Alabama Mike Hip You To My Blues

Alabama Mike
Hip You To My Blues
Big Tone Records

It was a surprise to learn about a new release by Alabama Mike (real name Michael A. Benjamin) on Big Jon Atkinson's new label. Alabama Mike's earlier recordings, such as those with The Andy T Band in 1997's "Double Strike," often displayed a gospel-rooted vocal style in the manner of Little Johnnie Taylor. This new release finds him in a down-home blues vein with a dose of Lightnin' Hopkins flavor along with some tracks that evoke early 50s Chicago flavor. This recording reflects Alabama Mike's long-burning desire to "do a record in the classic style of early electric blues pioneers… ." The backing musicians on this set of retro blues include Kim Wilson on harmonica, Big Jon Atkinson guitar, Danny Michel on guitar, Troy Sandow on bass, Kedar Roy on bass, Joe Lempkowski on harmonica, June Core on drums, Malachi Johnson on drums, Robert Welsh on keyboards, on retro-sounding performances.

Alabama Mike certain invests his vocals with intensity and soul. The Lightnin' Hopkins influence can best be heard on the opening "Black Cadillac" (with Atkinson on guitar) as well as the revival of Hopkins' "Hello Central" with Danny Michel on guitar, Kim Wilson on harmonica and Marty Dodson on drums lending the performance a swamp blues flavor. Danny Michel also channels Hopkins guitar on the swamp blues "California Blues," with choice Joe Lempkowski harmonica accompaniment.

A reworking of John Lee 'Sonny Boy' Williamson's "Cut That Out" sounds as a down-home version of Junior Wells fifties recording. Kim Wilson is on harmonica, Atkinson on guitar and Dodson on drums. Welsh provides the greasy organ on "Diabetic Man" with Wilson on the harp. On "How You Want Your Rollin Done," Atkinson plays some excellent T-Bone Walker styled guitar. On Big Bill Broonzy's "I Feel So Good," Alabama Mike delivers a strong vocal in the manner of Muddy Waters with J.B. Hutto styled slide guitar in the backing. "Keep My Grave Clean" is an ingenious band reworking of what was Blind Lemon Jefferson's most famous recording, while the cover of J.B. Hutto's "Too Much Alcohol" sticks close to the arrangement of Hutto's Delmark recording.

A moody rendition of Willie Love's "V-8 Food" with Atkinson and Welsh closes a release of notable down-home blues performances. There are a couple of times the backing may be a tad skeletal, but Alabama Mike's singing and the idiomatic support result in a most entertaining blues album.

I purchased this. Here is Alabama Mike performing "Let Me Hip You To My Blues."