Let's Ride With Little Junior Parker

It is odd to hear Herman ‘Little Junior’ Parker referred to as a fairly obscure figure in the history of African-American music as Dave Penny does in the liner notes of the excellent two-disc, Fantastic Voyage public-domain reissue, Ride With Me, Baby: The Singles 1952-1961. Parker in his unfortunately brief career was a significant and influential figure on the blues circuit. He headlined the Blues Consolidated tours with Bobby Bland at the time his Duke recordings were consistently on the charts. His Sun Recordings were covered by Elvis Presley, and Magic Sam was among many Chicago bluesmen to adapt some of his recordings. On his recording of Take Me To The River, Al Green dedicate the song to Parker, his cousin, who had passed on.

Fantastic Voyage has compiled all of Parker’s singles for Modern Records (One 78 and a duet with Bobby Bland); all of his Sun recordings (including alternate takes), and his Duke recordings through Annie Get Your Yo-Yo. In all there are 55 selections that showcase Parker’s smooth, soulful singing and harmonica style influenced by the second Sonny Boy Williamson, backed by solid bands including the Blue Flames with Matt Murphy) or Matt’s brother Floyd) on guitar to recordings with the Duke records house band led by tenor saxophonist Bill Harvey and trumpet player and ace arranger, Joe Scott.

Included are such landmark recordings as Feelin’ Good, and Mystery Train made for Sun and numerous hits for Duke that include Next Time You See Me, Mother-In-Law Blues, I Wanna Ramble, That’s Alright, Sitting and Thinking, Barefoot Rock, Sweet Home Chicago, Stranded, Driving Wheel, and In The Dark. It is interesting see how his music matured as his backings became more sophisticated and urbane. His rendition of Jimmy Rogers’ That’s Alright stands up well to Rogers’ original and his recording of
Sweet Home Chicago predates the song becoming the overdone blues anthem of recent years. There was a warmth in his vocals and when he played the harmonica on his recordings it gave a downhome feel to the urbane Duke sides.

He would continue to record for Duke for several more years and then for Mercury/Blue Rock, and Capitol. He continued to have some chart success until he passed away in 1971 from a brain tumor, not quite yet 40 years. Dave Penny provides a a concise survey of Parker’s life and music and full discographical information is included. Little Junior Parker was finally inducted into the Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame thirty years later and now we have this very welcome, overdue and highly recommended, reissue of Parker’s singles from the first decade of his recording career.

This was a purchase.

Dr. Ross is the cure for the Boogie Disease

This review of Dr. Ross' Boogie Disease on Arhoolie, appeared back in the November 1992 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 176) back before the explosion of the World Wide Web. He would pass less than a year after this was written. He had moved to the Detroit area in 1954 and I had the pleasure of seeing him perform at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival where he was as vigorous as anybody. The Swedish blues artist, Robert Lighthouse, based in the Washington DC area, is among those who was musically influenced by this marvelous player. The album is still in print too.

Now a resident of the Detroit area, Isaiah “Dr.” Ross developed from a fine delta blues artist in the tradition of Big Joe Williams and Robert Petway into a one-man band. One of the artists who recorded for Sam Phillips, his early Memphis recordings have been reissued on Boogie Disease. Listening to the exuberance of the alternates to Boogie Disease and Chicago Breakdown, one can detect not only the strong delta rhythmic style of a Big Joe Williams (as well as northern transplant John lee Hooker), but also more than a bit of the influence of John Lee Williamson, reflected in a variety of songs including Going Back South and Polly Put a Kettle On. Of considerable note are his strong interpretations of such delta themes as Going to the River (Derived perhaps from Blind Lemon Jefferson, but played in the delta style), Shake ‘Em Down and Mississippi Blues. The latter is a Catfish Blues variant better known as Cat’s Squirrel and the source of the recording by the rock group, Cream. In addition to his youthful influences of John Lee Williamson and Tommy McClennan, one can also appreciate the impact of Muddy Waters, and John lee Hooker, particularly on the hypnotic rhythms of Industrial Avenue Boogie, a reworking of Hooker’s Boogie Chillum.This is an updated version of a vinyl reissue, and Steve La Vere has updated his and Bob Eagle’s original liner notes. Some of you have heard some of Dr. Ross’ Sun recordings and will have an idea of the exuberant boogie and barrelhouse blues to be found here. Others are in for a treat with respect to these superbly rendered performances.

Rock on in Peace, Billy Lee Riley

While word had been coming down that the former Sun Records artist was an bad health, he just passed away this weekend about a painful bout with bone cancer. One of the bluesiest of the Sun rockabilly acts, Riley is best known for his "Flying Saucers Rock And Roll." Riley continued to perform and record after the hey day of rockabilly ended with a couple of straight blues albums among his recent efforts. Noted writer Bill Dahl published an obituary on his blog on his website, billdahl.com