. A live recording of Mean Old Chicago, a song Margolin wrote in memory of Jimmy Rogers, includes some nice guitar from Rogers son Jimmy Lane. Sumlin supports Margolin on Jimmy Rogers’ Last Time and the blues staple Goin’ Down Slow. The album closes with an instrumental rendition of the gospel standard Just a Little Walk With You that Pinetop takes the lead on a simply delivered rendition.


There is a consistency in the performances here. If few are exceptional, the level is still strong which makes for enjoyable listening that will not disappoint fans of classic Chicago blues.

This review originally appeared in the June 2003 DC Blues Calendar and the July-August 2003 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 263). I have made minor stylistic changes. I likely received a review copy from the record label or a publicist for the label.

The King Bees Keep On Stingin' and Swingin'!

The Carolina Band, The King Bees, is celebrating 25 years of stingin' and swingin' as the cover to their latest recording Carolina Bound (Original High John Records) proclaims. The group is anchored around the bass, vocals and songs of Queen Bee Penny Zamagni and guitarist Hound Dog Baskerville Hound Dog Baskerville. The band has worked with and learned with so many great blues artists, some of whom (Jerry McCain, Nappy Brown, Carey Bell and Chick Willis) are featured on some of the performances here.

The King Bees play straight blues without any hard rock trappings. Their originals are idiomatic and display the same solid style that make them such a fine back-up band for the various blues legends they have supported over the years such as the late Nappy Brown on his solid rendition of Howlin' Wolf's Natchez Burning, and Carey Bell's What Mama Told Me, which was a staple of his repertoire. Chick Willis does a solid "Yonder's Wall," a regular feature of his performances.

The title track has the line about going to the Carolina's, but also a travelogue of the states as Penny sings about loving that Carolina sound, and Tarheel Slim, Pink Anderson, Nappy Brown, Maurice Williams and Drink Small is still around as she encourages guest Roy Roberts to strut his stuff as the pianist pounds the ivories. There is some nice slide guitar on this track as well. Roberts also adds guitar to the nice blues-ballad You Were There, while McCain adds tough harmonica on the shuffle Run Your Reputation Down. One of the group's originals Its Tight, makes use of a melody that evokes Rocket 88.

There is nothing revolutionary about The King Bees latest recording. Carolina Bound just has some solid straight-ahead blues played with feeling. It is available on amazon, cdbaby and itunes.


I received my review copy from The King Bees.

Hummel's Blues Harp Meltdowns Are Harp Fans Delight!

There are a number of today’s top practitioners of blues harmonica on the second volume of Blues Hap Meltdown: East Meets West Live at Moe’s Alley on Mountain Top. Recorded at the annual blues harp tour that Mark Hummel puts together, this recording features RJ Mischo, Gary Smith, Frank Goldwasser (aka Paris Slim), Mark Hummel, Paul Rishell & Annie Raines, Johnny Dyer and Gary Primich.


The two discs present over two hours of music that is often exceptional. Most of the performances might be described as in the West Coast jump vein, a mix of post war Chicago blues with jump blues rhythms and guitar seasoning that is associated with such artists as Rod Piazza and the late Hollywood Fats. The backing is provided by Hummel’s band, The Blues Survivors with Paris Slim and Paul Rishell each guesting on guitar on several tracks.


There’s plenty of muscular harp from the participants. RJ Mischo starts things off with Telephone Blues before Gary Smith, veteran of the San Francisco Bay blues scene, contributes the moody You Can’t Hurt Me No More and a rocking reworking of Little Walter’s It Ain’t Right, with Frank Goldwasser adding nice guitar. Goldwasser plays harp and sings Junior Parker’s All These Blues followed by Hummel on the Moon Mullican rocker, Seven Nights to Rock and I’m Gone. Paul Rishell laying down strong Elmore James flavored slide on this latter tune. With Annie Raines on harp, Paul revives a nice swamp blues, Nothing But the Devil to close out the first disc. Annie handles a couple vocals with the lyrics of Little Dog being amusing, and has a outstanding instrumental Annie’s Rocker. Johnny Dyer handles classic blues from Muddy Waters, J.B. Lenoir and Little Walter with a bit more down home vocal style before Gary Primich closes this two-disc set with a mix of originals and Smiley Lewis songs.


Overall some consistently very good blues to be heard on this. I understand Cephas and Wiggins were among those who performed at this year’s blues harp meltdown earlier this year which hopefully will be documented by a Volume 3.


In fact Cephas and Wiggins were among those on the third volume in this series by Hummel for which I did a short review as follows:

Cephas & Wiggins also heard on Blues Harp Meltdown Vol.3 Legends (Mountain Top), the third cd documenting Mark Hummel’s annual tour of harp masters. Recorded in January 2004, Hummel brought to the tour guitarist Steve Freund, drummer-harmonica player Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Carey bell & Lazy Lester for a smorgasbord of blues stylings.

Hummel himself is a formidable harp player and revives a Lloyd Price Crescent City rocker Where Y’at along with Little Walter’s Roller Coaster followed by Freund who sings two numbers followed by Smith ably handling Hoodoo Man Blues. Cephas & Wiggins come off typically fine on five numbers including an instrumental, Fats Domino’s Going to the River and Robert Johnson’s Walkin’ Blues.

The second disc has some strong performances by Bell including It Ain’t Right and I’m Ready while Lazy Lester handles his own Blues Stop Knocking, Slim Harpo’s Raining in My Heart and his Sugar Coated Love. Freund plays on Bell’s selections and Hummel’s band able supports all the performances except those by Cephas & Wiggins. Blues harp fans will find plenty of music to entertain them here.

Both of the above reviews appeared in the DC Blues Calendar, newsletter of the Dc Blues Society that I edited. The review of Blues Harp Meltdown Volume 2 appeared in the April 2004 issue while the review of Blues Harp Meltdown Volume 3 appeared in July-August 2006. The review of Volume 3 appeared in the July-August 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 284). I believe that this was a purchase.

Big Walter Horton-Blues Harmonica Giant Part 3

If there is a Mount Rushmore of Blues Harmonica, than the four gentlemen who would be represented would be John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson; Rice Miller (aka Sonny Boy Williamson II); Little Walter Jacobs; and Walter Horton. Horton was known by a variety of names including “Mumbles,” “Shakey Walter,” and most notably “Big Walter,” the latter to distinguish him from Little Walter Jacobs who may have had a more successful career but could hardly be called a more creative or expressive master of the blues harmonica that Big Walter. Walter was tall, lean and gaunt, had a delicate aspect to himself and to quote Neil Slaven, in the notes to the recently issued 3-CD set on JSP, Blues Harmonic Giant, “dedicated to the music rather than a career.” This collection contains two CDs of material from the 1950s along with a live recording from the 70s or 80s where he is joined by his most prominent disciple, Carey Bell. Today is the third and final part of my look at this compilation, focusing on the alive performance with Carey Bell issued on the 3rd disc.

As noted in the last part, Horton benefited from the Blues Revival in the sixties and seventies, through recordings and his participation as a sideman on various recordings. Horton was a member of another project that brought together some of the more down home Chicago blues artists. Michael Franks brought together Horton with Sunnyland Slim, Floyd Jones, Honeyboy Edwards and drummer Kansas City Red for an album aptly titled “Old Friends,” which was one of the earliest releases on Franks’ Earwig Records label. The release led to the third occasion I saw Walter Horton perform live at Carnegie Hall when Old Friends were part of a show with Lightning Hopkins, Clifton Chenier and John Lee Hooker. This is the last time I recall seeing this harmonica master perform.

This takes us to the third CD that is part of The Blues Harmonic Giant. Originally issued as Deep Blues, this is a live recording whose source is not identified in this disc. The only other person identified of this live recording from the seventies is Carey Bell who sings on a few selections and does a harp duet with Walter. Carey Bell does refer to a Brother John on guitar, suggesting maybe John Nicholas, but nothing definite. I do not have any earlier issuance of this material so can add no more.

The sound is not quite high fidelity, but Walter is prominent with a backing band, that does a credible job at playing idiomatic Chicago blues, a bit down in the mix. It opens with a nice “Hard Hearted Woman,” before a lengthy shuffle entitled “Sick & Tired,” a different tune than Chris Kenner’s R&B hit. This number provides plenty of space for Horton to showcase his harp playing, although listening to it on a recording, it perhaps goes on a bit too long. It is followed from a mid-tempo “Walter’s Jump,” a focused, short instrumental where he again displays his harmonica virtuosity.

Carey Bell then takes the stage for a rendition of “Leaving in the Morning,” a rendition of Little Walter’s, ”I’ve Got to Go,” takes the harp solo and then the song morphs into “It Ain’t Right.” Then there is a slow late night blues instrumental, “Walter & Carey,” on which Bell uses his chromatic harp and allows to the two to play off each other as well as each gets space to display their playing on this lengthy showcase. It is followed by a rendition of “Walking By Myself” with Bell handling the vocal while Horton soars on harp. Bell closes things out on harp with “My Eyes Keep Me in Trouble,” and its strutting vocal with Walter joining in during the performance.

On its own, one would hardly call this disc an essential recording although there is some excellent playing. It sounds like a typical live performance of the period. It makes a convenient supplement to the two CDs of vintage Walter Horton. Walter’s singular blues harmonica voice was stilled in 1981 and the blues world has been poorer ever since, but this set reminds us of how much he was able to extract from the little marine bands he played.


For purposes of FTC regulations, I purchased this CD.

Big Walter Horton-Blues Harmonica Giant Part 2

If there is a Mount Rushmore of Blues Harmonica, than the four gentlemen who would be represented would be John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson; Rice Miller (aka Sonny Boy Williamson II); Little Walter Jacobs; and Walter Horton. Horton was known by a variety of names including “Mumbles,” “Shakey Walter,” and most notably “Big Walter,” the latter to distinguish him from Little Walter Jacobs who may have had a more successful career but could hardly be called a more creative or expressive master of the blues harmonica that Big Walter. Walter was tall, lean and gaunt, had a delicate aspect to himself and to quote Neil Slaven, in the notes to the recently issued 3-CD set on JSP, Blues Harmonic Giant, “dedicated to the music rather than a career.” This collection contains two CDs of material from the 1950s along with a live recording from the 70s or 80s where he is joined by his most prominent disciple, Carey Bell. Today is the second part of my look at this compilation, focusing on the accompaniments included on the second disc.

The second disc also includes a number of his accompaniments to other artists. Particularly noteworthy is a session with drummer Willie Nix that also included guitarist Willie Johnson with wonderful renditions of Leroy Carr’s “Prison Bound Blues” (taken at an unusual shuffle tempo), and Robert Lockwood’s “Take a Little Walk With Me,” standing out for Nix’s infectious singing, Billy Love’s rollicking piano and Horton’s crying accompaniment very much in a Sonny Boy Williamson vein on the Carr tune, but a bit more punch on the Lockwood cover. Horton’s harp is dazzling on Joe Hill Louis’ “Hydramatic Woman,” a fresh reworking of “Rocket 88.” Also included on this second disc, are recordings from the legendary January, 1953 J.O.B. session under Shines’ name including the soaring harp over Shines’ vocals on “Evening Sun,” and “Brutal Hearted Woman,” whose four thrilling choruses from Horton on the former number, along with alternate takes of “Evening Sun,” and a couple of unissued tracks. 

In December, 1953 Horton was present on one of Tampa Red’s final Victor-Bluebird sessions with a band that included Little Johnny Jones on piano, and Odie Payne on drums. “Big Stars Are falling,” musically has echoes of some of Muddy Waters recordings and Horton’s authoritative playing along with Willie Lacey’s jazzy mix of single note runs and chords adds a nice flavor. A nice latin groove is present on “Rambler’s Blues,” with more scintillating guitar from Lacey along with Horton laying down a terrific chorus followed by his comping behind Lacey’s break. The last Horton accompaniments presented here are behind Sunnyland Slim’s coupling, “Highway 61,” and “It’s You Baby.” Some really great playing although the original recordings do leave something to be desired. This set provides a good sampling of accompaniments although it isn't exhaustive.  It does not some of his famous accompaniments behind Muddy Waters and Jimmy Rogers, or Horton's playing for States on a 78 behind Atlanta shouter Tommy Brown ("Southern Woman" and "Remember Me"). The selected tracks here do illustrate why Horton was so in demand for session work by Sam Phillips and later Willie Dixon.

Horton’s career took received a boost during the blues revival in the sixties when his harmonica work became prominent, and after the deaths of Little Walter and Rice Miller, he was clearly the Blues Harmonica giant. On the third volume of Chicago, The Blues Today, his harmonica is prominently featured backing Johnny Shines (except on “Dynaflow Blues”) and Johnny Young (on the songs Young plays guitar and not mandolin) along with the afore-mentioned duet with Musselwhite. His playing throughout these selections are terrific. The late Pete Welding used Horton on the albums he produced in the Masters of Modern Blues series on Testament (that were issued on CD by Hightone) including recordings by Shines, J.B. Hutto, and Floyd-Jones and Eddie Taylor. He also was a prominent member of Willie Dixon’s Chicago Blues All Stars and featured on their Columbia album of the sixties. The first time I saw Horton was as part of this ‘super-group,’ at New York City’s Electric Circus in the late sixties.

Touring Europe with Dixon and others, he made several albums under his name. One of the CDs from the time was recorded with so much echo it was unlistenable, but other recordings were made over the years. A real good album was made for Blind Pig in the seventies under the auspices of Guitar Johnny Nicholas and the Rhythm Rockers who included pianist Ron Levy. There was also a CD by Shines on Blind Pig at the time and Nicholas’s own “Too Many Bad Habits,” on which Horton played. Nicholas had a tour featuring Horton and Shines that I saw outside of Buffalo, probably in the Summer of 1976, andit  was truly magical as Nicholas, and his band, provided wonderful accompaniment for the two legends as well as their own featured performances. Horton’s recording with Nicholas, “Fine Cuts” has been made available on CD, but neither the Shines nor Nicholas recordings have been available in this format. The best album under Horton’s name unquestionably is one on Alligator which included Carey Bell, Big Walter Horton With Carey Bell.

Tomorrow I will consider the third disc of the JSP set, that contains a live recording by Horton with Carey Bell.

Jimmy Rogers at Best on CD "Blue Bird"

1994 saw Analogue Productions Original issue a marvelous album by the legendary Jimmy Rogers with an all star band. These are arguably his best recordings since the best of his Chess recordings, and are still available. This is my review from 1994.

Jimmy Rogers has a great new album, Blue Bird, on Analogue Productions Originals (APO 2001), an audiophile label that issues releases on high quality vinyl in addition to compact disc. Producer John Koenig has assembled a terrific backing band with Dave Myers on bass, Roger’s son Jimmy D. Lane on lead guitar, Ted Harvey on drums, Carey Bell on harmonica and Johnnie Johnson on piano. Rogers reworks several of his classic recordings (Walking By Myself Again, That Ain’t It, and Blues Falling), along with renditions of Howlin’ Wolf’s Howlin’ For My Darling, and Muddy Waters’ rendition of Smokestack Lightning. Rogers was always was a fan of the first Sonny Boy Williamson, and the title track, credited to Rogers, is a reworking of one of John Lee Williamson’s recordings, while the opening I’m Tired of Crying Over You is a retitled version of Little Walter’s Oh Baby. Rogers sounds in good voice and the relaxed, but tight, backing fits like a glove. Johnnie Johnson is a terrific accompanist and is much better in this role than as a leader or singer. Carey Bell’s harp playing here is up to his usual high level and Jimmy Lane’s guitar playing hits all the right bases, without any gimmicks, tricks or flash. He has certainly absorbed a lot of influences from the old school (to use former Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin’s phrase) in his playing including those from his dad and the late Eddie Taylor, along with more rock oriented players. Everything is sung and played at such a high level, and this is one of the best recent albums of traditional Chicago blues. The better stores should have this one - but Analogue Productions Originals is distributed by Acoustic Sounds, P.O. Box 2043, Salina, Kansas 67402-2043 or telephone them at (913) 825-8609. They also have gold disc and 180 gram vinyl audiophile reissues of several albums from the Contemporary Records jazz catalog.

Outstanding New Blues Recordings of 2007

The first of three posts to include CDs that I consider outstanding releases of 2007. This focuses on the blues and soul releases. I have links to reviews posted on this blog.

Carey Bell & Lurrie Bell - Gettin’ Up Live (Delmark) Last recordings of harp icon with son who played DC many times. Also available on DVD.
Lurrie Bell - Let’s Talk About Love (Aria B.G. Records) Excellent disc by Carey's son
Nappy Brown - Long Time Coming (Blind Pig) Excellent disc by veteran singer with DC area's Big Joe Maher on drums
Franklin & Baytop - Searchin’ For Frank - (Patuxent) DC area artists doing terrific acoustic blues
Billy Gibson - Southern Livin’ (Inside Memphis)
ZZ Jill Jr - Goin' To Mississippi (Delta Roots) Great soul blues recording by Chicago based singer
The Holmes Brothers - State of Grace (Alligator) Marvelous album that defis categorization
Marie Knight - Let Us Get Together: A Tribute to Reverend Gary Davis (MC) (Inspired tribute to the legendary fingerpinker)
Frankie Lee - Standing at the Crossroads (Blues Express) One of my favorites singers.
Lady Bianca - Through A Woman's Eyes (Magic-O) Amazing good singer and pianist. Marcia Ball has nothing on her.
Little Milton - The Last Concert - (Juke Joint Media). The last performance a few weeks before he suffered stroke and passed. I have DVD but I believe there is CD of this. I was there.
New Orleans Rhythm Conspiracy -Dancin' Ground (self-produced). Post-Katrina band formed by members of Walter Woilfman Washington's RoadMasters, bassist Jack Cruz and drummer Wilbert 'Junkyard Dog' Arnold along with guitarist George Sartin with Uganda Roberts, Jimmy Carpenter and the Wolfman present on a set of blues, soul-funk and Mardi Gras Indian chants. Marilyn Barbarin and Tyrone Pollard handle the vocals with Brother Tyrone covering Blue Moon Risin', one of my favorite Wolfman Washington recordings (Wolfman and Cruz wrote it) updated for post-Katrina comments.
Nick Moss & the Flip Tops - Play It ‘Til Tomorrow (Blue Bella) Great double album of Chicago blues, one electric in style of Magic Slim and the Teardrops and the other acoustic
John Németh - Magic Touch (Blind Pig)
Darrell Nulisch - Goin’ Back to Dallas (Severn)
Papa Grows Funk - Mr. Patterson's Hat (self-produced) Latest recording by New Orleans and his jamming funk band that includes guitarist June Yamagishi, and drummer Jeffrey 'Jellybean' Alexander
Big Pete Pearson - I’m Here Baby (Blue Witch)
Tad Robinson - A New Point of View (Severn)
Ryan Shaw - This is Ryan Shaw (Columbia) Amazing twenties singer brings Wilson Pickett and others to life
Roscoe Shelton - Save Me (SRV Blue Late veteran Nashville R&B blues shouter
Various - House Rockin’ and Blues Shoutin’!, (Blue Witch)

Sleepy John's Electric Chicago Blues

Sleepy John Estes was one of the great blues poets and vocalists whose prewar recordings were highly influential on the likes of John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson and others. A creative lyricist who often spun songs from his own experiences, his crying vocals (and rudimentary guitar playing) backed by the vocalised harmonica of Hammie Nixon and the mandolin of Yank Rachell produced numerous classic songs that became part of the blues repertoire, such Diving Duck Blues, Drop Down Mama, and Everybody Oughta Make a Change. Rediscovered in the sixties, Estes had a revived career recording and performing world wide, producing several excellent albums for Delmark. Delmark’s reissue, On the Chicago Blues Scene, makes available for the first time on CD an album originally released as Electric Sleep, a play on the psychedelic recordings of Muddy and Howling Wolf, although this was simply presenting Estes in a Chicago blues setting with a backing band that included Sunnyland Slim on piano, Jimmy Dawkins on guitar, Carey Bell on harp, Odie Payne on drums and various bassist including Earl Hooker. Koester recalls seeing Estes participate in a jam in Europe with Hubert Sumlin, Rice ‘Sonny Boy Williamson’ Miller, Sunnyland Slim and others and able to sing with such modernists and a few years later cut an album in that vein and with the sympathetic backing by a band that does a fine job in backing Estes who could sometimes not be easy to follow. The vocals are marvelous as can be expected and its a joy to hear familiar Estes songs take on a fresh sound and here the music played with such joy and soulfulness. Recommended.

Carey Bell's Final Blues

Listening to and watching Carey Bell’s vigorous vocals and harp playing on a new CD/DVD he share with his son Lurrie, Gettin’ Up Live (Delmark), one will be astonished to learn that Carey had suffered a stroke, fell and broke a hip weeks before and yet still appeared at Rosa’s a few days after leaving the hospital. This new recording/ video captures the two at Rosa’s in July, 2006 and at Buddy Guy’s Legend’s in October 2006, along with some intimate performances at Lurrie’s home the day after the Rosa’s performance. With strong supporting musicians for the band sides and the empathy they demonstrate whenever they perform together, the Bells have produced both a strong CD and a delightful DVD. The CD has 4 performances from Rosa’s, Legends, and Lurrie’s home, while the DVD adds two performances from Rosa’s. The band selections are excellent with Roosevelt Purifoy certainly adding solid keyboards in support and the bass drum duos of Bob Stroger & Brian ‘BJ’ Jones or Joe Thomas & Kenny Smith keep things going. Scott Cable joins on guitar on Lurrie’s vocal at Rosa’s (a solid Baby Please Don’t Go) and the Legends’ performances. Carey is first heard on Junior Wells’ What My Mama Told Me, which is appropriate because Bell’s vocals evoke Wells. Gettin’ Up is one of those funky blues Carey was effective at, while at Legends he does a couple of Little Walter numbers along with his Low Down Dirty Shame. In addition to Bell’s vocals and really solid harp, Lurrie is marvelous with his mercurial guitar playing recalling some of Jimmy Dawkins’ equally fiery accompaniments on Carey’s first album over 35 years. Lurrie has really emerged as one of the finest blues guitarists, especially as an accompanist with suggestions of Dawkins and the equally individualistic Hubert Sumlin. Despite the flash and sizzle of his playing, he never overshadows his father’s performances, rather his embellishments and solos strengthen these marvelous performances. Carey handles three vocals at Lurrie’s home in the more intimate setting including John Estes’ Broke and Hungry, and J.T. Brown’s Short Dress Woman, before Lurrie closes things out with a heartfelt traditional gospel number, Stand By Me. The two songs on the DVD not on the CD are older Bell recordings although honestly are a tad bit weaker than those on the CD. The video on the DVD is simple and straightforward and all the more effective for its focus on Carey, Lurrie and their band. No claim that this is the best either has ever done, but this still is a first-rate disc of Chicago Blues that is highly recommended. Enjoy.
This was written prior to Carey's death, and having enjoyed him on disc as well as live over forrty years, I will miss him as will all blues lovers.