Taking the Blues Time Machine Back to January 1977

This is my blues column from the January 1977 Buffalo Jazz Report which had Lee Konitz on the cover. The column had my review of the best blues releases of 1976, and there were not nearly as many back then as today so it was a bit more manageable as well as hoping for more live blues to actually be brought to Buffalo. There would be no column for February issue as the Blizzard of 1977 would paralyze the city around the time the issue came out. I 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 the Living Blues mailing address has not been valid for many years, and the vinyl LPS I mention are no longer in print (with the exception of Sweet Blood Call as an expanded CD).

For this column I'd like to first go over what I consider the best blues albums of 1976. The best was perhaps Robert Jr. Lockwood and the Aces, Blues Live in Japan (Advent 2807) featuring Lockwood's stunning jazz-blues guitar and enthusiastic readings of blues standards. Mr. Johnson's Blues (Mamlish 3807) is the first American lp devoted to reissuing the classic and innovating work of Lonnie Johnson whose place in blues and jazz history is underappreciated. The best album by a previously unrecorded artist is Good Rockin' Charles (Mr. Blues MB 7601). This a fine set of Chicago blues with relaxed yet gritty singing and harp from Charles.

Honorable mentions for outstanding albums go to the two Joe Turner albums Nobody in Mind and In the Evenin' (Pablo). Otis Rush Cold Day in Hell (Delmark), When Women Sang the Blues (Blues Classics), Windy City Blues:The Transition and Detroit Ghetto Blues (Nighthawk), and Louisiana Red Sweet Blood Call (Blue Labor). As can be seen most of the finest al-bums were on small collectors labels (the major exception being the Joe Turners on Pablo). The big names in blues turned out either disco blues, Albert King with a pleasant album on Utopia, empty endless boogie, the Iive James Cotton album, or a Iive jam which never really ignited (B.B. King and Bqbby Bland). The small labels can turn out more interesting music perhaps because they don't expect to sell a gold album and don't compromise the music for sales. And the blues can progress as Jimmy Dawkins' has proved without losing its identity in a disco or funk setting.

1977 could be a year of some very fine recordings. Alligator records promises a Son Seals album, Delmark has re-issues of early Junior Wells among others ready, RCA's Utopia subsidiary has a Clifton Chenier in the can, Trix has Robert Jr.· Lockwood playing twelve-string coming soon and hopefully much more. Of course I will let you know what is available, and what it sounds like. 

Other items of interest. Living Blues continues to be a source of interesting informative articles, reviews and interviews. The Record Runner carries current issues and a years subscription (6 issues) costs $4.00 sent to Living Blues Publications, 2615 N. Wilton Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60614. 

It is possible that live blues may soon be coming to Buffalo in a format similar to the Tralfjazz series with perhaps comparable prices (depending on the act). for the entire night, etc. I would be curious about reader response.as any indication of support for this before it is undertaken is important. Artists being contemplated include Robert Jr. Lockwood, Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon, Otis Rush, JohnnyShinesand others. Please write me in care of the BJR with your comments and suggestions. There has been Iittle Iive blues brought to Buffalo in the past few years and such places where blues was typically booked, an example being the Coffeenouse series at UB, haven't had blues in a year and a half. Imagine a series on American folk music which ignored the most basic American folk music. Blues can be brought and brought in an imaginative fashion. WBFO's David Benders, when head of the Coffeehouse, brought in not only folk blues but also a working Chicago Band, Son Seals, who played in the Rathskellar. It is to be hoped that the Coffeehouse committee at UB shows more imagination this year (1977) than in the past year and a half and brings blues both as pari of the Coffeehouse Circuit and as more than token representatives at the folk festival. I am willing to assist any organization that brings live blues to Buffalo and can be reached at either WBFO or the BJR. (David Benders incidentally hosts. Codfish Every Friday on WBFO at 10 PM to 11 PM which has blues featured about once a month.

A Time Machine Looking at Blues From October 1976

My 3rd installment of my blues column from the Buffalo Jazz Report, October, 1976. I mentioned the B.B. King and Muddy waters gigs the previous month, but here I have a quick review along with mentioning Buddy and Junior with Jeff Beck in the audience. I believe he opened for Fleetwood Mac at the Old War Memorial Auditorium the next night. I believe Buddy and Junior's Band was pretty much the same as on the album they did backing Memphis Slim including brother Phil Guy on guitar, A.C. Reed on sax and Buffalo native Roosevelt 'Snake' Shaw on drums. The images of the two album covers are from reissues of the Peg Leg Sam and Louisiana Red albums.

The last month has been quite good for live 'blues' in the Buffalo area. B.B. King appeared at Melody Fair, Muddy Waters at the Outside Inn in Angola, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells returned to the Belle Starr and as I write this Bobby 'Blue' Bland will appear at Kleinhans. I had a chance to see B.B. and he is the 'King of the Blues' without question. A true pro who is totally into his music and who worked·through songs associated with him like "How Blue Can You Get" and his current hit (with Bobby Bland) of "Let the Good Times Roll" as well as Leon Russell's "Hummingbird" and a fine version of "Please Send Me Someone To Love". Buddy Guy and Junior Wells were dynamite as usual. The night I saw them Jeff Beck was in the audience to see his favorite guitarist, Buddy Guy, and later sat in with the band. 
 

Peg Leg Sam is a veteran of the medicine show scene. A fine country blues harmonica player and singer his new album Going Train Blues (Blue Labor BL 105). accompanied by Louisiana Red, 1s a fine album demonstrating Sam's skills as a singer and entertainer. He has an earlier album on Trix which I have unfortunately, not heard. Other fine blues Ips on Blue Labor Include Louisiana Red's Sweet Blood Call (BL 104) which features marvelous country blues and original lyrics such as the fine "Death of Ealase, written about his wife who died of cancer. Sonny Terry's Robbin' the Grave (BL 101) finds Sonny without Brownie McGhee, but with friends in a fine set of spirited blues, far removed from the folkie circuit that some have associated Sonny with. Sonny plays and sings with great enthusiasm. Sonny and Brownie back Alec Seward on Late One Saturday .Evening (BL 103) which was recorded at a house party along wilh other fnends with everyone in good spirits. 

Bobo Jenkins is one of many artists playing blues in Detroit. For various reasons Bobo has recorded himself and created Big Star Records out of his own work. A worker for Chrysler for over 20 years (he recently quit). he built his own basement studio and Here I am a Fool in Love Again (BS 11-33) reflects this as it won't win audio awards. The music is great gutty city blues- not very different from Chicago blues of the 50s, played without any BS. The outstanding track of the album is "Sharecropper Blues" where working for Chrysler is compared to being a sharecropper. You will want to get this from Bobo at Big Star Recording Studio, 4228 Joy Road, Detroit, Michigan,

When My Mama Was Living Is Choice Louisiana Red

In the 1970s when Kent Cooper first met the late Louisiana Red, Red was working at the Bayonne (New Jersey) Barrel Company and had given up music as the way to support his family. Red had recorded prior to that including an album for the Atlantic Atco subsidiary. Cooper wrote some songs including Sweet Blood Call, and Red recorded some of Cooper’s as well as his own that led to the critically acclaimed Sweet Blood Call and other albums on Blue Labor which also issued albums by Johnny Shines, Roosevelt Sykes and Peg Leg Sam during this period. Red’s career continued for many years, and he continued to record relatively regularly in the past couple decades with the recordings have a consistent quality despite variations in the musical settings and supporting musicians. When Louisiana Red passed, he was rightfully regarded as a great blues artist who had been a heir to the legacies of Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Lightnin’ Hopkins.

Labor Records has issued a new CD, When My Mama Was Living, that brings together 16 tracks comprised of one track issued on CD for first time and the rest being previously unissued selections or unissued alternate takes. On these selections he is sometimes backed by either Peg Leg Sam or Lefty Dizz with the exception of three tracks Peg Leg Sam is featured on. There is variety in the musical settings that add to the listenability of these performances.

While these may have not been issued previously, there is plenty of strong blues to be heard. Red was in strong vocal form at the time and put so much into delivering the lyrics. Walk All Over Georgia sets the tone backed only by his harmonica followed by his interpretation of Slim Harpo’s King Bee, where he plays spare trebly guitar and overdubbed harmonica. The title track is another selection where his harmonica provides the sole accompaniment and throws in an occasional whoop to accent the lyrics. 

Bad Case of the Blues is one of several selections that finds Red playing the manner of Lightnin’ Hopkins followed by a solo Peg Leg Sam Piedmont harmonica blues Little Susie James. Lefty Dizz adds support behind Red’s slide on Got a Girl With a Dog Won’t Bark, which adapts the melody of Shake Your Money Maker. Red’s playing on this previously unissued alternate take is a bit tentative sounding to this listener. Cold White Sheet is another Hopkins’ styled blues as he sings about can’t stand the city no more and would rather die on a southland farm, while Going Back to Georgia adapts the 44 Blues melody for his lyric about leaving those Northern gals behind.

You’ve Got To Move is the traditional sacred number in the style of Fred McDowell with Peg Leg Sam adding harmonica behind Red’s slide with Jim Robinson adding a second vocal. Peg Leg Sam sounds feisty on I'll Be Glad When You Are Dead You Rascal You, with plenty of crying harmonica. Cooper and Red’s Cold, Cold Feeling is another traditionally grounded blues strongly performed in the vein of Lightnin’ Hopkins. Red accompanies Peg Leg Sam on his spirited John Henry. This album closes with Red’s “Joanna.” This was recorded with a small group at WKCR and Red lays down nice slide guitar adding a some spoken interjections to his vocal.

This writer has long been fond of the Blue Labor Louisiana Red recordings and this new release of unissued songs and alternate takes is most welcome. Louisiana Red was in quite fine form during this period and When My Mama Was Living certainly stands up as an excellent release that lovers of down home blues will certainly appreciate.

I received a review copy from a publicist for the release. Here is a video of him in his Elmore James mood.

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.

Louisiana Red at the 2008 Ponderosa Stomp

2008-0429_Ponderosa_Stomp-610, a photo by NoVARon on Flickr.

We mourn the passing of Iverson Minter, better known as Louisiana Red on February 25. Louisiana Red had a recording career that stretched six decades, starting with recording for Chess Records in 1952 and including the wonderful Memphis Mojo for Ruf Records, which I reviewed this past October.

Red's music showed varied influences including Muddy Waters, Elmore James, John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins. He was adept at the slide guitar styles of both Muddy Waters and James, and adapted some of their tunes for his own use, employing original, often chilling lyrics that arose from his own life and situations.

He recorded frequently and generally at a high level for a variety of labels. With his passing, another link to the blues vintage age of the fifties and sixties has passed, but even more important, an original musical voice has been stilled.

Louisiana Red's Memphis Mojo

Iverson Minter, better known as Louisiana Red, has had a distinguished recording career that dates back six decades. Red has recorded many memorable recordings over the years, whether his challenge to Muddy Waters, Gonna Play My Guitar, as Playboy Fuller' Red's Dream, that the legendary Henry Glover produced from a session with Tommy Tucker on piano; Louisiana Red Sings the Blues, an Atco album with the late Bill Dicey on harmonica; the Blue Labor album Sweet Blood Call, with some very chilling vocals; a solo set, "Sittin' Here Wonderin', as well as Millennium Blues, for Earwig; and more recently Black to the Black Bayou on Ruf. I could cite other titles, but one should get the point that Louisiana Red has been laying down some stone cold, real blues killers for decades.

Ruf has issued a new Louisiana Red album, Memphis Mojo, which like the "Black Bayou" disc has him joined with Little Victor's Juke Joint who I presume is Little Victor on guitar, Bill Troiani on bass and Alex Pettersen on drums with appearances by Dave Maxwell on piano, Bob Corritore on harmonica, 'The Hawk' on maracas and Mookie Brill on bass for several tracks. This is a solid recording in the vein of the classic Chicago blues of Muddy Waters and Elmore James, mixed in with some North Mississippi Hill Country flavor. Red's voice perhaps is a bit more gravelly, but the robustness of his vocals still stand out. The backing throughout is strong, sounding traditional yet fresh.

The songs, with one exception are originals opening with Goodbye Blues, with a groove evocative of Muddy Waters' Louisiana Blues, set to a driving accompaniment with Little Victor taking the lead on guitar and Corritore wailing on harp. I Had Troubles All My Life, may have been done by Red before but is strongly delivered as he sings about wanting to go back to Mississippi with a bit of howling. The one cover is Blind Lemon Jefferson's See That My Grave Is Kept Clean, with Little Victor providing atmospheric use of tremolo with his guitar helping make an original rendition of this standard. It is followed by the North Mississippi Hills groove of No More Whiskey. Yolanda has Maxwell on piano and Corritore on harp for a strong Chicago styled blues. Your Lovin' Man, is a downhome blues with Red laying down tough sounding slide, while I'm Gettin' Tired has an insistent groove suggestive of Junior Parker's Feelin' Good.

So Long, So Long, conjures the early Muddy Waters recordings with Big Crawford on bass and Little Walter on harmonica. It perhaps is the standout track on a recording with many excellent performances. Memphis Mojo is a superb blues recording likely to receive many of the accolades Red's prior disc received. Such recognition will be well deserved.

My review copy was provided by a publicist.

Muddy and Elmore's Music echoes in "Louisiana Red Sings The Blues"

I have long owned the LP, “Louisiana Red Sings The Blues,” in its original Atco release. Recently the 2007 Wounded Bird reissue of it  was available on sale at a cut-rate price from Blue Beat Music and I included it in my most recent order from them. At the time this was recorded, Louisiana Red was a fixture on the New York City blues scene, though then as now, not receiving the acclaim or enjoying the remuneration he deserves. Born Iverson Minter, he was raised in New Orleans and then later in Pittsburgh by relatives. His music, then and now, shows considerable influences from Muddy Waters, Elmore James, John Lee Hooker and Lightnin’ Hopkins, and was reflected in his recordings. The first Red sides I heard included one “Gonna Play My Guitar,” as by Rocky or Playboy Fuller, where playing fierce slide guitar in the vein of Muddy Waters he lays down a challenge to the late king of Chicago Blues. Recordings for various small labels led to a modest hit with “Red’s Dream,” and imaginative reworking of Big Bill Broonzy’s “I Had a Dream.” This led to an album, “Louisiana Red’s Low-Down Back Porch Blues.”

The present album was recorded a couple of years later and had Red backed by a variety of New York area musicians, including Bill Dicey on harmonica, Tommy Tucker on piano (and drums for one track), Robert Banks on keyboards, Don Cook on piano and Leonard Gaskin on bass. Musically, its solid Chicago styled blues as shown on covers of Muddy waters’ Rollin’ Stone,” “The Same Thing,” and “Louisiana Blues,” where Red sings and plays in a manner to satisfy Muddy’s admirers. “I Am Louisiana Red” and “I come from behind the sun,” is a solid performance using the “You Don’t Love Me,” although the rhythm section is a bit ragged. “Country Playboy,” has some ragged band work behind Red’s forceful singing. “The Story of Louisiana Red,” has an autobiographical lyric starting from his harrowing childhood (his father was murdered by the Klan or a similar racist gang) and set to the “It Hurts Me Too” melody. “Some Day,” is a somewhat messy take on a James Brown groove, but Red’s “Dust My Broom,” variant, “Freight Train to Ride,” is a solid rocking performance with strong slide guitar. “Red’s New Dream,” is a bit fantastical with him dreaming on Mars and the head man on Mars wanting to know whether he should take a rocket to Earth with Red started nibbling a chitlin’ before letting the Martian taste a pig foot and collard greens which and some humorous jive about Uncle Sam coming to Mars and tax the craters. Its a fun lyric, although a bit incoherent compared to the earlier "Red's Dream."

Red has continued to record extensively these past few decades. He penned a number of very personal, moving songs and has a number of albums, some of them excellent. He has recorded a number of excellent albums for Blue Labor (I believe they have been reissued), Earwig and Ruf. “Louisiana Red Sings The Blues” is a solid recording that may be hardly essential, but holds up over the years. It may be worth checking bluebeatmusic.com to see if this is still available at a bargain sales price.

Bob Corritore - Congratulations on 25 Years of Great Blues Radio

I became first aware of Bob Corritore in the '70s when he issued some blues albums by lesser known, but hardly lesser, Chicago artists Little Willie Anderson and Big Leon Brooks. Subsequently he relocated to Phoenix Arizona where he has become a multiple blues-threat, running a blues venue, The Rhythm Room; hosting for twenty-five years a blues show, Those Lowdown Blues, on KJZZ 91.5 on Sunday Nights (from 7:00PM to Midnight Phoenix Time); being a blues harmonica player of some note; and being a producer of many fine blues records.

Recently, Southwest Musical Arts Foundation Records has issued Broadcasting the Blues, a 25th Anniversary Celebration of Bob's excellent Those Lowdown Blues program. It includes some relaxed informal performances by such blues artists as Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Flynn, CeDell Davis, Dave Riley, Henry Gray, Johnny Dyer, Lazy Lester, Louisiana Red, Lowell Fulson, and Tomcat Courtney, that were done during Bob's show. While one would not call this essential, there are some very memorable moments such Lowell Fulson reprising "Sinner's Prayer," Billy Boy Arnold's solo version of "Shake Your Boogie,"Tomcat Courtney's "The World is Mad," Louisiana Red's gospel number (with nice slide) "Home in the Rock," Henry Gray's "Cold Chills," and Lazy Lester's "Out on the Road."

This is available from KJZZ (http://kjzz.org/music/blues) which gets proceeds from the sales as well as Bluebeat Music (www.bluebeatmusic.com). Having listened over the net to Bob's program, my only regret is that it is not on earlier as he plays nothing but the blues.May Bob have another 25 years of playing the real lowdown blues. Bob's own website is http://www.bobcorritore.com, and is a valuable resource in its own right. As the late Willie Dixon is heard, "Bob, keep on playing the blues." I will keep on listening,

Congrats to 15 years of The Rhythm Room

Phoenix’s The Rhythm Room as developed a reputation as a blues room in part due to the efforts of Bob Corritore. Blue Witch Records has issued a lively celebration of its 15 years, House Rockin’ and Blues Shoutin’!, with 14 strong live performances for the Rhythm Room’s stage. This is scheduled to be released in September, 2007. Its a nice range of performances that give an indication of the breadth and eclecticism of real deal blues that play there including performances by the Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Manish Boys, Long John Hunter, Floyd Dixon, Big Pete Pearson, Henry Gray, Sonny Rhodes, Paul Oscher, Chief Shabuttie Gilliame w Johnny Dyer and Henry Gray, Robert Lockwood, Jr, Louisiana Red and Billy Boy Arnold. There are any number of highlights here and no poor tracks. The three Thunderbirds tracks are each with different personnel supporting Kim Wilson including Troy Gonyea’s guitar backing him on Jimmy Rogers’ Goin’ Away Baby, and the Little Walter styled harp romp, Horsin’ Around, while Kid Ramos, Kirk Fletcher and horns provide support for the New Orleans groove of Rich Woman. Finis Tasby gravelly vocals graces The Manish Boys fine Lonesome Bedroom, while Long John Hunter is heard solo on Long John’s Country Blues. Piano blues will enjoy Floyd Dixon’s jumping Please Don’t Go while Henry Gray’s Henry’s Houserocker is a solid shuffle with Kid Ramos’ guitar helping propel the boogie woogie feature. Sonny Rhodes playing lap steel guitar interprets one of the lesser known Elmore James numbers, My Bleeding Heart, while Paul Oscher is marvelous on guitar, harp and vocals on That’s It. The delightful performances come to a close with Billy Boy Arnold’s take on an old Sonny Boy Williamson recording (which actually dates back to pianist Charlie Spand) which is retitled and credited to Arnold, Two Drinks of Wine. It is the same song junior Wells did as Early in the Morning. One can’t think of a better salute to this blues room than the compilation of fine recordings here and Blue Witch is to be thanked for this collection. May the Rhythm Room celebrate another 15 years.