Robert Pete Williams - The Legacy of the Blues.

This is a review that I wrote in Fall 2006 and published in the November-December 2006 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 288). This is the last review from that group of Sonet Blues reissues reviews.

Robert Pete Williams was discovered by folklorist Harry Oster while recording prisoners at Louisiana’s infamous Angola State Penitentiary. These recordings that originally were issued on the Folk-Lyric label (later acquired by Arhoolie on whom they have been reissued) certainly made some aware of Williams' stark, somber style of performances.  These performances drew on Williams' harsh life experiences  and were played in a manner reflecting Blind Lemon Jefferson's influence as channeled into the one-chord droning approach similar to that found in the early recordings of John lee Hooker and the recordings of Junior Kimbrough. 

His recordings led to his eventual freedom, although not until a probationary period where was almost an indentured servant farmer. Subsequently Williams recorded for Prestige-Bluesville, Ahura Mazda (perhaps reissued on Fat Possum) and this album, originally part of The Legacy of the Blues series. The ten performances here are representative of Williams unique art with his deeply personal lyrics, created out of the hard life he and others shared but distilled through his own experiences as in his re-recording of Angola Penitentiary Blues where he recalls “Locked me down, they tried me for my life; April the 6th, 1956, they sent me to Angola; Not to lie, not to lie, they tried me for my life; Cried, let’s keep the poor boy.” Come Here, Sit on My Knee features his bottleneck style that he learned from his friend, Mississippi Fred McDowell, and the performance sounds derived from Shake ‘Em On Down and other McDowell numbers, while Late Night Boogie, has him in his understated vocal singing about late at night blowing his horn with his unique guitar accompaniment. 

Williams music requires the listener’s attention although this disc sounds like it is among his most accessible recordings. Give Robert Pete Williams music some time and its virtues will hopefully become evident to you. 

I likely received my review copy from Jazz & Blues Report. Here is Robert Pete Williams performing.