Take 5 with Elmore James

This is the first post of something I will post somewhat irregularly. The title Take 5 refers to five performances by one artist

Elmore is one of my favorite of all blues artists. He is best known as a slide guitar master. Here is a playlist of five songs I have selected by him.

The original Trumpet recording of "Dust My Broom" with Sonny Boy Williamson on harmonica. 

Here is a recording the Allman Brothers would later do, "Done Somebody Wrong."

Here is a "Dust My Broom" variation with the Broomdusters, Elmore, Little Johnny Jones on piano, J.T. Bron on the nanny goat tenor sax,  Ransom Knowling on bass and Odie Payne on drums.

I believe it is Eddie Taylor taking the lead guitar on this rocking shuffle.

We close with a quintessential Elmore James slow blues. There is something in how he builds the tension with his vocal against the smoldering heat of the backing. His vocals got stronger during his recording career. He died way too young. For more on Elmore James, you might check out Steve Franz's biography, "The Amazing Secret History of Elmore James" which has been republished as an e-book and available at amazon.com and at the apple books store.