Junior Wells Southside Blues Jam

Junior Wells
Southside Blues Jam
Delmark

I purchased the vinyl version of Junior Wells' Delmark album “Southside Blues Jam” upon its original release in 1970. The release was an effort to capture what a listener might hear at the baled Chicago blues club, Theresa’s, on a Monday night when Junior Wells and others including Buddy Guy would be featured. Wells and Guy were joined by Louis Myers on guitar, Ernest Johnson on bass, Fred Below on drums and Otis Spann on piano for what was his last studio appearance on record. Delmark has reissued an expanded “Southside Blues Jam” with the original eight selections supplemented by 7 bonus tracks, one of which is an alternate take, another is a warm-up fragment and another is some studio patter.

It was a recording that was quite easy to enjoy. There was a loose spontaneous feel to the performances that Junior and company put their stamp on starting with a easy driving rendition of “Stop Breaking Down” that Junior learned from the first Sonny Boy Williamson’s recording (adapted from Robert Johnson) to a cover of Guitar Slim’s “Trouble Don’t Last” where Buddy takes the lead vocal with Junior adding a rap to the performance. Topicality was heard in the issued take of “I Could Have Had Religion” where Junior dwells on Muddy Waters being out of action at the time and “Blues For Mayor Daley.” There are covers of songs from Muddy as well as a nice rendition of the second Sonny Boy Williamson’s “In My Younger Days.” Wells mixes his blues harp (very much in the spirit of the second Sonny Boy) with his mix of vocals and James Brown funk while Guy and Spann are in strong form.

The unissued performances have their appeal, although listening to them one can understand why the selections on the original CD were chosen. There is a decent cover of Little Walter’s “It’s Too Late Brother,” with Well’s exhorting Spann to rumble on the bass keys as he talks about the blues being funky. “Love My Baby,” a reworking of Arthur Crud-up’s “So Glad Your Mine,” and set to the “Hootchie Kootchie Man” groove with blistering string bending from Guy and Spann’s rumbling piano behind Wells’ vocal. The alternate of “I Could Have Had Religion” is a more traditional performance about a mistreating woman without the reference to Muddy Waters’ health. It has solid Louis Myers’ guitar, while “Rock Me” is done as a dedication to Muddy Waters. The closing “Got to Play the Blues” is an amusing original set to the groove of B.B. King’s (then contemporary recording), “Why I Sing the Blues” with Wells singing about singing the blues and throwing in impersonations of other singers.

This expanded “Southside Blues Jam” is handsomely packaged (credit Kate Moss) with a booklet that contains Bob Koester’s recollections of the session and Michael Cuscuna’s Rolling Stone review of the original LP release and the sound is quite good. This reissue, with its additional tracks, will be welcome to a wide range of blues lovers including those having the original LP.

I received my review copy from Delmark. This review originally appeared in the January-February 2015 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 358). Here is Junior with Buddy Guy doing "Little By Little" on a PBS show in 1971.

Muddy Waters Paris 1972

Muddy Waters
Paris 1972
Pablo

A part of Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic Series of recordings (that includes albums by Ray Charles and Cannonball Adderley) this is a valuable new live recording of Muddy waters from a quarter-century past. He’s with his then working band of Pinetop Perkins/piano, Mojo Buford/harp, Calvin Jones/bass, Willie Smith/drums and Louis Myers on guitar, filling in for then ailing Sammy Lawhorn, and relegating himself to a mostly supporting role.

This is a “what you see is what you get” sort of recording. Muddy sounds in good form, singing robustly and plays a fair amount of slide guitar , Pinetop Perkins shows what a fine backing pianist he is, and even Mojo Buford, not my favorite of Waters’ harp players, acquits himself well on his steady, if unspectacular accompaniments. The material should be fairly familiar, with Clouds in My Heart, Hootchie Cootchie Man, Blow Wind Blow, Honey Bee, Walkin’ Blues and Got My Mojo Workin’.

Produced in cooperation with Waters’ estate, this is a lively, highly entertaining addition to Waters’ discography.

I likely received a review copy from Fantasy Records who owned the Pablo catalog. This review appeared originally in the July-August 1997 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 223). Here is Muddy in 1976 performing "Rollin' and Tumblin'."

J.B. Hutto and the Hawks Squat

The latest classic Delmark blues CD to received an expanded, deluxe treatment is J.B. Hutto & His Hawks, "Hawk Squat." Hawk Squat is perhaps my favorite J.B. Hutto album and one I have been listening to since it was initially released back in the later sixties. Backing J.B. were Sunnyland Slim on keyboards; Herman Haskell on guitar for one track; Lee Jackson on guitar for six songs (8 tracks); Junior Pettis or Dave Myers on bass; Frank Kirkland on drums; and Maurice McIntyre on saxophone for one session. The original twelve tracks are supplemented by one new song and alternates of four selections (one song has two alternates).

J.B. Hutto was an Elmore James disciple, yet only on "Speak Your Mind," does he employ the familiar "Dust My Broom" lick, but in the context of his own song. His forceful vocals and take no prisoner slide guitar are strongly supported by Sunnyland's organ which also provides some additional musical coloring. Their are two alternates to this track, the more interesting one is a slowed down rendition that closes this reissue. In contrast, with  typical Sunnyland Slim piano, "If You Change Your Mind," has Hutto playing  tough slide to support his powerful singing. It should not be lost that J.B.'s was a first-rate songwriter as heard on "Too Much Pride." Here J.B. sings about having too much pride to beg his woman to stay. This is the first track to have McIntyre's saxophone and it is fascinating to listen to how responsive his playing, behind J.B.'s vocals, was.

The declamatory vocal delivery on "Too Much Alcohol" is followed by the slide guitar boogie "Hip Shakin'," and then the "The Feeling is Gone"  about "feeling like crying but the tears would not come down," as his keen slide complements his vocal. They do not simply write or play blues like this anymore. "Hawk Squat" is a raucous number as J.B. introduces everybody who take short solos. It is almost a blues equivalent of Louis Armstrong's "Gut Bucket Blues." "I'll Cry Tomorrow" is the one new selection, and is a slow blues with nice interplay between Hutto and Lee Jackson and followed by the alternate takes.

In addition to the previously unissued material, Bob Koester provides new notes in the accompanying booklet that supplement the original liner notes. The booklet are contains a number of previously unissued photos from Turner's, then J.B. Hutto's home base, and the recording sessions. The original recording was selected for the Blues Hall of Fame in 2013, and the music still resonates strongly over forty-five years after first listening to it. J.B. Hutto's music was direct, not fancy, and full of heart and "Hawk Squat" was one of his finest recordings.

I received my review copy from Delmark and a review appeared in Jazz & Blues Report Issue 361. Here is a clip of J.B. Hutto from the film Chicago Blues.

Muddy Waters in Mississippi and Paris

Muddy Waters was a towering perfumer who I had the opportunity to see a number of times ranging from him opening for Moby Grape at Central Park (where one could not hear Otis Spann’s piano) to touring with the band that had Pinetop Perkins, Luther ‘Guitar Jr.’ Johnson, and Bob Margolin outside of Buffalo. Here are a couple of older reviews I have done of his recordings over the years. The first review appeared in the April 1994 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 190) while the second one appeared in July/August 1997 (Issue 223) issue.

The Complete Plantation Recordings 

If Muddy Waters had never made it to Chicago, and was simply some person who had only recorded for Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress, he would still be regarded as one of the great delta blues musicians. MCA/Chess’ The Complete Plantation Recordings makes available all the extant Library of Congress recordings, including 4 interview segments.

Whether magnificent solo blues like the two versions of Country Blues adapted from Walking Blues, I Be’s Troubled, the spiritual You Got to Take Sick and Die Some of These Days, Ramblin’ Kid Blues with the Son Sims Four or You’re Gonna Miss Me When I’m Gone, these performances are significant not simply as a harbinger of his Chess recordings, but as among the greatest country blues recordings.

The mastering of rough source material is as good as one can get, and while some may fine this noisy, it is unreservedly recommended.

Paris 1972

A part of Norman Granz’ Jazz at the Philharmonic Series of recordings (that includes albums by Ray Charles and Cannonball Adderley) Paris 1972 (Pablo) is a valuable new live recording of Muddy Waters from a quarter-century past. He’s with his then working band of Pinetop Perkins/piano, Mojo Buford/harp, Calvin Jones/bass, Willie Smith/drums and Louis Myers on guitar, filling in for then ailing Sammy Lawhorn, and relegating himself to a mostly supporting role. This is a “what you see is what you get” sort of recording. Muddy sounds in good form, singing robustly and plays a fair amount of slide guitar , Pinetop Perkins shows what a fine backing pianist he is, and even Mojo Buford, not my favorite of Waters’ harp players, acquits himself well on his steady, if unspectacular accompaniments. The material should be fairly familiar, with Clouds in My Heart, Hootchie Cootchie Man, Blow Wind Blow, Honey Bee, Walkin’ Blues and Got My Mojo Workin’. Produced in cooperation with the Waters’ estate, this is a lively, highly entertaining addition to Waters’ discography. Now here is  Muddy a few years later after Bob Margolin and Luther 'Guitar Jr. Johnson joined the band and the great Clark Terry sitting in.

Robert Lockwood Jr Was a Steady Rolling Man

I was a senior at Case Western Reserve University when I first met Robert Lockwood Jr (often referred to as Robert Jr. Lockwood) and interviewed him for the university paper (I wish I still had a copy of that article). Later I did interview him which was run in the Jazz & Blues Report when he passed away in November 2006 at the age of 91.


Robert was one of the most interesting and underrated blues artists who ever lived. He is known as Robert Johnson’s stepson, and was taught many things by Johnson. However he developed a guitar style that reflected considerable jazz influences. He was a member of the King Biscuit radio program and then leading his own band for a competing flour company, Mother’s Best, was one of the first blues electric guitarists to be heard through the Mississippi Delta region, and influenced countless guitarists. This continued in the 1950s when he moved to Chicago and became house guitarist for Chess Records as well as teaching folk like Freddie King techniques. Around 1960, he accompanied Sonny Boy Williamson to Cleveland, Ohio where they played Gleason’s for several months,. Robert liked Cleveland and ended up staying and raising a family there until his death and making a number of albums over the years.

This is the first of a series from reviews of Robert’s recordings over the years that I will be posting here. The following review of “Steady Rolling Man” appeared in November 1992 issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 176).  This CD was recently rereleased by Delmark and should be readily available. 

Robert Jr. Lockwood’s first album as a leader, Steady Rolling Man, has just been made available on compact disc by Delmark. Recorded with the Aces in 1970, shortly after Robert had made a surprise appearance at the 2nd Ann Arbor Blues Festival, this is a solid, straight-ahead session with reworkings of several Robert Johnson tunes (the title track, Ramblin’ on My Mind and Kind-Hearted Woman) several of the songs he recorded for Bluebird (Take a Little Walk with Me and Mean Red Spider), originals in a similar vein (Western Horizon, and Blues and Trouble), and three instrumentals, Steady Groove, Lockwood’s Boogie and Tanya.

All of the performances are marked by the relaxed interplay between Lockwood’s guitar, Louis Myers’ guitar, Dave Myers’ bass and Fred Below’s propulsive drumming. Alternates of Worst Old Feeling and Lockwood’s Boogie are added to prior releases. The instrumental Steady Groove provides a good description of the contents, as Lockwood and the Aces participated and were responsible for the groove for many classic Chess recordings. These are enjoyable, solid performances, as Robert delivers the vocals in an unadorned style, although they are not as charged as the live Japanese recordings Lockwood and the Aces made that were issued on an Advent album that has unfortunately never been issued on compact disc in the United States. Solid, unpretentious blues.

For purposes of FTC regulations, I likely received this from Delmark Records.

Live 1966 Junior Wells Is Blues Lovers Treat

What a pleasant surprise it was to learn that Delmark was planning to issue a 1966 Boston appearance by Junior Wells. It was recorded shortly after the classic “Hoodoo Man Blues,” was issued but as Scott Dirks notes, instead of the band Junior was using in the clubs (that included Buddy Guy), he travelled with the Aces (Louis and Dave Myers, guitar and bass guitar respectively; and Fred Below on drums). The result is Junior Wells & the Aces, “Live in Boston 1966,” and is a release that will certainly raise the blood pressure of the many fans the late legend had. The hour long performance issued here includes twelves songs interspersed with Wells’ comments and introductions. For those who remember the live tracks on Wells’ Vanguard album “Its My Life Baby,” there with be some similarity although Louis Myers’ guitar style is very different from the more flamboyant fretwork of Guy.


The songs include “Feelin’ Good,” a staple of his repertoire followed by “Man Downstairs,” where he quotes “Mellow Down Easy,” in his solo. He has fun playing with audience at time and clear they are having a good time as he launches into “Worried Life Blues,” with Below helping kick it off with his identifiable drum roll. “Junior’s Whoop,” suggests his fusion of funk and traditional blues as the groove again evokes “Mellow Down Easy,” as urges his woman to come on and scats a bit followed by a tough harp break. Over forty years later, renditions of “That’s All Right,” and “Look On Yonder’s Wall,” would hardly be exciting, but Wells sings strongly on what likely would have staples of his club performances. No such complaint can be made about Wells’ “Messing With the Kid,” which is very similar to Wells’ “Chicago The Blues Today” recording, with Myers playing some of the same riffs as Guy behind the vocal. “Hideaway” is a feature for Louis Myers’ guitar and taken straight before Wells comes in on harp over half way through. Dirks suggests that both “If You Gonna Leave Me,” and “I Don’t Know” (note the Willie Mabon recording), sound like Junior put them together from fragments of songs and illustrates his ability to make these sound like finished songs and display his personality. Myers takes a nice solo on the former number, while Wells opens the latter number on a harp with a nice shuffle groove that evokes his mentor, Sonny Boy ‘Rice Miller’ Williamson’s “Don’t Start Me Talkin,’” and even sings a couple lines in a Rice Miller vein. Myers handles one vocal here, “Got My Mojo Workin’.”


Sound is a slight bit muffled, but that is due to the source material and the restoration does a really good job in presenting the music. It is also handsomely packaged in a digipak. Scott Dirks writes that the power of Junior’s personality comes across here and this writer certainly will not disagree with that assessment. The one omission is lack of information of where this was recorded other than in Boston. (Today, October 6, I learned that it was recorded at the fabled Club 47 in Cambridge). This is a wonderful addition to the Junior Wells discography and certainly should appeal to his fans and fans of solid Chicago blues. 




I received a review copy directly from Delmark Records.

Willie Buck's Vintage Blues Sounds Fresh Today

Willie Buck is a Mississippi-born, Chicago resident since the 1950s who is a solid Chicago blues singer who has been part of that City’s club scene for decades. In addition to singles issued over time, he had an album “The Life I Love,” recorded in 1982 and issued on vinyl in 1983 that Delmark has just made available supplemented by some live recordings from a couple years later. For the studio session he brought together some of the best Chicago blues players still living, including Louis Myers and John Primer on guitar, Little Mac Simmons and Dimestore Fred on harmonica, Big Moose Walker on piano and Dave Myers on bass for some classic Chicago blues in the vein of Muddy Waters and Junior Wells. Muddy is most evident as an influence based on Buck’s songs and vocal style.


This is a solid set of Chicago blues and one can imagine how entertaining Buck is in a club setting. Nothing musically original perhaps, but he sings with heart and the band just lays out the real deal as he opens with Muddy’s “She’s All Right,” followed by Buck’s original, “How Can I Be Nice To You,” which has a melody very similar to Muddy’s recording “Just to Be With You,” as Myers and Primer lay some nice single note runs and Walker pounds out some tough piano sounds. I guess that is the young Primer who is responsible for the fine guitar solo on B.B. King’s “I Got a Right To Love My Baby,” while Walker lays the foundation and holds things together on another Buck original “There’s a Time.” “Sweet Sixteen,” is credited as if it was the Big Joe Turner tune, but sounds like a slowed down rendition of the Chuck Berry rocker while the band turns in a terrific reworking of Little Walter’s ”Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” There is also a lively rendition of Jimmy Reed’s “Found My baby Gone,” and the live recordings of “Don’t Go No Further,” and “Sugar Sweet.” The result is over an hour of strong traditionally rooted Chicago blues that one hears played so well less frequently nearly three decades later. Recommended.


For purposes of FTC regulations, the review copy was supplied by Delmark Records.  


Here is a video from you tube of Willie Buck singing a Muddy Waters song.


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