A Time Machine Looking at Blues From October 1976

My 3rd installment of my blues column from the Buffalo Jazz Report, October, 1976. I mentioned the B.B. King and Muddy waters gigs the previous month, but here I have a quick review along with mentioning Buddy and Junior with Jeff Beck in the audience. I believe he opened for Fleetwood Mac at the Old War Memorial Auditorium the next night. I believe Buddy and Junior's Band was pretty much the same as on the album they did backing Memphis Slim including brother Phil Guy on guitar, A.C. Reed on sax and Buffalo native Roosevelt 'Snake' Shaw on drums. The images of the two album covers are from reissues of the Peg Leg Sam and Louisiana Red albums.

The last month has been quite good for live 'blues' in the Buffalo area. B.B. King appeared at Melody Fair, Muddy Waters at the Outside Inn in Angola, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells returned to the Belle Starr and as I write this Bobby 'Blue' Bland will appear at Kleinhans. I had a chance to see B.B. and he is the 'King of the Blues' without question. A true pro who is totally into his music and who worked·through songs associated with him like "How Blue Can You Get" and his current hit (with Bobby Bland) of "Let the Good Times Roll" as well as Leon Russell's "Hummingbird" and a fine version of "Please Send Me Someone To Love". Buddy Guy and Junior Wells were dynamite as usual. The night I saw them Jeff Beck was in the audience to see his favorite guitarist, Buddy Guy, and later sat in with the band. 
 

Peg Leg Sam is a veteran of the medicine show scene. A fine country blues harmonica player and singer his new album Going Train Blues (Blue Labor BL 105). accompanied by Louisiana Red, 1s a fine album demonstrating Sam's skills as a singer and entertainer. He has an earlier album on Trix which I have unfortunately, not heard. Other fine blues Ips on Blue Labor Include Louisiana Red's Sweet Blood Call (BL 104) which features marvelous country blues and original lyrics such as the fine "Death of Ealase, written about his wife who died of cancer. Sonny Terry's Robbin' the Grave (BL 101) finds Sonny without Brownie McGhee, but with friends in a fine set of spirited blues, far removed from the folkie circuit that some have associated Sonny with. Sonny plays and sings with great enthusiasm. Sonny and Brownie back Alec Seward on Late One Saturday .Evening (BL 103) which was recorded at a house party along wilh other fnends with everyone in good spirits. 

Bobo Jenkins is one of many artists playing blues in Detroit. For various reasons Bobo has recorded himself and created Big Star Records out of his own work. A worker for Chrysler for over 20 years (he recently quit). he built his own basement studio and Here I am a Fool in Love Again (BS 11-33) reflects this as it won't win audio awards. The music is great gutty city blues- not very different from Chicago blues of the 50s, played without any BS. The outstanding track of the album is "Sharecropper Blues" where working for Chrysler is compared to being a sharecropper. You will want to get this from Bobo at Big Star Recording Studio, 4228 Joy Road, Detroit, Michigan,

A Time Machine Looking at Blues From September 1976

Back in the Time Machine to my blues column from the September 1976  Buffalo Jazz Report. I was at the B.B. King show I mention which was theater in the round so the stage rotated during the show. My comment on B.B.'s guitar playing may raise some eyebrows but I recall that there was a shift on the Live and Well album that was the first to mark his playing being a bit less fluid. Note the plug to Living Blues which since moved from Chicago to the University of Mississippi, so that subscription infomation is outdated The issue I referred to had the first of two very lengthy interviews with Charles Brown that appeared in Living Blues.

By the time you read this B.B. King will have been at Melody Fair, and James Cotton and Muddy Waters will have been at the Outside Inn in Angola so that August was a pretty good month for Buffalo as far as bringing in blues from out of town. Bobby Bland will be at Kleinhans September 13 and you should check him out even though I find his latest recording with B.B. King Together Again ... Live (ABC Impulse ASD-9317) somewhat of a disappointment. There are good moments, but the music lacks focus and sometimes drags, especially on Feel So Bad One other complaint is B.S.'s guitar work which I haven't really liked since the late 60s when his playing became choppy. These two are among the major blues art1sts of today but I would suggest you seek out there earlier recordings if you don't have them. It is nice, though, that this is a straight blues set, with no 'disco' touches. 

Mr. Blues is a new small label and its initial release by Good Rockin' Charles Edwards (MB 7601) is a fine one. Marred by somewhat sloppy backing, Charles is a fine relaxed singer and harp player who turns in a set of convincing performances. The songs include a couple of originals as well as songs from Little Walter, Jinmy Rogers and both Sonny Boy Williamsons. 

I will, from time to time, survey the releases of small labels that have been out for awhile, but may not be familiar to you. Trix is one of those labels and have issued a number of fine albums with a country blues orientation. Front and Center (3301) by Eddie Kirkland, one time sideman with John Lee Hooker (and Otis Redding) displays his country blues talents. Eddie's Boogie Chillen is a fine reworking of John Lee's classic and Jerdine features chilling bottleneck. Frank Edwards is an eccentric guitarist whose Done Some Travelin' (3303) includes a stunningly original, When the Saints Go Marching In, taken at a very slow tempo with bottleneck accompaniment . 
 
Robert Jr. Lockwood's Contrasts (3307) show him in a country blues setting as well as with his own jazz-oriented group with Maurice Reedus on tenor . The dominant influence on his country sides are his stepfather Robert Johnson. The band sides range from the mellow Forever on My Mind to the boppish instrumental Majors. Minors & Ninths.

Finally for those interested in reading about the blues I recommend Living Blues. It contains articles, news, interviews (the latest issue has a great one with Charles Brown) and an extensive review section . Subscriptions. which cost $4.00 for 6 issues, should be sent to Living Blues Publications, 2615 N. Wilton Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60614. Locally the Record Runner will be carrying current issues.