Bobby Rush Rawer Than Raw

Bobby Rush
Rawer Than Raw
Deep Rush Records/ Thirty Tigers

It has been quite a few years since Bobby Rush's prior acoustic blues album, "Raw," was issued. "Rawer Than Raw" is another album of unplugged blues from the blues legend. On this release, just Bobby Rush with his voice, guitar, harmonica, and foot stomp, performing songs in tribute to Mississippi's blues heritage. Several of these songs come some of the greatest artists from that state, including Skip James, Skip James, Robert Johnson (Elmore James), Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Boy Williamson with several originals.

Classic blues recordings have always influenced Rush's music. He often reworked them when performing and recording. This influence is present with some of the originals here. One example is "Down in Mississippi," a reworking of J.B. Lenoir's "Mojo Boogie." Here and elsewhere Rush shows himself to be a more than adequate guitarist and harmonica player. Also, the robustness of his vocal belies his age.

There is also a capable, if not outstanding, rendition of Skip James "Hard Times." Howlin' Wolf appears to have left a deep impression on Rush, not merely in versions of "Smokestack Lightning" and "Shake It For Me." Wolf's influence also is heard in Rush's "Let Me in Your House." It is a one-chord blues with a repeated guitar riff with Rush's foot-stomping, adding to a mesmeric feel. Rush also performs an enjoyable jaunty reworking of Sonny Boy Williamson's "Don't Start Me Talking'," with his harmonica overdubbed over his vocal. There is a reflective original "Sometimes I Wonder," along with a spirited "Dust My Broom."

There is a consistent, entertaining quality in these performances. Bobby Rush shows himself a capable instrumentalist and invests considerable passion in his vocals on an entertaining album.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is a promo for this recording.

Mighty Sam McClain A Diamond in the Rough

Mighty Sam McClain
A Diamond in the Rough
Sledgehammer Blues

I miss Mighty Sam McClain. One of the finest of the deep soul singers who recorded a bunch of classic 45s, his career blossomed after he started recording albums and crossing over to the blues audience. "A Diamond in the Rough" contains his final recordings made shortly before his passing in 2015, which are stripped-down recordings on which the only accompaniment is by Pat Herlehy's acoustic guitars with saxophones or flute added to some.

There is the celebratory feel of "My Everything" where his performance evokes Solomon Burke and followed by a slow blues, "When the Hurt is Over," that he soulfully sings over Herlehy's simple backing while Herlehy adds some single note runs. "Grooving" is a mid-tempo song on which Herlehy adds tenor sax over his guitar backing as he pleads for his woman to hold him and groove him as he growls, shouts and scats the lyrics. Charles Neville collaborated with McClain on "Love's Gonna Find," another soulful song with a gospel flavor, with McClain's fervent singing enlivened by some gutbucket tenor sax.

"Love Me If You Want To" has another solid blues vocal on a theme related to the James Cotton classic "Love Me or Leave Me," where he tells his woman he's tired of waiting on her, so make up your mind. One has to be impressed by the vigor and the virtuosity if McClain's singing throughout, but kudos go out to Herlehy with his solo on "Question" particularly impressive. Herlehy is on flute on "Believe" where Sam sings we can make it if we try, and let's get together to set us free. Perhaps he was aware of his mortality when singing "Southern Land" and reflecting about "going back to where it all started from" and how he misses it.

"Holy Ghost Fever" is a stirring, gospel lyric set to a blues groove and recollections of Muddy Waters, and Howlin' Wolf and others. The acoustic nature of these performances lend them an intimacy but also these performances sound as if not completely finished. A full horn section and a rhythm section would have provided a fuller backing to frame the vocals. For this reason, this atypical recording will most appeal to those already fans of Mighty Sam McClain. For those not familiar with his music, one might suggest "Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues," "Sweet Dreams," or "Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey)" over this recording.

I received my review copy from the record company. This review originally appeared in the May-June 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 384), although a couple of minor stylistic changes have been made. Here he is heard on "When the Hurt is Over."

Joe Louis Walker * Bruce Katz * Giles Robson Journeys to the Heart of the Blues

Joe Louis Walker * Bruce Katz * Giles Robson
Journeys to the Heart of the Blues
Alligator Records

English harmonica player Robson states in the liner notes that this album represents a shift from what many consider it the blues today "which is a loud and proud classic rock-infused sound" that "is something quite distant from the music’s roots… ." The present collaboration between Robson, the Blues Hall of Famer Walker and keyboard wizard Katz, best known perhaps for playing with Ronnie Earl, is meant "to be a celebration of the dynamics, grooves, lyrics and, above all, the feeling of pure traditional blues. Blues played intimately and at a low volume and with the wonderful space that is created when drums and bass are taken out of the equation."

Robson also notes this recording has antecedents going back to Muddy Waters' "Folk Singer," the Blue Thumb recording "Buddy and the Juniors" with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, and Junior Mance, and the European acoustic recordings by Sonny Boy Williamson. Despite the stripped-down setting and acoustic instrumentation, the playing her,e is not far removed from the blues these artists usually play, absent amplification. I point to the Washboard Sam recording "Run Me Down," where what Walker plays is not far removed from what he would play in an acoustic setting. I should be mentioned Katz is outstanding here and Walker sings pretty much as one might expect.

There is an interesting choice of material, mostly rarely covered songs, starting with Papa Lightfoot's "Mean Old Train" that opens this, along with a forceful vocal by Walker on Sunnyland Slim's "It's You, Baby." "Murderer's Home" derives from Blind Willie McTell, but the performance here has more of a stop and go feel as opposed to the fluidity that characterized McTell's music. Roosevelt Sykes' "Feel Like Blowin' My Horn," is dedicated to Robert Lockwood Junior who played on a Sykes recording of this song and Walker models his guitar here on Lockwood. More examples of Katz's superb playing can be heard on his accompaniment to Walker's singing on Big Maceo's "Poor Kelly Blues" and his rollicking boogie-woogie piano on Maceo's "Chicago Breakdown," a spectacular solo piano performance. Robson impresses throughout with his harmonica and is showcased on the instrumental "C & J Boogie" where Walker providing a simple boogie guitar backing to the energetic wailing harmonica. A highlight might be Walker's terrific vocal on Son Bonds "Hard Pill to Swallow," with Robson and Katz providing dynamic support.

It might be best described as blues unplugged as opposed to traditional blues, but this trio has put together solid and entertaining blues performances even if they may not take us to the Heart of the Blues.

I received my review copy from Alligator Records. This review appeared in the November-December 2018 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 382). As I write this, this recording just won a Blues Music Award for Best Acoustic Album. Here is a video of the three playing in Europe.