Sleepy John Estes - Newport Blues

Sleepy John Estes - Newport Blues - Delmark

The late Sleepy John Estes was among those blues artists who recorded prior to World War Il whose career was resurrected after being rediscovered as part of the folk boom in the sixties, and received some recognition until his death in 1977. Estes was among the finest folk-blues poets whose songs were often derived from his own experiences. He penned some classic blues themes like Someday Baby which was the basis of Big Maceo's Worried Life Blues. 

Delmark recorded Estes after his rediscovery resulting in several superb and classic albums. They have just issued Newport Blues, which is the first new Estes album on Delmark since 1969, and was recorded after a Newport Folk Festival appearance in 1964. On it, he is joined by Hammie Nixon, a remarkable harmonica accompanist, and jug blower, and Yank Rachell who provided mandolin, guitar, and piano support. Both Nixon and Rachell do get a chance to sing but it is Estes who is at the front. 

Listening to Estes, one is struck by the crying vocals as Estes is heard recreating his pre-War recordings, Secret Agent along with Airport Blues. The latter tune's melody would be appropriated by John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson (who knew Estes and Nixon from growing up in Tennessee) for the well-known Good Morning Little School Girl. Estes also provided new songs including Newport Blues. Estes was a rudimentary guitarist but Rachell provided a firmer rhythm and some fills on guitar or mandolin, while Hammie Nixon's harmonica playing is greatly underappreciated and was an influence on John Lee Williamson. His vocals on NYC Breakdown and Worried Mind Blues are highly moving. 

The music has a rawness reflecting its lack of artifice, but the level of the performances is far above some of the celebrated modern grunge blues. This is a terrific new release.

I received my review copy from Delmark. This review originally appeared in the June 2002 DC Blues Calendar although I have made some minor edits to the original review. Here Sleepy John Estes and Yank Rachell perform in 1966.

Sleepy John Estes Brownsville Blues

Sleepy John Estes is one of the true poets of the blues, and Delmark has just issued Brownsville Blues. Included here are the first recordings he made after he was rediscovered in the early sixties, along with several later recordings with Hammie Nixon, Yank Rachell and others. Most of these recordings are solo, and while Estes' was never one of the great blues guitarists, his limited accompaniments are more than adequate to bolster his crying vocals.

Another unusual aspect of these recordings is that many of the songs are about the people and places of John's hometown, and while there are new versions of his classics Drop Down Mama, The Girl I Love (also known as Brownsville Blues, and related melodically to Roll and Tumble Blues), and Lawyer Clark, there are songs about Al Rawls, one of the leading black businessmen of Brownsville, songs about local women, Martha Hardin, and Vassie Williams, and about Pat Mann and his son, Pat Jr (Young Lawyer). Other songs are about the more mundane aspects of life and poverty, City Hall Blues, Government Money, andl Rats in My Kitchen.

These are not John Estes' greatest recordings (I believe the Yazoo compilation of his pre-World War II records is the best single collectionof his music), but with the inclusion of six previously unissued recordings, this is a valuable addition, and complements the other Delmark recordings of Estes.


I have made some minor changes to the review that originally appeared in 1992 in issue 177 of Jazz & Blues Report. Here is John Estes and Yank Rachell in 1966.

 

Henry Townsend Mule

Henry Townsend
Mule
Omnivore

Henry Townsend was the only blues artist to record in every decade from the 1920s to the first decade of the 21st Century. It was a career that had him record for Paramount and other labels before the depression, later participate in sessions with legends like John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson, and Walter Davis, and then record for Folkways and Prestige before Adelphi issued an album in 1975. "Mule" was issued originally by Nighthawk Records in 1980 and warmly received by blues aficionados. Leroy Pierson, one of the co-producers of the original recordings and this reissue stated that the intention was to create an album worthy of his unique genius and secure him the recognition someone of his talent and historical purpose deserves. Omnivore has reissued this on CD augmenting the 13 recordings on the original recording. It also represented the transition of Townsend from being a blues guitarist and singer to becoming primarily a blues pianist.

I have the original vinyl LP, but it has been some time since I listened to it. Listening to this music again is a joy. Townsend's sober, thoughtful blues evokes his old partner, Walter Davis, more than anyone else even when his piano displays some of Roosevelt Sykes' influence. The opening "Bad Luck Dice" echoes some train blues as well as St. Louis Jimmy's "Goin' Down Slow," with his bittersweet singing and piano accompaniment. "Nothing But Trouble" is a slow minor-key blues where he lightly moans about his woman being somewhere else in another man's arm. Henry wrote "Tears Come Rollin’ Down" for Walter Davis. He remakes it here with a wonderful vocal from his wife, Vernell. Then there is the melancholic "Hard Road to Travel," also performed in his restrained style.

Yank Rachell, who adds mandolin to several tracks, plays supporting, rhythmic guitar behind Henry's pinched note playing on the peppy "Talkin’ Guitar Blues." Henry proclaims he is "I’m Just An Ordinary Man" waking up every morning with the same thing on his mine with the moody tone accentuated by his rumbling bass and single note arpeggios. After the piano solo "Alley Strut," Henry and Vernell share the vocal on "Can't You See," an appealing update of Jesse Thomas' "Another Friend Like Me," with Henry on guitar. Yank Rachell adds his mandolin behind Henry's guitar on the Walter Davis-styled "Dark Clouds Rising."

Among the previously unissued tracks are "The Other Night," with an energetic boogie-inflected piano, and the somber "Going Back To My Baby," with Norman Merritt adding guitar in a Townsend-influenced manner behind Townsend's piano and vocal. Henry is on guitar on "Goin’ Back Down South," which sounds lyrically to be an adaptation of  a John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson recording. Yank Rachell is heard on second guitar. Townsend's music may not have the immediate appeal of a Big Joe Williams, Roosevelt Sykes or Lonnie Johnson, but his direct, sober performances and craftsmanship as a songwriter make for some superb blues listening, with the bonus of the additional songs.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the November-December 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 381), although I have made minor changes. Here is Henry Townsend recorded in 2011.

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.

DelGrosso and Richardson Pair For Solid Blues CD

I have known of Rich DelGrosso as one of the more significant acoustic blues performers and teachers. With his late wife Maureen, I remember he performed at a DC Blues Society fund-raiser some two decades ago, later ending their performance with Howard Armstrong and Cephas and Wiggins jamming. Since then he has established himself as one of the contemporary masters of the blues mandolin. I have known Jonn Del Toro Richardson more recently through his wonder playing with the terrific Houston singer, Diunna Greenleaf. The two have paired on a new recording, “Time Slips On By” (Grove House).

With a solid rhythm section and the Texas Horns, this is a disc that showcases the two in a diverse program. DelGrosso opens with a gruff, gravelly vocal on the opening “ Baby Do Right, with his mandolin matched by Richardson’s strong guitar. The title track showcases Richardson, whose singing can suggest a member of Los Lobos. With the Texas Horns adding to the mood, Richardson takes a crackling solo. “Mandolin Man” is an ebullient Chicago blues shuffle with Sonny Boy Terry’s harmonica added. DelGrosso’s lyric celebrates here early blues mandolin players Charlie McCoy, Yank Rachell and Johnny Young. Nick Connolly pushes things along with driving piano. Richardson’s “Katalin,” with Joel Guzman adding accordion, slows things down on appealing celebration of the sweetest girl he knows.

On “Shotgun Blues,” inspired by the music of Yank Rachell, DelGrosso evokes Elvin Bishop. Here, Richardson’s sharp electric guitar is followed by some of DelGrosso’s nifty mandolin. “Hard To Live For” is the lengthiest performance here, opening with mandolin setting the atmosphere on a slow blues with a real strong vocal on a fine lyric. Richardson’s “Where’s Laura,” is an instrumental opening with Richardson’s use of an echoey treble and DelGrosso and trumpeter Al Gomez take concise solos.

“Summertime Is Here,” celebrating barbecue and seeing old friends, has Lopez again on accordion, and is another number conjuring up Los Lobos, with DelGrosso’s mandolin adding the right touch. “I Wish I Heard,” has the tenor sax of Kaz Kazanoff in the spotlight with a strong solo as well as his responses to DelGrosso’s vocal. DelGrosso’s “She Is Sweet,” is a rollicking shuffle that suggests “Dust My Broom” with Sonny Boy Terry back on harp and Richardson strong, while “Good Rocking Johnny” is an easy rocking instrumental with nicely picked mandolin before Richardson displays a touch of chicken scratch tone is his choruses.

As one would expect from these two, the musicianship is exemplary. They are thoughtful yet passionate players and display a certain flair for crafting songs and delivering them and I was surprised by the singing was on most of this. Time Slips On By is a solid result of the partnership of DelGrosso and Del Toro Richardson, which one might hope would include some touring.

A review copy of this was provided by a publicist for the recording.