Lightnin' Hopkins -Shootin’ Fire - April 11, 1969

Lightnin' Hopkins -Shootin’ Fire - April 11, 1969 - Cicadelic Records

A release of the legendary, and iconic Lightnin’ Hopkins that includes previously unissued studio recordings should be of interest to anyone that calls themselves a blues lover. Cicadelic Records has is- sued “Shootin’ Fire - April 11, 1969” which contains 18 tracks from that date and two recorded in August 1961. 

The original recordings were produced by Roy Ames and some selections have been issued with bass and drums mixed too high and the guitar lead too low with excessive reverb to make Lightnin’ sound con- temporary. This release has re-mixed the four track originals without the previous studio misjudgments. Accompanying Hopkins on these recordings are Cedric Hayward on piano, Lawrence Evans on bass and Ben Turner on drums.  

The blues is on Lightnin’s mind, as he says before launching into the opening track, “Born In The Bottom,” a semi-autobiographical number as he was born in Warren’s Bottom, Texas, although there are times he wished he was born dead. It is a pretty powerful performance with his spoken interludes and familiar biting guitar. It sets the pace for 77 minutes of deep Texas blues. “Rainy Day in Houston” is a similarly paced performance as Lightning sings that if it keeps on raining, papa can’t make no time. And when he tells this woman who is not paying him no mind, but “A Man Like Me Is Hard To Find.” Lightning can be hard to back with his tempo shifts and occasionally stretching verses beyond 12 bars, but the trio is solid on this moving performance. 

One issue for more casual listeners may be the predominance of similarly tempo-ed slow blues, but he does pick up the pace on “Movin’ On Out,” as he will move early, so people won’t see him make his way. The changes of this suggest “What’d I Say,” although the performance is a bit more measured. “Shinin’ Moon” is a theme Hopkins recorded before as he sings about the shining look pretty, shine down through the trees as he can see his baby when she don’t see him with some impressive guitar. “Feel Like Ballin’ The Jack” was originally recorded for Aladdin as “Feel So Bad,” and it is Lightnin’s thinly disguised rendition of BigBill’s classic “I Feel So Good.”

Lightnin’s sense of humor is manifest on ”Stinkin’ Foot,“ as he tells his lady to put her shoes on, while on ”December 7, 1941“ Lightning sings about the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor over a quarter century after the fact. ”My Baby Ain’t Got No Shoes,” set to the ”This Train/My Babe“ melody, deals with the theme of poverty and deprivation as his baby also has no place to go, and is followed by a slow blues with a similar theme ”My Baby Was Crying For Bread,“ as he sings she has taken all his money and threw it all away so, it ain’t right the baby crying. ”My Little Darling“ is Lightnin’s reworking of the Cecil Gant ballad ”I Wonder,“ while a lively instrumental ”Go Ahead“ segues into ”Battle Hymn of the Republic.“ Similarly an alternate (Lightnin’ rehearsing with the bassist) of “Movin’ On Out” segues into “When the Saints Going Marchin’ In.” 

The two last musical performances here, “Baby Please Don’t Do Me Wrong” and “Good As Old Time Religion,” are from April, 1961 and are strong performances with good piano and rhythm. The album closes with a brief “I’m Shooting Fire.” where he plays a few riffs but explains why musicians have a tough time playing with him. The liner booklet gives some overview of the music and the circumstances of the recording along with photograph of the recording contract and cancelled checks. Some of the comments on the songs are a bit superficial, and a couple of performance sound not quite finished, but this is certainly a welcome addition to Hopkins’ very extensive discography. Musically, he rarely disappoints and that is the case in this reissue of down-home Texas blues. 

I purchased this CD. This review appeared in the July-August 2016 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here is Lightnin' performing "Stinkin' Foot."

Long John Hunter Border Town Legend

Long John Hunter
Border Town Legend
Alligator Records

Long John Hunter's exhibitionistic electric blues is fields removed from Cephas and Wiggins. With years of playing all night at the Lobby in Juarez, Mexico, across the border from El Paso. His gigs became legendary as he would swing from the rafters or stroll outside with his long guitar chord. So were his
45s for the New Mexico Yucca label. A couple years back, the now defunct Spindletop label issued his first cd, and this new follow-up, "Border Town Legend," is now on Alligator. 

Long John Hunter is an old fashioned Texas guitar slinger and vocalist. While B.B. King is his original influence, his cutting, guitar shows as much influence from T-Bone and other Texas based blues guitarists. One track, "Long Star Shootout" is a playful guitar battle with Hunter's guitar opening and closing, while sandwiching solos from Derek O'Brien, Johnny Nicholas, Joe Kelley and young Guitar Jake Andrews (son of Sam Andrews, guitarist for Janis Joplin and Tracy Nelson). His gritty singing is a strong point, too. His phrasing is right on the button, and the slight rasp in his vocals goes down like a smooth ale. In addition to his own playing, Art Lewis, his fabulous saxophonist, gets several spots to lay down some tough tenor solos including on the rousing "Ole Red" and his down in the alley spot on "Arkansas." 

While his covers of "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "Everybody Knows," are solid, they don't add anything to the better known originals. The strength of this collection is the originals, like the jaunty "Nasty Ways," co-authored with producers Tary Owens and Jon Foose, or the opening "T-Bone Intentions." Matched with some of Austin's finest players, it is a welcome straight, no chaser Texas blues album which will not disappoint those who have seen hirn live or heard his earlier recordings.

This review appeared in the March 1996 Jazz & Blues Report. I received my review copy from Alligator Records. I see Amazon sells this as a CD-R but it is available used from various, and one can listen to this recording on various streaming services. Here Long John Hunter performs a Gulf Coast classic, "Irene."

Robert Ealey If You Need Me

Robert Ealey
If You Need Me
Topcat

Robert Ealey is somewhat of a legend around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and has made several recordings before this. Backed by a variety of Dallas area musicians (including Mike Morgan, Sumter Bruton and Tone Somner) and special guests (Coco Montoya), he has produced a set of blues that covers a wide range of stylistic bases, from Chicago blues to Texas jump, and even a Tex-Mex flavored number. 

Ealey is an appealing vocalist with a slightly slurred diction. He can put forth a nice Chicago shuffle, as on the opening Turn Out the Lights, or the slow I Had a Dream, both with Hash Brown’s full-bodied harp, and the jump-flavored groove on She’s a Rocket works well (perhaps attributable to Bruton’s T-Bone Walker flavored guitar that kicks it off and Johnny Reno’s booting sax). Also appealing is the Tex-Mex flavored Tica. The title tune is a soulful ballad with Reno ripping off a tough sax break, but one can imagine another vocalist handling this a bit more forcefully. The small group instrumentation gives a novel flavor to The River, a thinly disguised reworking of Percy Mayfield’s River Invitation, but Ealey is not convincing here, and the backing falls apart. 

Certainly an engaging album which makes accessible a stalwart of the Dallas region’s blues scene, but Ealey comes off as only a workmanlike vocalist on this.

This review originally appeared in the March 1995 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 199). Robert Ealey passed away in 2001. I likely received a review copy from the recording copy, a publicist or the publication. Here is Robert Ealey in performance.

Jonn Del Toro Richardson Tengo Blues

Jonn Del Toro Richardson is likely best known as guitarist with the terrific singer, Diunna Greenleaf. He also collaborated with Rich DelGrosso for a warmly received recording. "Tengo Blues" is a solid new self-produced recording by him that is distributed by VizzTone. This was recorded in Austin and produced by Jonn and Anson Funderburgh, who also plays on three selections. The band backing Jonn includes Nick Connolly on keyboards, Nathan Rowe on bass, Wes Starr on drums and the Texas Horns with Kaz Kazanoff. The leader wrote all 13 songs, with Gary Vincent and Anson Funderburgh each contributing to two songs.

Ax expected from both Del Toro Richardson's playing and the band assembled here, one has some nicely played songs that cover a variety of musical textures and flavors. He comes across as quite an appealing vocalist. A good singer, Del Toro Richardson sings honestly and with heart while laying down plenty of strong guitar. There is an almost Koko Taylor groove for "I'm Her Man," which is a celebration of his guitar as he sings he can make her laugh, cry, moan and sigh. "Love If You Want It," is not the Slim Harpo number but an original that is built on a lazy Jimmy Reed shuffle groove. "Triple Lindig" is a jazzy instrumental (very nice guitar) with Connolly on organ and horns adding to the flavor of this performance and followed by the Tex-Mex flavor of "The Moment" with the Texas Horns adding a mariachi feel along with some superb trumpet.

A Memphis funk groove is present on "Can't Run From Love," with a catchy lyric that "you don't find love, love finds you." "Get Me Back To Texas," one of the songs which Anson Funderburgh is present has a groove that evokes Hound Dog Taylor. "This I Know" is a swamp pop ballad the performance of which sounds like a Gulf Coast adaptation of a Charles Brown number and has a nicely played and paced guitar solo, while "Tell Me Pretty Baby" is updated T-Bone Walker styled jump blues with terrific guitars from both and "Wild Ride" is bluesy rock and roll with Connolly's rollicking piano coming off like Johnnie Johnson.

The title track, "Tengo Blues" is a splendid organ-guitar instrumental with a latin groove that displays Del Toro Richardson's inventive, fiery playing as Rowe and Starr provide a crisp groove with a touch of a latin accent. With solid production and marvelous Performances, "Tengo Blues" is a fine showcase for Jonn Del Toro Richardson's considerable talent.

I received my copy from the record company. This review originally appeared in the March-April 2016  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 365) on page 16 (you can download the issue at jazz-blues.com), although I have made a few stylistic changes from that review. Here is Jonn Jonn Del Toro Richardson in performance, and if this doesn't knock you out, I do not know what will.

Staying Warm With The Cool Sounds of Albert Collins

I live near Washington DC and like many on the East Coast from the DC area to New York City we got hit with a Snowzilla of a Blizzard.Still having Cabin Fever, I thought I might warm folks up with some Albert Collins, after all he did get the nickname "The Iceman," and known for his cool sound.

Here is Albert Collins with Duke Robillard and Debbie Davies doing Frosty

Here is Albert Collins Ice Pickin' live when A.C. Reed was in his band

As Albert tells the Ladies, he's their Iceman.

Here is Avalance

And here Albert is like many of us Snowed In

This weather may give one a Cold Cold Feeling

But Don't Lose Your Cool

Down Home Blues Classics: Texas 1946-1954

Various
Down Home Blues Classics: Texas 1946-1954
Boulevard Vintage

A four CD European Public Domain reissue of Texas down home blues has just been re-released after being unavailable for several years. This is one of a series of reissues that makes available some terrific 'country' blues from the years following the end of World War II. Including a booklet from blues scholar Neil Slavin, the first disc is devoted to 25 of the finest early recordings of Lightnin' Hopkins including classics like "Katie Mae," "Short haired Woman," "Let Me Play With Your Poodle," "Tim Moore's Farm," and "One Kind Favor." The other three discs include selections from Frankie Lee Sims, Mercy Dee, Lil' Son Jackson, Clarence Garlow, Texas Alexander, Smokey Hogg and many others. I note that the fabulous 4 disc set devoted to early Chicago postwar blues is also available.

I purchased this CD. This is one of a number of short reviews I have written for the 2015 Holiday Gift Guide edition of Jazz & Blues Report. Here is a performance by Smokey Hogg of "Worried Blues," to give a sample of what is on this compilation.

 

Anson Funderburgh & The Rocket's Best!

The review below was part of a review of several Black Top Records compilations issued by Shout Factory in 2006 and appeared in the September-October Jazz & Blues Report (issue 286). I may have received this directly from Shout Factory or from the publication. Reviews of the other two compilations will run in the next couple weeks. I have made some stylistic changes. I should point out that a  number of the Black Top recordings are available in reissue and you might want to check collector's choice music as well as other websites.

Shout Factory has been reissuing product from the catalog of the Black Top label, arguably the label that from the mid-eighties through its demise in the nineties, had the strongest catalog of blues releases in that period. Earlier releases included the discs of Solomon Burke, and a Hubert Sumlin one. Three new releases are “Best of” collections centered on three of the label’s artists that do include recordings these performers made for other labels.

It was ironic that I received, Blast Off -- The Best Of Anson Funderburgh & The Rockets, the day word that Sam Myers, the great Mississippi vocalist had passed away. It is odd that this reissue does not mention featuring Sam Myers who appeared on most of the Rockets discs after Myers joined Anson and his varying line-up over the years, especially since the band took off as one of the preeminent blues bands after Myers became featured. 

The above is not to say that the band was shabby with the original vocalist Darrell Nulisch who certainly turns in an amiable performance on Earl King’s Come On, but a younger Nulisch simply had not developed the authority that Myers brought with his singing and harp as evident on A Man Needs His Loving, Moose John Walker’s Ramblin’ Woman or Buddy Guy’s reworking of Barrett Strong’s Money, $100 Bill. Additionally Myers brought his considerable harp talent to the recordings and live dates. Anson himself displays his sizzling playing as well as his impeccable taste, and is featured on Down at JJ’s. While the backing personnel changed over the years, they remained a tight, swinging outfit. 

There are numerous pleasures to be heard on all 17 selections which is compiled from all nine Rockets recordings, including selections from the two Bullseye Blues albums and the two with Nulisch and one certainly hopes that at least a few of the Rockets CDs featuring Sam Myers including Sins, Rack ‘Em Up, and Tell Me What I Want to Hear, are issued in their entirety. 

Here is a video clip of Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets featuring the late legend, Sam Myers.

Kubek and King Do Some Roadhouse Research

After a number of well-regarded discs for Bullseye Blues, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and B'nois King have a new disc, Roadhouse Research, on Blind Pig. The Texas pair combine Kubek’s muscular guitar playing with King’s soulful singing (suggestive of a cool Otis Rush) and slightly jazzier fretwork and tasteful rhythm playing. The contrast of Kubek’s in-your-face guitar and King’s vocals make for an appealing combination. 

The ten originals include some typical lyrical themes about hard times, women and the philosophical Better Be Getting It On, a hot shuffle whereKing tells us the while life may seem like a mystery, one better can move on while Kubek taking a strong, blistering solo. It perhaps is unsettling to hear King’s slightly distorted vocals on the opening Healthy Mama while Kubek’s soloing on Crying Shame would not have sounded out-of-place on some psychedelic recordings three decades ago. 

Kubek pulls all the stops on the slow blues, Runnin’ Blind, before King sings about having his woman running through his mind, but moving way too fast. Make It Right has a nice latin groove and a bit laid back feel for King’s plea that all he needs is his woman to make it right. Adding to the album’s variety is Kubek’s forceful slide playing on I Need More. 

Kubek is such a strong player that he can avoid the excesses that otherwise could make his tone and frenetic fretwork come off as overbearing. He also maintains an ear out while King sings so he never overwhelms the soulful singing. The result here is a varied and entertaining blues recording.

This review originally appeared in the June 2003 DC Blues Calendar although I have made some minor changes from what originally appeared.  Here is the pair with some roadhouse Texas blues.

Darrell Nulisch is Goin' Back To Dallas

Darrell Nulisch, as some may know, was featured vocalist with Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets prior to Sam Myers, and many will be aware of his own recent recordings for Severn that were quite well received as Nulisch showed himself comfortable and convincing in a more urban blues vein. On his latest Severn disc, Goin’ Back to Dallas, he has returned with ‘a straight-out blues CD.’ On this, he is backed by a solid quartet of guitarist Jon Moeller, keyboardist Kevin Anker, bassist Steve Gomes and drummer Robb Stupka on a set of interpretations of classic blues and idiomatic originals in the vein of the originals. This might be likened to some of the early Fabulous Thunderbirds in terms of the feel and making a strong personal statement in this vein. 

There are a couple of solid covers of Sonny Boy ‘Rice Miller’ Williamson’s She’s My Baby and Too Young to Die, both sporting some nice harp in Miller’s style; along with Oscar Boyd’s Too Much, which is suggestive of Jerry McCain’s She’s Tuff Enuff; James ‘Thunderbird’ Davis’ Blue Monday, a nice modern minor key blues that was a hit for Z.Z. Hill; Jimmy Reed’s Shame, Shame, Shame; Freddie King’s Play It Cool; as well as Muddy Waters-styled original like That’s a Problem, or the title track which is an original in the vein of Rice Miller. 

Nulisch delivers his vocals cleanly and soulfully, and plays some terrific harp in various styles, showing a bit of Little Walter on the last named number, while the band is really tight. Guitarist Moeller is especially noteworthy here with his crisp and responsive playing throughout, but the band is terrific as well. Certainly a release that should appeal to blues fans everywhere as Nulisch certainly has produced a marvelous release that perhaps breaks new ground but delivers plenty of solid, entertaining blues. 

This review originally appeared in the July-August 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 295). I received a review copy from wither the label or a publicist. Here is a video of Darrell from 2007 performing a Sonny boy Williamson number.

 

Blues From Elmo Texas With Henry Qualls

Here is a review that likely appeared in the DC Blues Calendar. It was an excellent recording that Chuck Nevitt, a Dallas, Texas blues lover produced for his Dallas Blues Society label. I purchased my copy and this is still available. It is still in print. Blue Beat Music still shows it in print, but it also available from other sources including ebay. I am not sure whether the contact information for Dallas Blues Society Records is still good. Chuck still participates in the Blues-L internet list.

Those interested in down home blues will find a full plate on the Dallas Blues Society's wonderful release by Henry Qualls, Blues From Elmo, Texas. Backed by a sympathetic trio that includes rhythm guitarist Hash Brown's steady work, Qualls is featured on a variety of songs that include several classics associated with other Texas blues greats like Lightnin' Hopkins (Shotgun Blues) and Little Son Jackson (Rockin' and Rollin' aka as Rock Me), an instrumental rendition of Blind Willie Johnson's Motherless Children, along with his rocking adaptation of the traditional Long Gone. 

When he turns the old Newbeats hit, Bread and Butter, into a stomping blues or tears into an instrumental like The Elmo Stomp, Qualls and his group gets a rocking groove going that suggests some of the energy of a Hound Dog Taylor, though his band is a bit less prominent than Taylor's band, the House Rockers. He more than ably covers Jimmy Reed's Can't Stand to See You Go along with Lowell Fulson's Reconsider Baby while his slide playing is moving on the instrumental Death is Moving Across the World. 

Qualls' slightly gravelly singing certainly helps make the lyrics standout, while his deliberate, considered playing is quite effective. This album is a gem. And those wanting to hear him first might check out the four songs Qualls has on the Cannonball collection, Dallas Blues collection. You may have to contact the Dallas Blues Society directly at P.O. Box 190406, Dallas Texas 75219 for information on how to obtain this [214-5212583] (I obtained my copy from Blue Beat Music {www.bluebeatmusic.com}.

Here is a video of Qualls performing Long Gone. Sorry the sound is a bit rough on the video.

The acoustic side of Smokin’ Joe Kubek and B’Nois King

For their latest recording (and Delta Groove debut) Close To The Bone, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and B’Nois King unplug themselves for an album of acoustic performances. The two are supported on this recording by a variety of individuals over the course of the 14 that include Randy Chortkoff, Bob Corritore, Pieter 'Big Pete' van der Plijim, and Lynwood Slim on harmonica; Kirk Fletcher, Shawn Pittman and Paul Size on guitar; Fred Kaplan on piano; Willie J. Campbell on bass; and Jimi Bott on drums. Most of 14 selections are originals with a couple of the songs adaptations of recordings from the Texas blues tradition.

This does present a different side of the two. While they both play quite vigorously on this album, their contrasting guitar attacks much more effectively play each other when amplified. While they play acoustically, neither is adept at early blues guitar style, so their rendition of a Ramblin’ Thomas or Texas Alexander song has a distinctly different flavor than the original country blues recording. This is not to complain about the music contained here, but to make you aware of what one will not hear.

The music is quite well played. B’Nois King is such an appealing singer and they have some quite appealing songs. A lively rendition of Ramblin’ Thomas’ Poor Boy Blues opens this album with some nice guitar interplay as King sings about rambling from Louisiana to Texas. My Best Friend has a wistful lyric about not having listened to this lady who told him slow down and not grow up too fast. Shawn Pittman contributes a slide guitar solo that adds to the feel here. Keep Her Around is a lively shuffle with a with a strong King vocal and a harmonica trio (Chortkoff, Corritore and Big Pete) that is part of the driving small group. She Got Rid Of Me, is a tale about a high school lover who King supported through college. When she finished her schooling she schooled him, getting on her feet and kicking him out to the street, making big dough and telling B’Nois he had to go.

While songs like Yankin’ My Chain, and She Got Rid Of Me, explore typical blues themes of the relations between the sexes, there are a couple of very strong topical blues, Drowning in Red Ink, and Ordinary Man. “Drowning” is a small group performance with a melody that suggests Charles Brown’s I Want To Go Home with Fred Kaplan adding piano while King sings about holding on to his job, his confidence being shot and just holding on till the next pay day as they are cutting back on everyone’s pay while the boss gives himself a raise. Ordinary Man (another small group performance with Kirk Fletcher added on guitar although Kubek and King solo) lambastes politicians who put on a suit and wave old glory while playing games with folks lives. Lynwood Slim adds some very nice harmonica to the duo’s rearrangement of Texas Alexander’s Bad Luck Child, an effective performance that tames the field holler qualities of Alexander’s original.

Close To The Bone is a welcome addition to the Kubek-King discography. While I would recommend other of their recordings prior to this one, their fans will likely, as I did, enjoy this change of pace.

I received my review copy from Delta Groove.

Long John Hunter's Swinging From The Rafters

One of my favorite blues discoveries of the 1990's was Long John Hunter. A brilliant singer-guitarist, he recorded several fine albums that were produced by Tary Owens, John Foose and Steve Jeter. A showman in his younger days as suggested by the title of the Alligator release, Swinging From the Rafters, I had the pleasure of seeing Hunter a number of times although he no longer tours as much today. His recordings for Alligator (including his collaboration with Lonnie Brooks and the late Phillip Walker, Lone Star Shootout( amongst the finest albums of modern Texas blues of the past few decades. His mix of inventive, twisting guitar and honest, gritty vocals holds up for repeated listening. This review originally appeared in the September 1997 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 224) and I received a review copy from Alligator.

Long John Hunter’s new Alligator album, Swinging From the Rafters, takes its title from his long residency at the Lobby Bar in Juarez, Mexico, across the river from El Paso. There, for over a decade, he would play from nine at night till the rooster crowed before day and developed his showmanship that still characterizes his live performances. Wed that showmanship with first rate vocals and slashing, twisting guitar and you have an artist whose music matches his stage persona. 

Kudos to producers Tary Owens and John Foose (and executive producer Steve Jeter) who also collaborated with Hunter on some fine songs. Moreover, Hunter is an artist of considerable depth and range, whether performing shuffles like Time and Time Again or Stop What You’re Doing (with a latin tinge in its rhythm), or hitting a funk groove on I’m Broke. Hunter is equally at home with the jazz-flavored horns on Trouble on the Line. 

While the liner notes suggest that this is more guitar-oriented than his prior two albums (including the superb Alligator release, Bordertown Legend), Hunter is a natural, totally honest singer whose vocals are not overshadowed by his guitar pyrotechnics. The result is another first-rate album of modern Texas blues.

Hideaway Bridges Heard Live in San Antonio

For me, one of the highlights of the 2012 Pennsylvania Blues Festival was seeing Eugene ‘Hideaway’ Bridges for the first time in a few years. He was backed by a tight band that included Eric ‘Lollipop’ King on bass, Justine M. Miller on trumpet and Seth Kibel on tenor saxophone. It was a strong set filled with his fluid guitar runs and soulful vocals. For those who have never heard this gentlemen perform I might suggest that he is a cross between Sam Cooke and sixties B.B. King.

At the Festival I purchased Live in San Antonio (Armadillo Music) that was recorded at Chango’s Havana Club in San Antonio. King, Miller and Kibel are present on this 2009 CD release along with David Webb on keyboards. Many of the songs performed in the Pennsylvania Blues Festival are on this recording and the feel of the performances are very similar although Webb’s keyboards and the presence of a percussionist in addition to drums give a slightly different sound.

From the opening I Got the Blues, through the closing Jump the Joint, Bridges’
Bridges vocals recall Sam Cooke as readily apparent on Movin’ and Groovin’, which Cooke wrote with Lou Rawls as well as Rome Wasn’t Built in A Day, that Johnnie Taylor originally recorded for Cooke’s SAR label. It is not a matter of imitating Cooke as the fact his voice is similar.

The album provides a nice and representative overview of Bridges’ blues including the hot Giving Up On Love; his homage to the working folk on Real Hero with its Hootchie Kootchie Man based melody; Bluesman with its incorporation of the Isley Brothers’ Fight The Power groove; the James Brown influenced funk of I Know That You Love Me on which the band members all take solos; and the closing Jump the Joint, that concludes this superb live recording of a considerably underrated blues artist.

Here is a video of Hideaway Bridges performing.

Roy Gaines Is A Bluesman For Life

Another of my reviews from late 1998 that I wrote for the DC Blues Calendar, the DC Blues Society I then edited. Roy Gaines’ Bluesman For Life certainly played a part in reestablishing the veteran performer’s career and has been followed by a number of impressive recordings that I have previously posted. I do not recall if I received this for review or purchased it.

One of the best recent JSP releases is by guitarist Roy Gaines. Gaines, who as a teenager was battling T-Bone Walker and Gatemouth Brown in Houston clubs has been playing on the R&B circuit with all of the legends, including stints with Bobby Bland, Roy Milton, and the Crusaders. JSP has just issued his latest album, Bluesman For Life, and it is the best album of the blues guitar superman (to quote Real Blues editor and publisher Andy Grigg) this writer has heard.

T-Bone Walker is probably the strongest influence on Gaines, but his attack also owes as much to Gatemouth Brown and Brown’s musical disciples. His guitar playing sizzles and is full of imaginative twists and turns, while on a number of tracks his vocals suggest Long John Hunter. Whether singing about his devotion to blues on the title track (I’m not going to sell out, I’ll be a bluesman for life), or reworking Guitar Slim Something to Remember You By on You Went Back on Your Word, Gaines delivers his vocals with almost as much gusto as his fretwork here. He can go down in the alley on It’s Midnight Baby, while Roy Jumps the Gator is a hot guitar showcase modeled after one of T-Bone’s instrumentals.

This is another stunning release on an ever increasing important British label.

Here is Roy Gaines in performance.

Cookie McGee's Right Place

With all the attention being given some of the emerging female singer-guitarists, I would be hard-pressed to find a release as consistently satisfying both vocally and instrumentally as the debut album by Dallas, Texas’ Cookie McGee. Once again it is John Stedman and his JSP label who is responsible for releasing her Right Place.

McGee grew up as neighbors to the Freddie King family, and played in various bands with Freddie‘s kids, including Freddie Jr. after King passed away. She played in and around Dallas for several years. spent 1986 in New Orleans playing with Ernie K-Doe and Jean Knight until tiring of the musical rat race and laying down her guitar for several years. It was Tutu Jones that asked her to pick up her guitar for the 1997 Freddie King birthday tribute which resulted in Right Place which was produced by Andrew “Jr. Boy” Jones.

While Freddie King may have been an obvious influence, this writer hears more of B.B. King‘s influence than Freddie. The tight backing group here also evokes the sound of B.B.‘s recordings from the late sixties and early seventies, not simply because of McGee‘s solid, incisive guitar, but the splendid backing she receives Ron Mason‘s keyboards being particularly noteworthy as he fills out the bottom as well as contributes some telling solos. She matches her fretwork with a natural, appealing vocal style that renders her tales of relationships gone bad quite believable.

She contributes four originals including the opening One Way Ticket, which she got for her mistreating man and the crisp instrumental, Groovin‘ in Garland. The other songs are covers songs by other JSP artists including a very soulful reading of Percy Strother‘s Your So Called Friends, where she entreats her man not to let his friends break them apart; producer Jones’ amusing You‘re a Dog, with drummer Tommy Hill providing an amusing second voice to respond to the lyrics, and Jimmy Morella‘s Blueswoman for Life, a rocking shuffle that Roy Gaines also recorded on his recent JSP release. The album closes with a topical blues, Bottom‘s Falling Out, a commentary about the hard times for some now that the politicians in D.C. have basically eliminated the safety net.

The superior material along with the strong performance turned in by Ms. McGee make Right Place a most auspicious debut. Like her fellow Dallas blues players, Jr. Boy Jones and Tutu Jones, one suspects that she will be the latest JSP discovery‘ to capture the attention of one of the major American labels. She‘s got the talent and the voice that deserves to be heard.

The above review appeared in the DC Blues Calendar, either in December 1998 or early 1999. Unfortunately this release did not lead to her capturing the attention of other labels. It would be over a decade before she would have another release, One Way Ticket, on the Austrian Wolf label. Both CDs are available as well as available as downloads. I do not recall if I received a review copy or purchased this. Here is Cookie performing.

Juke Boy Bonner Lived The Life Of A Ghetto Poet

Weldon ‘Juke Boy’ Bonner was a Houston, Texas down home bluesman who passed away in 1978 at the age of 46. Often performing as a one-man band, he lived a hard life that served as a basis for much of his blues. Listening to the Arhoolie disc Ghetto Poet, one is treated by a performer influenced by Lightnin’ Hopkins as well as such blues artists as Jimmy Reed. While not nearly as gifted a guitarist or charismatic a singer as the legendary Hopkins, Bonner was able to invest his performances with a strong rhythm and simply played, but effective guitar and harmonica lines. His strength was his songs, especially his lyrics dealing with the realities of ghetto life.

Originally Bonner covered the latest juke box hits at clubs leading to his nickname. In the early 1950s, he went to California where he made his first recordings. Later he recorded for small labels in Texas and Louisiana. For a time, his poems appeared in the Houston African-American weekly, Forward Times. In 1967, Bonner was discovered by the late Mike Leadbitter who recorded his first album for the British Flyright label. Soon thereafter, Chris Strachwitz recorded the first of two albums that would be issued on vinyl on Arhoolie. The best tracks from these appeared on an earlier Arhoolie CD, Life Gave Me A Dirty Deal. These recordings led Juke Boy to tour Europe as part of the 1969 American Folk Blues Festival Tour along with John jackson, Clifton Chenier, Magic Sam, Alex Moore, and Earl Hooker. Other tours followed, but Bonner’s authentic blues was less in demand inHouston and he was only able to get a few concert performances and occasional tours. In the liner notes to Ghetto Poet, Chris Strachwitz recalls that the last time he saw Juke Boy, he was working at a dreadful minimum age job unloading chickens at a processing plant.

Bonner’s lyrics were realistic and down-to-earth. He sang about growing up and being the head of his choir and buying his first guitar in Childhood Dreams, as well as knocking so the roaches would let him in his apartment where the rain was coming in as it was leaking outside in the shelter that he worried about being kicked out of because he was having trouble meeting the rent in Rainin’ In my Room. Playing a steady walking bass line, he rocks out a couple of nice instrumentals, Zodico Jump, and Houston Beat. Let Me Be Run It Down To You has him explaining the facts of his relationship to his women. In contrast, he philosophizes about ending all the hate between people on Settin’ the Record Straight. One would be hard-pressed to find a poor performance here. If the blues ain’t nothing but the truth Juke Boy Bonner was one of its ablest poets and his music is well worth exploring.

This was a value priced CD and you may wish to order directly from Arhoolie where this costs only $10.00. the direct link on Arhoolie’s website is http://www.arhoolie.com/blues/juke-boy-bonner-ghetto-poet.html?sl=EN.

This review is slightly revised from my review that appeared in the November 2004 DC Blues Calendar. I likely received this from Arhoolie Records. Here is a clip of him performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1975.

Johnny Winter Was Careful Around Fools

Back in 2004 I did a review of Sony/Legacy reissues of Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter albums. The review originally appeared in the November/December 2004 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 271). I have made minor stylistic edits. The review of the Muddy Waters reissues was posted on Friday, April 13.

Sony/Legacy also reissued Johnny Winter’s Columbia debut album – Johnny Winter. There is a nice choice of material including Mean Mistreater, Be Careful With a Fool, When You Got a Good Friend, I’ll Drown in My Tears, Dallas and Good Morning Little Schoolgirl. Winter sometimes was a bit too frantic to me, particularly in his vocals, and I must confess I find his vocals most appealing when he doesn’t try to belt them out but rather sings in a more relaxed manner. So his vocal on Be Careful With a Fool doesn’t appeal to these ears as much as does his fret work, but I know others differ from me on this point.

Dallas is a splendid acoustic slide performance in which Winter engrafts his lyric upon a slide accompaniment evoking Robert Johnson’s Terraplane Blues. Mean Mistreater goes back to Leroy Carr and the accompaniment here (based on a Muddy Waters recording) includes Willie Dixon’s bass and Walter Horton’s majestic harp, with Winter giving one of his best vocals on this date. I am not sure if it was included in the original release, but there is also a terrific rendition of Texas Johnny Brown’s Two Steps From the Blues, that was made famous by Bobby Bland and Winter does a more than credible rendition of the vocal with a full backing group with horns. There is also an alternate of Dallas.

Although I have not heard Winter’s most recent album, I really enjoyed listening to his last two Point Blank discs over a decade ago. This reissue of one of his earliest albums is most welcome, and, stands up today as when first recorded.

Here is Johnny performing Be Careful With a Fool. 

Lightnin' Hopkins Did His Blues His Way

Alan Govenar’s 2010 biography, Lightnin’ Hopkins: His Life and Blues (Chicago Review Press) detailed the career of one of the true blues legends. Issued in England on Ace Records around the time the biography was published was a double CD release of Hopkins’ recordings, “His Blues” that describes itself as a soundtrack to Govenar’s biography. It contains 44 selections from his earliest session for Aladdin Records with Wilson “Thunder” Smith on piano to 1969 sessions for Vault and Arhoolie.

The first disc covers 26 recordings from 1947-1959 and opens with the highly charged Lightnin’s Boogie, with spirited guitar boogie playing behind his forceful vocal and followed by another guitar boogie Jake Head Boogie, which is a slightly bit more restrained but again exhibits some of his trademark guitar runs he would employ over the next several decades of recordings. Katie Mae Blues is from his initial session with Thunder Smith’s piano joining Hopkins acoustic guitar and dry vocal, while Shotgun Blues, was a prototypical slow blues from Hopkins with his whisky coated vocals matched by his responsive single note guitar runs and echoes of this can be heard on his reworking of Sonny Boy Williamson’s Sugar Mama Blues. Other highlights on this first disc include his reworking of Funny Paper Smith’s Howlin’ Wolf Blues, the lively boogie reworking of Tampa Red’s salacious Play With Your Poodle, with terrific guitar; Zolo Go on which he plays organ to imitate an accordion as he sings about going to a zydeco dance; “Tim Moore’s Farm,” his first recording on the infamous Texas farm owner who mistreated his black workers; Short-Haired Woman a theme he would return to about not wanting any woman whose hair was shorter than his; Give Me Central 209, which was a hit for him; and the wild electric guitar instrumental “Hopkins’ Sky Hop.” The material derives from a variety of labels including Aladdin, Gold Star, RPM, Sittin’ In With, Decca, Herald, TNT and Tradition. “Ain’t No Monkey Man” is a previously unissued Specialty recording by Hopkins. This gives a pretty solid overview of Hopkins’ recordings for the commercial rhythm and blues market.

The second disc covers the period when Hopkins was discovered by the folk and blues revivals. Not that it ignores recordings made for the commercial market (Mojo Hand recorded for Bobby Robinson’s Fire label). The majority of the selections derive from recordings made by Mack McCormick for Prestige Bluesville or Chris Strachwitz for Arhoolie. Many were recorded in Hopkins’ hometown of Houston, while others in New York or California. Hopkins ability to spin a topical blues is illustrated by Happy Blues For John Glenn, with pianist Buster Pickens and bass and drums while for Arhoolie he recorded a lively Back at the Chicken Shack, with just drummer Spider Kilpatrick. A trio of topical blues included a new rendition of Tom Moore Blues and Slavery Time, and three live recordings are also heard including a Newport Folk Festival performance of Trouble in Mind. One disappointing aspect of this second disc is that it does not include several songs that would become staples of Hopkins’ performances such as Mr. Charlie, with his lengthy spoken introduction and stuttering effects in his vocals as well as Back Door Friend, his personalized rendition of a Tony Hollins recording. Given the limitations of two CDs, I might have substituted one or both for some of the Bluesville and Arhoolie recordings. This is not to fault the music, but rather indicate that it does not fully represent Hopkins’ repertoire or recordings.

Sound is generally quite good and full discographical information is provided. Alan Govenar’s liner notes use a timeline derived from his biography in which he discusses Hopkins’ life as well as the included recordings. It is perhaps unfortunate that their were a few significant omissions (at least to these ears) of the more recent recordings, but still this is a real good distillation of some of the best Lightnin’ Hopkins and a worthy soundtrack to the excellent Govenar biography.

This was a purchase. Here is Lightnin' performing Mojo Hand.

Phillip Walker Going Back Home

Its been way too long since Philip Walker had a new studio album. Delta Groove has just issued Going Back Home, that finds the Gulf Coast native and longtime West Coast bluesman in solid form. The strength of the disc is Walker’s characteristically strong vocals (with just a hint of sandpaper in his voice and his guitar playing which rock and swing at the same time.

Producer Randy Chortkoff has selected a solid backing band that includes guitarist Rusty Zinn, Jeff Turmes on bass (and sax for a few tracks, Richard Innes on drums as well as provided Walker with a diverse range of material from the pens of Percy Mayfield (the opening Lying Woman), Lowell Fulson (Mama Bring Your Clothes Back Home), Lightnin’ Hopkins (Don’t Think ‘Cause Your Pretty), his old friend Cornelius Greene aka Lonesome Sundown (Leave My Money Alone and If You See My Baby), Ray Charles (Blackjack), Champion Jack Dupree (Bad Blood), and Frankie Lee Sims (Walking With Frankie) along with several originals from Chortkoff (although Honey Stew is suggestive of a Lightnin Hopkins recording).

Eddie Snow’s Mean Mean Woman features an accompaniment derived from Junior Parker’s Mystery Train. The backing is a bit too upfront at times and the music loses some of its regional flavor with the somewhat anonymous groove. One wishes the rhythm section was not right on the beat at times such as on the two Lonesome Sundown blues where more of the laconic Excello groove would have been beneficial. The band might also have limbered up on some of the grooves of Lightnin’ Hopkins’ Jewel Recordings at times.

These are still very good recordings, with Walker first rate throughout and his take on Blackjack, Leave My Money Alone, Bad Blood and Walking With Frankie are particularly outstanding, and if not a perfect date, there is still plenty to enjoy.

This review appeared in the April 2007 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 292) and my review copy was sent by either Delta Groove or a publicist for them.  


Here is the late Phillip Walker in performance.

Kay Kay and The Rays Produced Strong and Timely Blues

Catfood Records has just issued The Best of Kay Kay and the Rays, a compilation of the three albums the label issued from the big-voiced and big hearted Kay Kay Greenwade and The Rays. Health issues have shortened the career of this powerful vocalist while The Rays can be heard on recent Catfood Recordings by Johnny Rawls with whom they sometimes perform live.

The Rays formed in Odessa Texas and their material was a funky mix of soul and blues with original songs marked by social commentary (as well as commentary on the relations between the sexes). The exhibit strong playing with Kay Kay belting out the vocals. Long Star Justice is an indictment of that state’s judicial and penal system which as Johnny Rawls notes in his spoken intro has more folks in prison than anywhere in the world and where so many are executed, all being poor. as Kay Kay shouts out justice is the best money can buy and where they spend more money on prisons than on social purposes. More topicality is heard in Enron Field where she tells us about going to see a game but not forgetting to talk about the country club justice afforded to white collar criminals like those involved with Enron. Then there’s Texas Justice - Billy’s Story, of a young man who is convicted of murder even though he acted in self-defense, only afforded a legal aid attorney fresh out of Law School.

There are her songs about relationships including not wanting No Mama’s Boys and Hey Big Boy, about one whose tales and approaches she ain’t buying. As she sings, don’t trust no man who has taken his wedding ring off. Of course she can give the others side of relationships as on Big, Bad Girl, a gold digger she warns men to stay away from. Then there is a change in mood with a lovely soul ballad, Don’t Have To Tell Me, and a terrific duet with Johnny Rawls on Rawls’ Hold On To What You Got.

The Rays match her intensity with solid support, although the arrangements at times sound generic. The playing on the duet with Rawls is exceptional. Saxophonist Andy Roman is exceptional on several songs and Johnny Rawls and Junior Jones add guitar on several selections. This writer remembers how impressed was when he purchased “Texas Justice” one of the three albums anthologized here and certainly this collection shows how formidable Kay Kay and the Rays were. Recommended.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is some Kay Kay & The Rays from you tube.