Blues Time Machine Takes Us Back to November 1976

This is my blues column from the November 1976 Buffalo Jazz Report which had Dexter Gordon on the cover to promote his appearance at the Tralfamadore Cafe in November. As I 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.

Albert King is one of the best known contemporary guitarist-singers in the blues and his new Utopia album Albert (BULI- 1731) is an attempt to present a commercially successful album. Albert King's recordings have always manifested a funkiness and when he was with Stax he had Booker T., and the Stax crew providing sometimes sympathetic and sometimes ridiculous music (Albert King sings Elvis). Despite disco touches on some tracks, and a girl chorus on others this is pretty direct music, and blues with a funky touch. 
 
Albert sings and plays straight forwardly, but is burdened by overkill in the back up as he is drowned in a large band setting. The music isn't bad or slick, just too busy. Also a couple of Willie Dixon tunes I'm Ready and My Babe suffer from the arrangements and the fact that Albert can't convey the aggressiveness of Muddy Waters on I'm Ready, nor the Iittle boy charm of LittIe Walter on My Babe. Stoll its not a bad album as Albert does play with fire, but better material and a more laid back playing would lead to a more satisfying session of blues. But would a more satisfying set sell better? I don't know. 

The Finest of Folk Bluesmen is a mistitled anthology as only the John Lee Hooker tracks on this Bethlehem (BCP-6017) anthology are country blues, the rest being mostly urban and jazz oriented performances. Among those included are Eddie 'Cieanhead' Vinson, Jimmy Rushing, Lonnie Johnson and Memphis Slim and this is a very enJoyable set of mostly uptown music from the late 1940s and the early 1950s. 

Great Bluesmen/Newport (Vanguard VSD 17/78) is a collection of country blues recorded lve at various Newport Folk Festivals and is recommended especially for those who don't have many blues records as it provides idroduction to a number of fine artists including Robert Pete Williams, Son House, Mississippi John Hurt, and Skip James. John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins are not heard at their best though Robert Pete WiIIiams' Levee Camp Blues, Skip James' Hard Time Killing Floor Blues and Son Souse's Son's Blues are especially compelling.

 

Yazoo's Barrelhouse and Juke Joint Piano Blues Reissues

The latest volumes in Yazoo's piano blues reissues maintain the standard set by the earlier releases in this series. 

Dallas Alley Drag collects 23 selections of pianists and vocalists associated with the notorious Deep Ellum District. Whistlin’ Alex Moore is perhaps the best known performer here, and is heard on several selections including Heart Wrecked Blues, where his whistling is employed along with a loping piano accompaniment. While vocalist Billiken Johnson’s vocal train whistle effects may get tiresome, the accompaniment by Neal Roberts is fine and Frisco Blues is one of several train blues here. Several classic blues verses can be heard on Billiken’s Weary Blues, with stride-flavored piano from Texas Bill Day. Jack Ranger’s Window Blues, celebrating the Texas and Pacific is another fine track. Two fine vocalists, Ida Mae Mack and Bessie Tucker, benefit from K.D. Johnson s fine playing. Tucker was a particularly powerful singer and her three performances are quite compelling. Overall, this is a solid compilation with solid piano and singing.

Even more spectacular is Juke Joint Saturday Night, which includes a number of great barrelhouse blues and rags. It opens with Jabo Williams'spectacular Pratt City Blues, showcasing a driving left hand and some imaginative right hand work. Little Brother Montgomery’s Vicksburg Blues, his version of the Forty Four theme is a classic piano blues. Louise Johnson four sides, often urged on by Son House and Willie Brown, are spectacular including On the Wall, a celebration of various Memphis Saloons with a terrific accompaniment adapted from Cow Cow Blues. Equally astonishing is Skip James idiosyncratic piano on If You Haven t Any Hay Get on Down the Road. His 22-20 Blues, maybe be less spectacular but was covered by Robert Johnson as 32-20. Other selections feature, among others, James Wiggins, Roosevelt Sykes and Kingfish Bill Tomlin with some knock down, barrelhouse blues and stomps. 

Both albums featured informative booklets by Bob Hall.

I wrote this review for the DC Blues Calendar in late 2000 and it appeared in either late 2000 or early 2001. I received review copies from Shanachie which at the time operated Yazoo. One may have to track down used copies of these but they are available as downloads.

Another Cephas and Wiggins Piedmont Blues Treasure

I had the privilege of knowing that late John Cephas as well as Phil Wiggins who were cornerstone’s of the Washington DC and vicinity blues scene as well as became internationally known for their style of Piedmont blues. The following review was originally published in the July-August 2006 DC Blues Calendar, then the DC Blues Society’s newsletter. It also appeared in the July-August issue of Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 284). I have made very slight stylistic edits. This was I believe their final album on Alligator.


The release of the new Alligator CD, Shoulder to Shoulder by (John) Cephas & (Phil) Wiggins will certainly be welcome by lovers of acoustic blues lovers everywhere, not simply here in the DC area. The two are in usual fine form with Cephas assured guitar and Wiggins remarkable crying harmonica. Ann Rabson adds piano to six tracks while Daryl Davis is heard on one.


This opens when a fine Cephas original, Ain’t Seen My Baby that shows off Cephas Piedmont guitar style, and closes with a blues taken from Robert Johnson’s Walking Blues, The Blues Three Ways on which Daryl Davis adds some solid piano. In between those numbers, the pair rework Skip James recording of the Delta classic Catfish Blues, on which Cephas shows himself to be one of the most consistently able interpreters of James’ music. Another highpoint is Cephas’ Piedmont reworking of Charlie Patton’s deep delta blues, Dirt Road, with Rabson’s piano adding to the tunes flavor. Seattle Rainy Day Blues is another standout original with a wonderful lyric and solid piano from Rabson behind the two.


The performances are consistently strong with the piano especially lending a bit more city feel to some of these excellent performances in what is another excellent addition to their body of recordings.


I received my review copy from Alligator.


As a postscript, while John Cephas passed away, Phil Wiggins stills performs as well as teaches. He can often be heard performing with Corey Harris, as well as with DC area bluesman Rick Franklin. He regularly gives harmonica workshops at the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation.

Little Joe McLerran Strong Traditional Blues

Listening to the opening field holler inspired fragment “Ratty,” followed by some Delta to Chicago slide guitar “Believe I’ll Make a Change,” was this person’s introduction to the music of Little Joe McLerran, and it certainly caught my attention. McLerran was the 2009 winner of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in the solo-duo category, and his latest recording on Roots Born Reborn, “Believe I’ll Make a Change.”

McLerran was originally from the Boulder area and started playing in a band at the age of 9 playing Beatles, Bob Markey and old-time blues from Big Bill, Skip James and Mississippi John Hurt. When the family moved to Tulsa, his music grew resulting in several recordings as well as winning the IBC. The present recording includes several solo performances as well as several with his band. I appreciate his splendid musicianship as well as his creative use of older material and his band that subtly embellishes his lead.

Just like the title track is a nice adaptation of an old Casey Bill Weldon number, “Down at the Village Store” is a lively, mellow Washboard Sam shuffle, with Dexter Payne’s reed adding a bass line, while Jack Wolfe’s restrained and subdued organ adds to the performance’s swing. Special kudos must be given to drummer Ron McRorey, who uses brushes on the last number. “Cocktails For Two,” is a solid Piedmont -blues styled original with McLerran’s Blind Boy Fuller-ish guitar runs complemented by Payne’s harmonica. The low-key reworking of Leroy Carr’s “Blues Before Sunrise,” is striking again because of the down-home trio and his relaxed, moving, vocal. A bit of old-time blues is provided by the interpretation of the Delmore Brothers’ “Blue Railroad Train,” indicating his wide ears for strong material as well as a being an additional showcase for his adept finger-style guitar.

On “Duck Yas,” Payne’s slap-tongue sax and bluesy clarinet adds a bit of traditional jazz to this delightful piece of hokum blues, while the traditional gospel number“Jesus Make Up My Dyin’ Bed,” is taken at a lively tempo set by McRorey, with McLerran playing some nice, precise slide runs. It is followed by a lovely small group rendition of Blind Willie McTell’s “B&O Blues,” with Payne’s harp in the musical mix. The band is a bit more energized on a rocking rendition of Homesick James’ “Baby Please Set a Date,” and again it is striking how with how much restraint he plays with avoiding the sometimes hyperactive renditions of say a George Thorogood. After an unusual original blues ballad about a Memphis policeman on the beat, and a Big Bill inspired “She’s Got Something,” where he celebrates his “sweet wife,” Little Joe closes with another field holler. It is a fitting close to a gem of a recording.

Little Joe McLerran understands that the mere possession of formidable musical technique does not translate into strong blues performances and he understands the value of restraint, both vocally and instrumentally, in putting together strong musical performances. He is also familiar and respectful of the blues tradition, yet places his own stamp on that tradition resulting in this gem of a recording. Recommended.


This review originally appeared in the January15-March 1, 2010 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 323) on page 8. Minor stylistic changes have been made.


For FTC regulations purposes, my review copy was supplied by a publicist for this artist or recording label.

Barrelhouse Words Illuminates The Language of the Blues

Word has been circulated that blues scholar Stephen Calt recently passed away. Calt, a controversial figure in the blues world, first came to notice from liner notes he drafted for Yazoo Records starting in the sixties, and then articles in blues and other publications. He co-authored a biography of Charlie Patton and authored one of Skip James, which were important contributions, but also marked by jabs at other blues scholars and artists themselves. His works could be frustrating in the appreciation he would provide of the artist while going into character defects at length. Larry Hoffman, (himself a blues scholar as well as a contemporary classical composer who incorporates blues into his compositions), played an extended time with James, and said he found little of the Skip James he knew as a person in Calt’s biography. These reservations noted, these works still are significant contributions to the blues literature. Last year, Barrelhouse Words, was published, and as suggested below,  is a significant reference work for blues scholars.

Barrelhouse Words: A Blues Dialect Dictionary
Stephen Calt
University of Illinois Press
2009, 320 pages

Several years ago, Debra DeSalvo's "The Language of the Blues: From Alcorub to Zuzu," attempted to present a lexicon on blues terminology, that a flawed effort. It was described as an anecdotal dictionary of the blues, but it was far from authoritative or comprehensive. It focused on some 150 words and phrases emphasizing the African roots of the blues, but usually to the exclusion of other possible meanings. She focused on terms related to sex and hoodoo, but her book had very very little on traveling which is also a significant theme of the blues. She included interviews of significant blues artists, but such material rarely contributed to elucidating the meaning of the terms and phrases.

Stephen Calt has contributed a more scholarly effort with "Barrelhouse Words." In contrast to the 150 odd phrases of the earlier volume, Calt has over 1200 entries, although some words or phrases are represented by multiple entries. Calt as a blues writer and scholar often has been acerbic in his writing and occasionally some of his commentary here has tinges of that, but its more to be emphatic about points. He has a selected bibliography of dictionary sources which include various volumes dealing with colloquial terms, regional and ethnic language ranging from John Russell Bartlett’s “A Dictionary of Americanisms” that was published in 1877 and the first American Dictionary devoted to colloquial terms; Dan Burley’s Original Handbook of Harlem Jive, published in 1944 was an elaboration of an earlier pamphlet by Cab Calloway; Clarence Major’s “Dictionary of African-American Slang” and “Juba to Jive,” various volumes of the Harvard University Press’ “Dictionary of American Regional English;” “The Oxford English Dictionary,” and Mitford Mathews’ “A Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles,” published in 1951 and of who Calt describes as the leading American language scholar of his era. DeSalvo’s book is dismissed in his bibliography as “An ill-informed work containing chronically faulty definitions and etymologies.

The entries are taken from Race Recordings (that is recordings produced for sale to Blacks) from between 1923 and 1949. In addition to his scholarly sources, he also employed information culled from interviews of blues artists between 1964 and 1971 including Ted Bogan, Sam Chatmon, Gary Davis, Son House, Skip James, Pete Franklin and Bessie Jones. Unlike DeSalvo’s book, there are no sidebars on these perfromers, but rather the interviews are cited as supporting the meaning of the phrase Calt provides.

Each entry is followed by a couplet from a recording after which the meaning is provided with sources as appropriate and occasional other couplets to further illustrate the meaning. It would be appropriate to present a few examples of Calt’s entries.

hoodoo (a.)
        I’m getting so I can’t rest
        You almost ruined me, with that lowdown hoodoo mess.
        —Freddie Nicholson, You’re Gonna Miss Me Blues 1930
        Conjuring; in this instance, by means of black (destructive) magic.

hoodoo (n.)
        Aw she went to the hoodoo, she went there all alone
        ‘Cause everytime I leave her I have to hurry home
        —Charlie Lincoln, “Mojoe Blues,” 1927
        Conjurer, sometimes referred to as a hoodoo doctor. Both terms date back to 1875. (DAH).

DAH is an abbreviation for Mathews, Dictionary of Americanisms on Historical Principles.

cookie (n.)
        Papa wants a cookie, papa wants a cookie
        Papa wants a cookie right now now now now
        Papa wants a cookie, papa need a cookie
        Papa’s gonna get it somehow.
        —Leroy Carr, “Papa Wants a Cookie” 1930
        A black slang term for female genitals (DAS).

DAS is an abbreviation for Wentworth and Flexner, Dictionary of American Slang.

These are relatively short and simple samples, although some have more discussion such as dust one’s broom which is illustrated from a couplet from Kokomo Arnold’s 1934 recording “Sagefield Woman Blues.”

Calt notes the phrase means to leave hurriedly, and although Burley cites this as a Harlem jive phrase, Calt notes its earlier occurrence in Arnold’s song and Robert Johnson’s “Dust My Broom,” indicates a southern origin and was a blending of two conventional slang synonyms. “To Broom,” meant to run away while “to get up and dust” meant to depart hastily. I have not repeated the lengthier entry here, but rather give a sense of how he does contribute new understanding to terms that crop up in the blues.

Another phrase, “sleep in a hollow log, to drink muddy water and,” was familiar from the 1930s recording by Eddie Miller, “I’d Rather Drink Muddy Water,” but Calt observes its use in Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “Wartime Blues,” and Charlie Lincoln’s 1928 “Depot Blues,” whose verse anticipates Miller’s lyrics. The phrase means to live outdoor in the manner of a vagrant rather than be mistreated. There is a sense of authoritativeness to Calt’s work here that lends the reader with a certain confidence and the entries do provide a valuable reference to understanding these dated lyrics.

This is an important contribution to the blues literature and is invaluable addition to any library of blues books and a foundation upon which future blues dictionaries will build upon.


The review copy for this was provided by the publisher or its publicist.

Samuel James Powerful Blues Storytelling

Still in his twenties, Samuel James has become in just a few years a prominent name in the world of acoustic blues. Born in a musical family, his grandfather was a blues guitarist and performer of his generation while his father played piano and trombone. Busking in Ireland to survive after he broke up with a woman, he has mastered a variety of instruments while working in the acoustic blues vein, which he cherishes “the intimacy of one man screaming his heart out…a conversation between him and his audience as opposed to between band members. When I think of the best, most intimate forms of entertainment—maybe a flamenco guitar player, or a stand-up comedian, spoken word—it’s one individual. There’s a power there. You can’t listen to Son House or Skip James and tell me that an electric ZZ Top can touch that.” While he is rooted in the blues traditions of the past, his personal vision permeates his songs and performances. His third album, “For Rosa, Maeve, and Noreen,” is on Northern Blues and according to the publicity for this disc, “reflects Samuel’s live performances as much as one can, but more importantly it showcases why Samuel James doesn’t consider himself a bluesman per se, but a songster and storyteller within a style of music.”

His storytelling begins with “Bigger, Blacker Ben,” about Klansmen burning a cross on Ben’s lawn and the resulting confrontation with the cowardly racists. His performance uses a percussive accompaniment accented by slide guitar and somewhat typical of his freeform song approach that one hears through much of this. There are some similarities to the one-chord approach of some of the North Mississippi Hills Country style. I find his swirling accompaniments, and free-form song structures evoke the late Robert Pete Williams. “Cryin’ Blind,” illustrates this with his emphatic playing behind a vocal where he proclaims to his woman, “where were you when I was cryin’ blind, where were you when I was doing fine.” “Joe Fletcher’s Blues” features nimble fingerpicking as he sings about going to the boatyard so they can teach him to sail so his woman can’t pick up his trail. ‘A Sugar Farmhouse Valentine” sports lively 12-string playing, while “I’ll Break Your Promise,” with some moody slide guitar, has a ethereal feel suggestive of some of Skip James recordings. One of the song’s referenced by the album’s title, “Rosa’s Sweet Lil Love Song,” has a genial accompaniment as he sings about traveling just to see Rosa’s smile, and to get into her arms. He plays banjo on “Darlin’ Maeve,” which starts as he starts telling about her drinking six mountain jacks, and can’t count the money she stole, but still she thrills him to his soul, then as stepping up the tempo as he recalls picking her up off the ground last saturday and taking the rap from her thefts and other misdeeds. There is a spirited banjo accompaniment enlivens “Miss Noreen,” a story about a lady who dances to a banjo man for the crowd at a rough bar, The Buzzard’s Craw. “Trouble on Congress Street Rag,” is a free-form instrumental that displays his agile finger picking. “John Ross Said,” is a somber, moving song about the courthouse and President Jackson’s uprooting of the Cherokees from their home and land. The rest of the songs have their own intriguing elements whether his acapella vocal on “Wooden Tombstone,” or his lively use of multiple instruments on the closing “Path of Ashes.” He doesn’t shout his vocals as almost speaking them as his performances are somewhat conversational. Samuel James’ music is distinctive and fresh sounding. The result is a most beguiling recording that evokes older blues styles but is full of contemporary stories. Northern Blues recordings should be readily available from better retailers like bluebeatmusic.com and amazon as well as itunes.

The review copy was received from a media firm handling Samuel James’ publicity. This review previously appeared in the Issue 323 (January 2010) of Jazz & Blues Report, which can be downloaded at jazz-blues.com.

Jimmy 'Duck' Holmes at 2010 Pocono Blues Festival

2010-0723 Pocono Blues Day 1-145, originally uploaded by NoVARon.

I must confess a certain disappointment to listening to one of Jimmy 'Duck' Holmes CDs when he was being presented as carrying on the Bentonia, Mississippi blues tradition best known throw the brilliant music of Skip James. James was one of those singular musician and by presenting Holmes as a member of the James' school is a disservice to him as he inevitably suffers in comparison. Yet, I found his set of simply,played from the heart solo blues at the Pocono Festival quite enjoyable. Some tunes that became part of the blues repertoire and one fellow attendee seemed to suggest a Hill Country influence, but in this day of mass media and the internet, the persistence of localized traditions seems long gone. But just like I enjoyed Eddie Cusic's blues before, Holmes was a fine traditional bluesman who I just may have to check out his most recent CD.

What Lifetime Achievement by Honeyboy Edwards

The announcement that David 'Honeyboy' Edwards is receiving a Grammy® Lifetime Achievement Award is startling. According to the NARAS website,

"This Special Merit Award is presented by vote of the Recording Academy's National Trustees to performers* who, during their lifetimes, have made creative contributions of outstanding artist significance to the field of recording."

Maybe someone can explain what creative contribution as a performer of blues Honeyboy made. He made some enjoyable recordings (Notably his Library of Congress Recordings) but can someone explain how he receives such an honor when such clearly more important associates as Charlie Patton, Tommy Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Tommy McLennan, Son House, Bukka White, Robert Lockwood, Johnny Shines, Skip James, and Fred McDowell have not been honored to name a few.

Is survival until one is in one's 90s a criteria for a relatively minor artist being heralded as a major creative artist, when that was simply not the case.

I look forward to getting some brickbats on this but Ma Rainey, Tampa Red and Big Bill Broonzy have not been so honored, but Honeyboy Edwards has.

At last a recording from Eleanor Ellis

Born near New Orleans, Eleanor Ellis heard the blues blasting out of the radio, but it was when working at the Tulane University Jazz Archive that she began to take seriously playing music. She played a variety of music there including bluegrass, old-time and country. A few years later she settled in the Washington DC area where she continues to reside today and her focus was directed on the blues as she became acquainted with some of the area’s musical elders who became her role model and friends. She first chauffeured Flora Molton, the DC area street singer and later started playing with her. Then in 1987 she toured Europe with Flora and local Piedmont legend Archie Edwards. Later she got into video production and produced the marvelous video Blues Houseparty, filmed at John Jackson’s home and featuring Jackson, his wife Cora, Archie Edwards, John Cephas, Phil Wiggins, Flora Molton, Larry Wise, and John Dee Holeman. During this time she was amongst those who founded the DC Blues Society, and after Archie Edwards passed away, helped found the Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Society.

Throughout this time she has performed, often with others such as when she accompanied Flora or participated in performances given by members of the Archie Edwards Barbershop folk. Recently a CD of her with William Lee Ellis and Andy Cohen was issued that is available on cdbaby.com. She recorded a CD that she only sold at performances and finally has a new CD by herself on Patuxent Records, Comin’ a Time that hopefully will let folk outside of DC know about this musical treasure. The 18 songs are pretty varied in their source and contain few songs that should be overly familiar. Thankfully there are no Robert Johnson covers although there are several renditions of Memphis Minnie songs along with a couple each from Skip James and John Estes and songs associated with Tommy Johnson, Henry Thomas, Bull City Red and Lottie Kimbrough. She is joined by a number of musical friends including guitarists Neil Harpe and Mike Baytop, pianist Judy Luis-Watson and harmonica players Jay Summerour, Phil Wiggins and Pearl Bailes.

The disc opens with a John Hurt song that was filtered through Hurt’s disciple, Archie Edwards, Take Me Back Baby, which Eleanor adds her own touch to the pensive lyric along with her gently rolling guitar. Sleepy John Estes' Diving Duck was recorded at Archie Edwards’ Barbershop with Mike Baytop on harp and the late Richard Thomas on bones with a driving accompaniment behind Eleanor’s emphatic vocal. Ellis makes no effort to emulate Skip James’ ethereal style for Cypress Grove or Special Rider, as she delivers these songs in a sober fashion. Judy Luis-Watson adds a touch of barrelhouse flavor for 61 Highway, a song that suggests the toughness of Memhis Minnie that is evident also on Ellis’ strong interpretations of Minnie’s In My Girlish Days, Me and My Chauffeur, and What’s The Matter With the Mill, where Neil Harpe joins her for a delightful vocal duet. Harpe also does a duet with her on The Panic Is On, with its still timely and critical observations on things going. Sun’s Gonna Shine One Day, one of Flora Molton’s truth songs is updated from its Vietnam war era origins to a timeless message of things getting better some day with Phil Wiggins adding his sympathetic harmonica accompaniment. Another favorite track is her rendition of Jim Jackson’s Kansas City Blues, one of the true blues hits of the late twenties and early thirties. Eleanor is a marvelous singer and guitarist who delivers the performances in a natural manner that contrsts with the sometimes studied approach of some celebrated acoustic blues performers. This release was many years in the making and well worth the wait, and can be obtained from Patuxent Records at www.pxrec.com.