Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings Kingsville Jukin'

Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings is back with his gritty, grungy blues on a new CD on Delmark, Kingsville Jukin'. John Grimaldi on vocals, guitars and harmonica, is joined here by guitarist Rick Kreher, bassist Bob Halaj and drummer Steve Cushing on 16 songs that range from driving rockers like the opening Mississippi Blues to the closing evocation of Elmore James (and Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto) Bad Gasoline, performed without band.

There is some Jimmy Reed styled harmonica against a lazy shuffle groove on When They Played The Real Blues in which he proclaims "doesn't it make feel good when you hear that simple low-down groove." There is some tough harp on She's Allright, with its insistent beat, although the lyric is not much more than him proclaim she's all right with him. The Rest Is Up To You is a hot shuffle with hot amplified harp followed by an affectionate salute to one of his inspirations, Hound Dog Taylor on I Am the Houserocker, with some grungy sounding slide that would make Hound Dog smile. It in turn is followed by an evocation of Howlin' Wolf on Howlin' in the Moonlight. 

Kingsville Jukin'is a showcase for John's harmonica and might be viewed as a slower musical cousin to Little Walter's Roller Coaster, with the Kings providing somewhat skeletal backing on this although it seems to end somewhat suddenly. Cold Black Night is a nice, moody atmospherical slow blues where he proclaims he follows this road to the end and if he had it to do over he would travel it again. Stop-time is effectively employed on Mojo Hand, an original of him wanting to find a mojo because she is a voodoo woman and he wants to be her man with him playing another solid harmonica solo.

John's gravelly vocals are supported throughout by dirty, fuzzy toned backing. I did find enjoying this more by listening to several selections at a time as opposed to listening to this album in one sitting. At the same time, I have no fault with any specific performance. The result is the simple, direct house rocking blues found on Kingsville Jukin'.

I received my review copy from Delmark. Here is a short clip of Studebaker John.

Blues Before Sunrise's Enlightening Blues Interviews

Blues Before Sunrise: The Radio Interviews
Steve Cushing
2010: University of Illinois


Steve Cushing hosts a long-running, syndicated blues radio program. "Blues Before Sunrise" on WBEZ on Chicago and he has compiled a collection of interviews on that program that should be of interest to anyone interested in the blues. What sets this book of interviews apart is that he does not focus on persons that were household names or written about extensively. What is valuable also is the depth that many of the interviews here are in the fashion of some of the interviews that were in living Blues in that publication's glory days. There is a common format to each of interviews as Cushing discusses the circumstances of how the interviews took place.


This book is divided into three parts. The first is entitled "Ancient Age" and includes interviews with Yank Rachell, Jesse Thomas, Alberta Hunter and The Grey Ghost. There is insight about their personalities as well as their career. Rachell provides insights on John Estes, Sonny Boy Williamson I, as well as his own style. Alberta Hunter's has her talk about some of her associates and some of the facts of her career while Jesse Thomas talks about T-Bone (and how T-Bone got some guitar stuff from him), Lloyd Glenn and his various recordings, both pre-war and post-war. Pianist Grey Ghost was part of a vibrant Texas piano blues tradition and reminiscences about life and some of his contemporaries. Neither Thomas not The Grey Ghost are presented extensively in interviews (my friend Eleanor Ellis did do one with Thomas) so having these available are invaluable.


Part Two is entitled "Postwar Glory" and has lengthy interviews with John and Grace Brim, Jody Williams. Rev. Johnny Williams and Little Hudson. Of these Jody Williams revived his musical career in the past several years, while the Brims provide insight into the scene in Gary, as well as a recording career that took them to Detroit with Big maceo and Chicago where they did sides with Little Walter. Jody Williams is among the most significant blues guitarists though was disgusted by the industry after he was ripped off of composer credits for "Love Is Strange." He chronicles his time with Howlin' Wolf and Bo Diddley here as well as his own choice recordings. With the late blues mandolinist/guitarist, Johnny Williams made among the earliest recordings in the post-war Chicago scene and provided recollections of numerous artists on the scene. Little Hudson is among a number of artists like Big Boy Spires and Moody Jones who made some memorable recordings but never became big names.


Part 3 is entitled "Esoterica" and has interviews with Tommy brown, Ralph Bass, Cadillac Baby and Richard Stamz. Tommy brown is still with us and regales Cushing and us with a flamboyant story of his career as a blues shouter, comedian and more. There are some tall tales as represented by a claim to have spoken with Otis Redding the night before he died. The problem with this is Brown claims Redding came to the DeLisa to see him, but Redding performed in Leo's Casino in Cleveland before taking his fatal flight. Brown is not the only interviewee who has embellished his career, and while one can appreciate his music, some of his claims here may be overstated. Ralph Bass discusses his lengthy career in recording and while I was familiar with his time with King Records, I was unaware of his prior stint at Black & White and his role with "Open The Door Richard," as well as recording T-Bone Walker, Jack McVea and Helen Humes. Cadillac Baby was another character detailing his club and recoding activities while Stamz was a very popular Chicago radio host I was totally unfamiliar with.


Living Blues Co-Founder Jim O'Neal provides a cogent foreword to the interviews here. Cushing concludes the book with a brief history of the radio show and how it has changed from the early days when he conducted it live he developed a relationship with many of his listeners and how syndication and time has changed aspects of this. It is the coda on a fascinating selection of interviews. One wonders what other interviews Steve might have included.  One might only hope sales of this would encourage a follow-up volume. "Before Sunrise: The Radio Interviews" is highly recommended.


I purchased my copy.

Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings Deep Blues Grooves

Studebaker John Grimaldi has been playing straight, non-nonsense blues and roots music for years. The latest project by the vocalist, guitarist and harp player, is the Maxwell Street Kings, a homage to the times when the open air market on maxwell Street rang with the blues sounds of street musicians and when blues giants like Muddy waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Elmore James and others could be heard in the Chicago west and south side clubs. His fellow Kings include guitarist Rich Kreher whose credits include playing in Muddy Waters’ last band, and drummer Steve Cushing, best known for his “Blues Before Sunrise,” radio show, but who has played behind, among others, Big Smokey Smothers, Magic Slim and Billy Boy Arnold. Delmark has just issued, “That’s The Way You Do,” a 15 tune romp through traditional Chicago blues styles.

The disc opens with the title track, a tasty Jimmy Reed styled shuffle with lyrics that evoke some of Reed’s hits. Two slide numbers follow, with the a broom-dusting “Fine Cadillac,” conjuring up Hound Dog Taylor and the Houserockers. I would think Big john Wrencher is among those smiling on “Headin’ Down to Maxwell Street,” with John’s gritty singing about heading to Maxwell Street and jump[ing and shouting to the sounds over a droning accompaniment and forceful harp. “If You Would Love Me,” has a doomy bass line, conjuring up Muddy, Wolf and Eddie Taylor with John adding more potent slide, while “B-Line” is a simple Little Walter styled instrumental with Cushing pushing the shuffle groove along nicely (Fred Below must be smiling too) and nice use of echo in the recording. 

“So In Love With You,” is a simple shuffle with some grungy guitars before John rips off another Hound Taylor styled solo. “Son of the Seventh Son,” is a nice slow blues with an obvious allusion to the Willie Mabon recording but a lyric that references numerous Chicago blues song titles and phrases from these songs. ”Low Down Woman,” captures more Hound Dog Taylor flavor in the dirty guitar shuffle accompaniment that is based on the “Dust My Broom” riff with another tight slide break, followed by “When the Mule Won’t Ride,” with the spare backing sound like a Jay Miller backing to Slim Harpo, with a melody that suggests “Scratch My Back.” “Shake It” features more wild slide with a juggernaut groove. “Stepping Stone” is a nice Muddy Waters’ styled blues that mixes the grit and sandpaper in John’s voice with a passionate, yet relaxed, delivery for a vocal that rings true.

The rest of the album brings together similar elements from classic Chicago blues, but always in a fresh fashion that takes the inspirations as a launching point, and not something they try to imitate. Studebaker John may have been inspired by Hound Dog Taylor, and Hound Dog’s influence can be heard in his slide playing. However, Studebaker John brings his own approach to how the solos are put together and with the terrific support he receives from Kreher and Cushing has put together a marvelously entertaining CD with over an hour of foot stomping solid blues grooves.

The review copy was provided by Delmark Records.