John Lee Hooker & Nappy Brown

John Lee Hooker & Nappy Brown

Atlantic has two new releases in its Savoy Blues Legends series. Both spotlight a great of the post-World War II blues scene. John Lee Hooker, Detroit Blues 1948-1949 finally makes available on compact disc, Hooker’s Savoy recordings. Recorded by Elmer Barbee a few days after the landmark Boogie Chillen session, the first twelve selections here were his second recording session in November 1948, discounting some demos. The other eight selections come from February 1949 sessions and include four acoustic recordings by Hooker (he would not record acoustically until his  Folk sessions a decade later), and four with a small, sometimes chaotic, combo. The solo Hooker sides range from moody, introspective songs to hot boogies where he plays his guitar mixing in intricate picked runs with heavy percussive chordal playing.  Those who are unfamiliar with John Lee Hooker’s early recordings should give a listen to these sides. It may be a bit demanding at times of the listener, but the rewards are great. Hooker authority, Dave Sax, contributes liner notes that help understand the originality of Hooker s music. Whether one needs this for their blues collection depends on part how much John Lee Hooker of the late forties and early fifties one already has. There is some first-rate John lee Hooker to be heard here.

Nappy Brown’s  Night Time is the Right Time, collects the 36 recordings Brown waxed for Savoy on two discs. Colin Escott captures the mood of Nappy Brown’s music, Instant Soul. There is no other way to describe Nappy Brown. Brown is still a great, commanding singer. These fifties recordings do suggest his gospel roots, but also showcase him as a powerful blues shouter. His false stutter on several numbers like Don’t Be Angry, Piddley Piddley Patter or Well, Well, Well Baby La, easily could have become a short-lived novelty with a lesser singer. Brown’s use of this device avoids it becoming cliched. Brown also benefits from terrific New York studio bands which included such giants as Mickey Baker, Sam “The Man” Taylor, Budd Johnson, Al Sears, Panama Francis, Sammy Price, and Ray Barretto. He further benefitted from some great songs from the hand of R&B songwriting legend Rose Marie McCoy. He was a pretty fair songwriter himself.  Some of the songs like Well Well Well Baby La (done by Snooks Eaglin and Johnny Copeland) and The Right Time  (covered by Ray Charles), have since become blues standards. There are a few songs that may be musically and/or lyrically second-rate, but overall, the recordings showcase Brown’s forceful musical persona and the performances have aged well.

I likely received these recordings from the record company or a publicist. This review likely appeared in the DC Blues Calendar in late 2000. These may be out of print, so you may need to check used CD sources or online auctions. Here is Nappy doing Don't Be Angry.