Joe Willie Wilkins & His King Biscuit Boys

When I first put on Joe Willie Wilkins & His King Biscuit Boys (Adamo ADS 9507) I received a jolt. The opening "Mr. Downchild" and "Muddy Water's "Sad Letter" (a great version) had all the power of Muddy's great recordings from the early fifties . Wilkins was Robert Lockwood's successor as Sonny Boy Williamson's accompanist on the famed King Biscuit Time radio  program.

This album is his first lengthy exposure on wax and if there are occasional bum notes from the assorted accompanists don't let that deter you. Also, much of this album is from a live performance and if the sound isn't perfect, the music is funky and downhome. A truly great record of blues that anyone into Muddy, the Wolf or others will dig. My choice for album of the month.

I received a review copy from a record distributor. This LP had limited release and is extremely rare. I do not believe it was ever reissued. The review originally appeared in the June 1978 Buffalo Jazz Report (Issue 52). I am not aware of many other reviews of this recording. Here is "Mr. Downchild" from this album.

Little Boys Blue with Kid Memphis

Little Boys Blue with Kid Memphis
Hard Blue Space
VizzTone

Nothing fancy but some straight-ahead blues performances from the Memphis based Little Boys Blue. Guitarist John Holiday (aka Kid Memphis) played Carl Perkins in the 2005 movie "Walk The Line," while vocalist and harmonica player, JD Taylor, actually played gigs with the rockabilly legend. In addition to these two, Little Boys Blue includes guitarist Alex Taylor, drummer Mark Brooks, and bassist Dave Mallard. Also present are the keyboards of Dave Thomas and the slide guitar of Andrew White, Brad Webb, and Wes Henley.

JD Taylor wrote all 11 songs, with assists from Holiday on two and Alex Taylor on one. Also, the songs are all blues with a variety of moods and tempos ranging from the opening "Six Foot Down" with its incorporation of the "Rollin' and Tumblin'" riff (and fine slide guitar) to the closing Jimmy Reed flavored shuffle "Going Back To Memphis," with his harp in the vein of the second Sonny Boy Williamson. JD is a very good singer who delivers his gritty vocals with a straight-forward honest and unmannered style. He plays strong, effective harp while ably backed by the band here and the material is solid stuff.

Other noteworthy songs include, but are not limited to, the easy-rocking shuffle "Loving Kind," with some nifty guitar lines in the vocal backing; the atmospheric title track with nice slide guitar in addition to the haunting harp; and the late evening slow blues "If the Blues Start Calling." Strong originals, strong vocals, and harp from Taylor and solid backing make "Hard Blue Square" a release worth the attention of blues enthusiasts.

I received my review copy from VizzTone. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 378). Here is a performance from the album.

Its A Hot July Fish Fry For The DC Blues Society

Enjoying the Fish fry

Tomorrow, July 14 DC Blues Society is presenting its 8th Annual Hotter Than July Fish Fry ‘n’ Blues at the American Legion Post 41, 905 Sligo Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland. The entrance is on Fenton and the parking lot and garage. The $12 admission includes a fish sandwich and the music which will start at 4PM and will include 11 bands.

Saskia of the Unruly Blues Band

The blues starts at 4PM and runs until around 11PM and the bands performing are: Almost Blue; Blues Obsession; Dave Panzer & the Bluesicians; DC Blues Society Band with Ayaba Bey; Fast Eddie & the Slow Pokes; Ida Campbell; In Lay Mans Terms; Joyce Ettingoff; Unruly Blues Band; Tan Man Blues Band; and XPress. 2 other bands are waiting if a band can’t make it.

Ida Campbell

Highlights of the bands playing include WPFW’s Ida Campbell who is a fine singer in the Ruth Brown, the Williamsburgh, Virginia band, In Layman’s Terms, with Cole (14 on guitar), sister Logan (11 on bass) and mother Sandy Laymen on drums with a repertoire of classic rock and blues; the Unruly Blues Band featuring the vocalist Saskia that tied at the 2011 DC Blues Society Battle of the Bands and mix a variety of blues styles with terrific showmanship; and David Panzer and the Bluesicians which features the vocal and instrumental skills of Panzer who spent five years with the Midnight Mover, Wilson Pickett. More information on the line-up, including the schedule can be found at www.dcblues.org. Just click on the schedule link on the home page.

Dancing and Partying at the Fish Fry'N'Blues

In addition to the music there will be a Fish Fry includes fish sandwiches, fixings and cake. This starts at 4:30PM and runs until about 9PM. Beverages are available from the Legion staff.

Its the DC Blues Society's Memphis Blues Blowout at Lamont's

Preston Shannon

Next Saturday, July 21, the DC Blues Society and Lamont’s Entertainment Complex Present a Memphis Blues Blowout headlined by Preston Shannon as well as Daddy Mack. The music starts at 1:00PM with the DC Blues Society Band with Ayaba Bey followed at 2:00PM by Dr. S.O. Feelgood and then at 3:30, Jim Bennett, lady Mary and the Unique Creation band will present their brand of Southern Soul. The Daddy Mack Blues Band goes on at 5:00PM and Preston Shannon will start at 6:30PM. Advance tickets are $18 for members and $20 for nonmembers and $25.00 at the door. For information and Ticket Sales: go to the Blues Society’s website, www.dcblues.org or call Lamont’s at 301-322-1808.

Memphis-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter Preston Shannon is well known as one of the finest contemporary Bluesmen in the U.S. He delivers deep, soul-filled vocals, atop his burning, venom-tipped guitar chords - a blend of Southern-fried soul and blues; danceable, grooving tunes; and slow, soulful ballads.

The Daddy Mack Blues Band has been the house band at the Center For Southern Folklore on Beale Street in Memphis since 1998. Daddy Mack’s natural and soulful musical blend has been on stages from BBQ dives in Mississippi to halls in Paris. He’s known for his Albert King-like biting vocals, funky guitar licks, and his uncompromising notion of real Blues.

Jim Bennett

Jim Bennett has been entertaining for 45 years, the last 22 with vocalist Lady Mary and the Unique Creation Band. Bennett, who plays vocals in addition to his warm baritone vocals that have a cool quality like Jerry Butler. Lady Mary gives a contrasting style with more than a bit of sassiness, and they are backed by a bight band that adds the right amount of funk to the southern soul stew.

Dr. S.O. Feelgood adds his own very personable blues and downhome soul style while the DC Blues Society Band features Dr. Ayaba Bey. Dr. Bey is indeed a “griot” (a storyteller, also musician-entertainers from West Africa whose performances include tribal histories). She has traveled to Guyana, Brazil, the Caribbean, and hundreds of colleges/universities across the US sharing her his-torically-based educational theater/music programs.

It’s going to be a party so come prepared to stay the day, and maybe even into the night for the indoor After-Party! Pack your coolers and your lawn chairs (yes, you can bring both, and your cooler can be packed with your favorite alcoholic or non-alcoholic brew, and food). It takes place Rain or shine.

It takes place at Lamont's Entertainment Complex, 4400 Livingston Road, Pomonkey (Accokeek), MD.

Driving Directions From the DC Beltway/I-495, take Exit 3 onto MD-210 South, Indian Head Highway; continue about 14.3 miles and make slight left onto MD-227/ Marshall Hall Rd.; after 1.3 miles, stay straight on MD-224; and after another 1.3 miles, Lamont’s will be on the left.

Memphis Blues Party From Bukka White and Furry Lewis

Arcola Records has issued a wonderful recording by Furry Lewis, Bukka White and Friends, Party! At Home. Recorded in Memphis in July 1968, the first two selections by Bukka White were recorded at Albino Red’s, and the last three by Furry were recorded in Furry’s apartment. The majority came from a party at Furry’s Apartment and while the performances by the two blues legends are typically lively ones, they benefit from banter with friends.

What’s nice while there are familiar songs from both, there are some interesting choices. For example we get to hear White redo Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Hello Central( from the session at Albino Red's), Give Me 49, in White’s lively percussive, driving style along with White doing Drifting Blues and other numbers with Lewis adding encouragement. Lewis does a typically fine rendition of John Henry as well as Let Me Call You Sweetheart from the party as well as a fine rendition of his Kassie Jones from the other session.

As indicated, both White and Lewis sound real good here and the informality of the party setting adds to the spirit of the performances here. Recommended.

This is an older review from 2007 and originally appeared in the March-April 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 291). I purchased this CD.

Here is Bukka and then Furry.

Billy Gibson's Southern Livin'

This is an older review from 2007 and I did select this recording to be an outstanding blues recording of 2007. It appeared in the March-April 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 291). I received my copy from wither Inside Sounds or a publicist.

Born in Mississippi where he developed his distinctive soulful singing and harp, Billy Gibson has established himself as among the strongest blues acts in the Memphis area today. Gibson has a new album on Inside Sounds, Southern Livin’, that focuses on his marvelous vocals although he does not ignore his harp. Gibson’s band includes guitarist David Bowen and bassist James Jackson, both veterans of Albert King’s band along with drummer Cedric Keel and keyboardist Charlie wood along with some taut horns on several tracks and guest appearances from guitarists Preston Shannon and Daddy Mack Orr.

Bowen’s original Fireman opens with Bowen playing some guitar evoking Albert King before Gibson’s delivery of the clever lyric. Bowen & Gibson collaborated on Mississippi, a funky celebration his roots and the state’s people with a short harp break. Preston Shannon guests on guitar on Bowen’s I’m Single, a rocking shuffle about no longer being tied up and out having fun, while Too Many Times, is a soul-blues ballad reflecting on a relation gone bad as his woman tries to take two and make three with a killer line about how hard it is to forget her for as Willie Nelson says “you’re always be on my mind.”

Gibson's Hey Hey Pretty Baby. has him telling is woman he is going to rock and sock it to his woman that she’ll know it can’t be wrong, throwing in a short, focused chromatic harp-break. One of three covers included here is a tasty reworking of Sam Myers, I Got a Thing for the Voodoo Woman. Other covers include the fine rendition Booker T & the MG's classic, Hip Hug-Her, with exceptional harp, and the closing Sex Appeal (from Willie Dixon’s Pen, on which Daddy Mack takes the guitar lead), with another nice vocal.

There is hardly anything i can fault on this impressive release. The band is tight and Bowen and Wood are as impressive on their instruments as Gibson is on harp, but the focus remains on the songs and Gibson’s authoritative and convincing vocals. Highly recommended.

Here is Billy performing at the North Atlantic Blues Festival in 2007.

Daddy Mack's Enjoyable BluesStones

The Memphis based band led by Daddy Mack Orr has a new disc on inside Sounds, BluesStones, that brings the leader’s vocals and guitar together with his solid band that includes brothers James (rhythm guitar) and Harold Bonner (bass) and drummer William Faulkner with Charlie Wood adding color on keyboards, for a collection of recordings that are performed straight with little artifice.

This has a nice selection of material and the band plays with a driving groove that is almost suggestive of Magic Slim although Daddy Mack is not as compelling a vocalist as Slim. The album opens with a solid rendition of the Z.Z. Hill hit, Shade Tree Mechanic, followed by Junior Bonner’s Plain Man. Slim Jenkin’s Joint is an instrumental from the Booker T & the MG’s songbook whose melody seems based on the Freddy King recording Going Down. It is a feature for Daddy Mack’s stinging guitar work. Savin’ My Love is an original soul-blues ballad, while the band gets a nice groove. Mack’s guitar is very effective on Royal Shade of Blues, as he describes his style of blues. Here he sings while he does not claim to be king, he plays a royal style of blues. He is not quite able to vocally handle the soulful That’s Where Its At.

Overall this was an enjoyable, if not exceptional recording.

This review was written for Jazz & Blues Report but may not have been published. I likely received a review copy from the record label or a publicist for the label. According to Amazon, Daddy Mack Blues Band has at least one more recent release.  

Here is the Daddy Mack Blues Band doing an Albert King classic.

Smokestack Lightning- Howlin' Wolf's Musical Evolution

Chester Arthur Burnett, known as Howlin' Wolf, was one of the seminal blues artists of all time. Sam Phillips who recorded Wolf’s earliest sides said of Wolf “This is where the soul of man never dies.” Having produced similar compilations of Little Walter, Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley amongst others, Hip-O-Select takes us to what is likely two sets of the Chess recordings of the Wolf over four discs, The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960, in an attractive hard back book with sleeves to have ready access to the four CDs that include 97 tracks and a little under 5 hours of music.

The book package contains an overview of Wolf’s music from Peter Guralnick and an overview of the included recordings by Dick Shurman, along with a variety of photos and newspaper clippings with full discographical information. The music ranges from Sam Phillips earliest recordings of Wolf in Memphis that were sent to Chess in Chicago through the 1960 Chicago session that produced Back Dog Man, Wang Dang Doodle and Spoonful. Roughly a third of the recordings on this were recorded by Phillips in Memphis with the remainder in Chicago after the Chess brothers convinced him to move north.

Many of Wolf’s signature recordings are included ranging from the initial release of Moanin’ At Midnight and How Many More Years from his first session in Memphis along with other deep south sounds as Bluebird (Blues), Streamline Woman, Mr. Highway Man and Saddle My Pony, to the Chicago recordings by him including No Place To Go, Forty Four, Smokestack Lightning, The Natchez Burning, Sittin’ On Top Of the World, Mr. Airplane Man, and Back Door Man.

As the selected song titles suggest, there are many impressive sides included that if an artist had simply recorded a couple of songs would be regarded as the basis of a legendary career. In Wolf’s case, his body of work merits this consideration as well as the iconic songs. And the recordings start with the Memphis sides with Willie Johnson on guitar, Willie Steele on drums, Ike Turner, L.C. Hubert or Bill ‘Struction’ Johnson on piano, and on one session James Cotton (who plays on Saddle My Pony). After relocating to Chicago, Wolf’s sessions included Otis Spann and Hosea Lee Kennard on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, Willie Johnson, Jody Williams, Otis “Smokey” Smothers and Hubert Sumlin on guitar, Abb Locke on saxophone and Earl Phillips and fred Below on drums.

While Williams and Johnson are very prominent on the earlier Chicago sessions, these recordings also allow us to appreciate the emergence of Hubert Sumlin as an important and original guitar voice whose guitar lines snaking against the rhythm provided a bite in addition to Wolf’s powerful vocals that provided an immediately recognizable as the recordings evolved with the rollicking boogies of the Memphis days to storming shuffles and emphatically performed slow blues that hit like the Chicago winter winds.

All of the issued recordings are included along with alternate takes and several compilations of alternate takes and studio banter. From a listening standpoint, one wishes some of these alternates were not included in the generally chronological presentation of material, but perhaps at the end of the package. While there is a value of illustrating how the sessions shaped what was ultimately released, one wonders if so much of these multi-take tracks was included to fill out four CDs so they could split Wolf’s Chess recordings into two volumes. This is the only fault one might suggest about this reissue. The sound is quite good on this reissue of some of the greatest blues recordings of the past six or so decades. With the holidays around the corner Howlin’ Wolf’s The Complete Chess Masters 1951-1960 will make a terrific gift.

This was a purchase.

Charlie Woods Is More Than Lucky

A fixture on Beale Street playing the Hammond B-3, with whom legendary guitarist Calvin Newborn would often join, Charlie Wood has a new Inside Sounds release, Lucky, that brings a soulful, jazzy sophistication to the blues.


Through the magic of overdubbing, Wood plays virtually all of the instruments here aided by Kirk Smothers’ saxophones. The opening Can’t Teach That Stuff is a sizzling rocking boogie woogie where he talks about his musical life, including how Albert King took him on the road, with hot solos from Smothers on tenor and Wood on the B-3. It is followed by a nice down-in-the alley rendition of Percy Mayfield’s The River Invitation, with his evocative, smoking singing.


Echoes of Professor Longhair reverberate on Wood’s celebration of the Crescent City and his hopes for its survival with his faith in the human spirit, Never Gonna Stop New Orleans. What’s It Gonna Take is rollicking piano blues where he asks his woman what it will take to slow her down and get to her. Ray Charles’ Lonely Avenue is slowed down in a nice reworking while Ear Candy has a nifty lyric about telling one’s lover what she or he wants to hear.


There is a fine cover of Mose Allison’s One of These Days, with Wood sounding very comfortable handling the vocal and laying down some choice piano, while the closing rendition of W.C. Handy’s Beale Street Blues is a wonderful performance with Wood and his piano joined by Billy Gibson who adds some harp on this intimate sounding performance.


There is a funky ambiance throughout this and plenty of space for Wood’s keyboards and solid vocals. Wood also adeptly provided a full ensemble sound although the rhythm sounds a bit mechanical (although certainly better than a rhythm loop). Overall Lucky is a most enjoyable release.


This review originally appeared in the August 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 296). I likely received my review copy from Inside Sounds.

Memphis Gold's Sanctified Memphis Blues

The following review came out a couple years ago in the May 2009 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 316). My friend Chester Chandler is about to issue a new CD on Stackhouse called Pickin’ In High Cotton and since my photo is being used for the CD cover, I will not be writing a review although I do think anyone who likes Gator Gon’ Bitechu will like this. It will have a slight bit more downhome flavor. I do hope to post on this blog, the interview Joe Kessler and I did with Chester Chandler that was published after this review was published in Block, a blues publication in the Netherlands. Information on this new release is also on his website which is included amongst the links given.

As a preliminary matter, I note that I have known Chester Chandler for about 18 years, am friends with him, and was at the studio when he worked on finishing some of the tracks on Gator Gon’ Bitechu! (Stackhouse). I disclose this because of possible bias that might exist despite my efforts. While I have been seeing him play shows at small and larger bars in the Washington, DC area for a lengthy period of time, when he gave me an advance of his second CD, Prodigal Son, several years ago, I was floored at how mature his music sounded. I was not the only one. Long-time Living Blues editor, Jim O’Neal, was obviously impressed as he signed Memphis Gold to Stackhouse and re-released Prodigal Son, on the label. And others noticed as Memphis Gold was featured in cover stories in the Swedish publication, Jefferson, the world’s oldest blues magazine; the esteemed British publication, Blues & Rhythm, and most recently in Living Blues.


Chester Chandler grew up in Memphis where he attended the same sanctified church as Robert Wilkins, the one-time blues guitarist and vocalist of the twenties, who stopped playing secular music. Later he started playing blues in Memphis with such legendary combos as The Fieldstones while also serving his country. Around 1991, he relocated to the Washington DC area where he first was known as K.D. King and later after meeting Barbara, who would become his wife, adopted the name Memphis Gold, while honing his music. Many may be aware in early 2008 he suffered severe injuries falling out of a tree (his day job was in the tree-cleaning business) and he has been making great strides since then.


On his new album, there are a variety of DC area musicians backing him, the best known being guitarist Robert Lighthouse who adds slide to several tracks and drummer Pete Ragusa of the Nighthawks. The recording spans a couple years, and while the accident slowed up its production, but it is finally is here. The disc opens with a sample of a symphony orchestra before some slide is played against a North Mississippi groove as he sings I Shoulda Known, a lament about a woman who bled him dried. It’s followed up by Catfish Creeper, with dual slide guitars (I assume Lighthouse and Memphis) with a Dust My Groove, as he shouts about laying on the river bottom like a log and if one wants to get their hooks in him they better lay the right bait on with Jay Summerour adding a nice harmonica break.


Set to the groove of Woke Up This Morning, Do You Still Want Me, has a nice lyric as he asks his woman whether she wants him after breaking his heart and using him. The title track, inspired by a Washington DC blues programmer, has an infectious funky groove as he sings about watch out cause that gator gonna bite you, with some brassy horns added here and there is a nice guitar break on this. I assume Warren Witherspoon, drummer with the disco-funk band, Heatwave, is on this track. My 2 Kcandys, is a jaunty shuffle that is a shout out to a Candy and a Kandy, while Can’t Get Enough, uses the melody of B.B. King’s rendition of The Thrill Is Gone, as Memphis sings about can’t get getting enough of his woman using him hoping that one day she’ll finally see his love.

The mood shifts on a lovely blues ballad about falling in and out of love How I Got Over, and then the groove picks up on the quasi-biographical shuffle I Was Born in Memphis, where he sings being born in 1955 and his folks still burned wood and coal just to stay alive, went to church house staying them some time, and always ended up on Monday morning finding his brother’s wine. Squeaky Wheel, features a nice Jay Summerour harp solo. Lil Lucy, opens with a dreamy backing as Memphis recalls a beautiful lady that used to pass his house everyday and then the band shifts gear it picks up the groove with a funky groove and a funky bass riff as he recalls his boyish fantasy as he asks “Lucy, why do you tread on me.” It ends a very successful follow-up to Prodigal Son.

His strengths are his sanctified-rooted singing, his solid, rhythmically charged guitar playing and the good-time feeling he invests his performances. This should be available from better retailers along with cdbaby.com. Memphis Gold’s website is http://www.memphisgoldblues.com.


I received my review copy from Memphis Gold. Here is the cover of the upcoming album.

Musselwhite's Outstanding New CD, "The Well"

The veteran Charlie Musselwhite has returned to Alligator Records for his new CD, “The Well.” A career that on record dates back to the mid-sixties, Musselwhite continues to produce strong blues. On this session he brings his harp (and guitar on two tracks) to a session with guitarist Dave Gonzales; bassist John Bazz; and drummer Stephen Hodges with Mavis Staples joining for one track. All the songs are self-penned by Musselwhite (one with Zoe Wood) drawing on his personal experiences in many cases.

The opening “Rambler’s Blues,” with its adaptation of the “Catfish Blues” melody,  finds him delivering a lyric of rambling down his dark and dreary road. The perfomance has a nice harp break complementing the directness of the vocal. “Dig The Pain” is a nice shuffle that was generated from the days of heavy drinking and how he would dig the pain to get through it as he transfers the thought to a woman who he just can’t leave. Gonzales contributes a fine solo (playing with little distortion) with a fine solo from Musselwhite. “The Well” also takes a familiar blues melody to which Musselwhite recalls little Jessica McClure and how brave she was after falling into a Texas well and how Musselwhite said a prayer for her and gave up drinking to show some bravery himself and just like she was rescued and he came out a better man.

“Where Highway 61 Runs,” set against a Magic Sam-based groove, finds him remembering about the delta and how blues has been his comforter. “Sad and Beautiful World“ with Mavis Staples joining the vocals, is a moving song where he says some of things he wanted to when his mother was murdered with a fine harp break. “Sonny Payne Special” is a strong instrumental feature dedicated to the legendary King Biscuit Time radio show host. “Good Times” has Musselwhite on guitar as he recalls the days of youthful partying as he asks where did our good times go with nice slide guitar and effective spare backing. “Cadillac Woman” has Musselwhite’s thoughts about women who run over their men, while he delivers a spoken vocal with his ruminations on Marie Laveau and hoodoo Doctor John on the atmospheric “Hoodoo Queen.” “Cook County Blues” has a country flavor as Musselwhite recalls a time he was busted by a lying cop and spent time in Cook County jail. “Clarksdale Getaway” is a terrific instrumental where Musselwhite’s tone and solo evoke Big Walter.

His vocals may not be as robust as in his youth but they reflect his experiences more and his songwriting has matured. Wisdom has replaced the brashness of his vocals of his youth while Charlie Musselwhite’s songs reflect a life well-lived and all the pains and joys that has entailed. His harp playing remains strong and inventive. “The Well” may be Musselwhite’s best recording in years.



For FTC purposes, Alligator Records provided the writer with a review copy.

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.

Memphis Gold's Prodigal Son

In light of Memphis Gold's recent serious injury, it is appropriate to reprint my review that originally appeared in the D.C. Blues Calendar back in the December 2004-January 2005 issue. I made a few minor corrections. I acquired an advance of this CD at his triumphant appearance at the 2004 Pocono Blues Festival which I used for a review copy.

It was gratifying seeing Memphis Gold at this past summer’s Pocono Blues Festival. Having seen Chester Chandler perform at long gone venues like Smokehouse Blue and Fleetwood's, as well as his band with Charlie Sayles with their regular gigs at JVs and being regulars when Whitlow’s on Wilson first opened, one has to admire how he and his band has matured. At the time of the festival, he gave me an advance copy of his new self-produced CD, The Prodigal Son, which is being released imminently. Comprised mostly of originals it includes his regular band with guest appearances by Phil Wiggins on harp and Pete Ragusa on drums on a track or two, and several tracks have the late Willie Hicks on them.

Anyone who has seen Memphis Gold knows how much soul he brings to his performances and his Memphis influences go beyond the late Reverend Robert Wilkins and other influences of his youth. Certainly, the Stax sound underlies some of his songs like his evocation of Don’t Make Your Move Too Soon on the opening Come Wit Me, with its funky tempo and groove. Its not surprising to see folks filling the dance floor and when he takes his guitar solo on this, it does not slow things up one bit. They avoid hurrying the tempo too much on the shuffle, Don’t Let Her Ride, which I believe was previously recorded by James Peterson, and has a nice piano solo and raw acoustic harp before Memphis Gold’s guitar takes the tune out. After the hot racetrack groove on Crabcakes, the tempo slows down for Big Leg Woman with more fluid fretwork. The title track, Prodigal Son, is not the song by his mentor, Rev. Robert Wilkins, but has a similar theme about a wondering blues man heading home set against the melody of the classic 44 Blues. Then there is an instrumental Chicken It, with a riff that suggests Howlin’ Wolf’s Killing Floor (and some nice harp), Preacher Blues, where he talks about bringing his shotgun to church with a driving solos, and the humorous bit of double entendre on Test Drive That Woman. The lengthiest track, Serves Me Right, is a terrific slow blues as pleads to his lady that he wants to come back home.

I had not listened to this in a couple months, but hearing it again I was struck how good this is. I should point out that I am among those who are thanked in the credits (reflecting my long friendship with Mr. Chester Chandler). I am just so gratified to have a friend produce probably the best local electric blues CD since Bobby Parker’s two discs for Black Top. It is that good. I am sure you will be hearing this on WPFW and you should check www.memphisgoldprod.net for information on purchasing this superb CD.

Addendum: This CD is available through cdbaby.com and has been picked up by Jim O'Neal for his Stackhouse Records which is distributing this. The James Peterson song I refer to is Don't Let the Devil Ride with the same melody and slightly different lyrics. I do wish to reiterate what I said three years ago. This is the best local electric CD (local being the Washington DC area) since Bobby Parker's Black Top discs, and the quality is reflected by the fact that Stackhouse is now distributing it, and Memphis Gold has received rave reviews overseas and has been featured on the cover of Jefferson, the world's oldest blues periodical. If you don't have it, but it and help support my friend Memphis Gold. The DC Blues Society is putting on a benefit at Chick Hall's Surf Club on February 9, 2008. Go to www.dcblues.org for more information.