Maurice John Vaughan - Jimmy Johnson - Luther Johnson Jr

(1) Maurice John Vaughan

Dangerous Road

Blue Suit-116D

1- Talking to Each Other With the Music/ 2 - Dangerous Road/ 3- Two Can Play That Game/ 4- Love Abuse / 5- Mama, She Believed in Me/ 6- In the Midnight Hour/ 7- Stop and Take a Drink/ 8- I Don’t Care/ 9- Lady in the Box/ 10- The Pigeon/ 11- Shoo Fly Shoo/ 12- The Telephone’s Running My Life/ 13- I Can’t Stand Being Alone. 51:41

Maurice John Vaughn, g, s, c; B.J. Emery, tbn, v-4, 7; Ilaria Lantieri, b, v-9, 13; Massimo Bertagna, d- 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13; Fred Brousse, g -2, 5, 6, 7, hca -1, 10; Jerome Moho, d- 2, 3, 5, 6, 7,10; Khouki Pontelero, or - 2, 6, 7, 10, p-1, 5; Detroit Junior, p. 8, 11, 12; Allen Batts, or 4, 12; Velvet McNair, v - 4, 7, 13. Milan, Italy & Chicago Il.

(2) Jimmy Johnson & Luther Johnson Jr

Ma Bea’s Rock

Storyville STCD 8050

So Many Roads -1/ Crosscut Saw -1/ Ma Bea’s Rock -1/ Feel So Bad -2/ I Believe My Time Ain’t long -3/ All Your Love -3/ You Gotta Have Soul -3/ My Own Fault -1/ Get Ready Here I Come -1/ Same Old Blues -1/ Got Mind to Travel -3/ Can You Use a Man Like Me -3/ I Got To Be Crazy -3/ Got papers on You Baby -3. 62:18.

-1 Jimmy Johnson v, g; Jimmy Dawkins, g; Sylvester Boines, b; Tyrone Centuray, d. October 15, 1975, Chicago IL.

-2 same as -1 but Andrew ‘Big Voice’ Odom, v. October 15, 1975, Chicago IL.

-3 Luther Johnson Jr, v, g; Willie James Lyons, g; Willie Kent, b; Tyrone Centuray, d. October 17, 1975.

While he has been producing and playing on a variety of recordings the past few years, (1) is Maurice John Vaughan’s first album since his 1993 Alligator album Shadow of the City. Recorded in Italy and Chicago, Dangerous Road displays his soulful mellow baritone, guitar, and saxophone in a variety of blues and soul/funk settings. Along with trombonist B.J. Emery, he is aided by pianist Detroit Junior on three tracks along with other guests elsewhere. In the liner notes, David Whiteis describes Vaughan an “aggressive innovator” as an ironic comment on the title of Vaughan’s self-produced debut album, Generic Blues. Some might dispute calling him an innovator, but his strength is that he is a very good performer. He writes thoughtful original blues such as “Love Abuse” and “I Don’t Care,” knows how to deliver a lyric and he plays thoughtfully, and his solos are full of surprises. His saxophone soloing is particularly noteworthy as he avoids honks and overblowing that one award winning sax player employs to excess. Equally intriguing are the funk numbers such as “Lady in the Box” which incorporates clever Italian repartee from bassist Ilaria Lantieri. However, the reworking of Wilson Pickett’s “Midnight Hour” is pleasant at best, with the rhythm section not as hard-hitting as might have been hoped. Vaughan is not one to hit you over the head with musical cliches. It may take some listening to this disc to appreciate its pleasures, but it will be worth the effort.

(2) is another in Storyville’s reissues of a series of recordings made at various Chicago clubs in the mid-seventies and which first appeared on the French MCM label. Despite being club recordings, they usually were recorded in the afternoon, often minimizing any club ambience. Additionally, the recordings have somewhat dull sound and would have benefitted from more skillful engineering. This writer at one time possessed the original vinyl album of this disc and remembers it as among the better ones in the MCM series. It was among the first LPs to spotlight Jimmy Johnson and Luther Johnson Jr. The original eight songs (the first eight titles) are augmented by two additional Jimmy Johnson performances and four by Luther Johnson Jr. For those familiar with the two artists, there will be few surprises. Their basic approaches have not changed, although they have honed and refined their styles. 

Jimmy Johnson is heard on covers of songs associated with Otis Rush (“So Many Roads), Albert King (“Crosscut Saw”) and B.B. King (“Its My Own Fault”) displaying his stinging guitar and his tenor that cuts through to the listener’s gut. Some composer credits are sometimes mangled as Johnson is wrongly credited as composer of the Temptations hit, “Get Ready,” perhaps his weakest performance. At the time of the recording, Johnson was in Jimmy Dawkins’ Band which provides functional backing. Dawkins’ own guitar is featured on the title cut, a medium tempo instrumental, and behind Voice Odom on Chuck Willis “Feel So Bad.” 

Luther Johnson Jr. was an important part of Muddy Waters Band at the time of his recording, which are solid performances in the West Side Chicago blues vein. He opens with a rippling instrumental homage to Elmore James on “I Believe,” on which he emulates Elmore’s broomdusting slide guitar without (I believe) using a slide. Luther follows with Magic Sam’s “All Your Love,” and then launches into the funky “You Gotta Have Soul.”. The late Willie James Lyons on second guitar and Willie Kent on bass lay down a nice foundation, although Tyrone Centuray’s wooden drumming adds little. The new Luther Johnson tracks are quite nice to have available. “I Got To Be Crazy” is a powerful adaptation of a fine George ‘Wild Child’ Butler lyric. Despite the quality of the music, the sound quality will probably deter more casual listeners who might want to check out the more recent recordings by both. Fans of either will certainly enjoy this disc.

This is a review I wrote for Cadence in 2001. As was customary, full discographical information was provided although I do not remember what 'c' was for Maurice John Vaughan. The s was for saxophone and g for guitar. I should have had v for vocals there as well. I likely received my review copies from the publication.  I have made only minor changes to punctuation. Both may still be available although the cover for Ma Bea's Rock is from a later Storyville reissue.

Cadillac Baby's Bea & Baby Records; The Definitive Collection

Various Artists
Cadillac Baby's Bea & Baby Records; The Definitive Collection
Earwig Records

This deluxe box set, which contains the recording legacy of Narvel Eatmon (better known as Cadillac Baby), is a labor of love that Michael Frank of Earwig Records spent years producing. The box set contains 4 CDs of blues, doo-wop, gospel, comedy, and even rap along with substantial interview segments with Cadillac Baby with Steve Cushing from a 1983 Blues Before Sunrise radio program. The 4 CDs are housed in a hardback book which reproduces Jim O'Neal's interview with Cadillac Baby from an early issue of "Living Blues" and has O'Neal's update that corrects and updates the information there. Bill Dahl provides biographies, and concise analysis of the blues and other secular music Robert M. Marovich does the same for the gospel recordings. Michael Frank provides an overview of how this box set came about.

There are nearly 5 hours of music and interviews to provide anything other than an overview of some highlights. The interview segments and the printed interview in the book will give you an idea of Cadillac Baby's personality. He was a character. One of the interview segments discusses how he got into music and how he started presenting shows in the south, including one with the Mississippi Sheiks before he came to Chicago and opened a club. He began making records to hopefully make some money from musicians who owed him money and hopefully make some money as well.

A sense of Cadillac Baby's personality can be heard on the opening track, "Welcome to Cadillac Baby's Show Lounge." It originally was on a vinyl LP "Colossal Blues" that reissued some of his 45s on the Bea & Baby and associated labels. Set against the piano of Sunnyland Slim's piano and Willie Williams drums, Cadillac Baby introduces us to a who's who of Chicago radio and blues personalities. There is overdubbed audience noise and clapping. It is followed by two excellent songs by Eddie Boyd with a band that included Robert Lockwood's distinctive guitar. There are ten tracks by Boyd, eight with Lockwood, and two with another group. Boyd is superb as he sings, "The Blues Are Here To Stay." Two songs are remastered with an overdubbed vocal chorus. There are also two songs by L.C. McKinley, whose guitar style is indebted to T-Bone Walker. His band included tenor saxophonist Red Holloway and also backed a vocal group on two selections.

Arguably the biggest record that Cadillac Baby produced was Bobby Saxton's "Try To Make A Living" that was backed by an Earl Hooker instrumental, "Dynamite." These sides also were leased to Chess, who issued them on a Checker Records single. Mac Simmons, as Little Mac and St. Louis Mac, is heard on the most selections. These include "Times Are Getting Tougher," reminiscent of some of Little Milton's recordings of the time, and on fine covers of songs from Junior Parker, Sonny Boy Williamson and Muddy Waters. Backing Mac Simmons are such players as pianist Detroit Junior and guitarist Eddie King Milton. Detroit Junior's first recording is present, along with an interview segment where Cadillac Baby tells how he gave the pianist-singer his name.

Detroit Junior was not the only artist whose first recording is heard. Hound Dog Taylor was very much under the influence of Elmore James when he recorded "My Baby Is Coming Home." Sunnyland Slim was another artist who recorded for Bea & Baby, while James Cotton waxed a couple of blues. Lee Jackson's "Juanita" is a powerful modern blues, and he is also heard on a Christmas blues. Other significant Chicago blues artists heard include Homesick James, Andre 'Blueblood' McMahon, Arlean Brown, and Willie Williams. Eddie Taylor and Hubert Sumlin are among the sidemen on these sessions. Also, a tape was found with previously unissued selections by the legendary Sleepy John Estes and Hammie Nixon, four of which are reproduced here. Clyde Lasley, best known as a comedian, talks-sings "Santa Came Home Drunk" backed by Lee Jackson and band. He possibly may be on three comedy selections that sound like Amos'n'Andy outtakes. There are some more teen singers, and a rap single produced by Cadillac Baby and Michael Frank before the box set closes with stirring gospel music.

As stated, there is quite a variety of solid blues and other music here. The interview segments with Cadillac Baby are fascinating to listen to, although one suspects some listeners will skip them after hearing them once or a few times. The packaging is superb, and the accompanying book wonderfully illustrated. Michale Frank sought to honor the memory of Cadillac Baby, and this box set certainly accomplishes that. It will also undoubtedly make a wonderful holiday gift for a Blues Lover.

I received my review copy from a publicist. This review appeared in the November-December 2019 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 367). Here is Bobby Saxton's "Trying to Make a Living."

Blues For a Blue Monday

Here are some Blues for a Monday Morning after a long weekend.

First Eddie Boyd with his first recording of Blue Monday Blues.

Next up is Smiley Lewis with Blue Monday, later a hit for Fats Domino.

Let's not forget James "Thunderbird' Davis' Blue Monday, which was later interpreted by Andrew Brown and ZZ Hill.

While not titled Blue Monday, Detroit Junior's Call My Job is a classic about the Blue Monday blues.

Mississippi John Hurt had the Monday Morning Blues.

 

Barrelhouse Chuck, Erwin Helfer and the Piano Blues

I remember when the D.C. Blues Society presented Barrelhouse Chuck with Mark Wenner and Ben Andrews for what was a very magical evening of acoustic blues. He was supposed to have recorded an album at the time but it never was released. Thankfully we have an absolutely wonderful disc Prescription For the Blues (The Sirens) by a man who was mentored by legends like Sunnyland Slim and Little Brother Montgomery and the lessons he learned from these giants are evident in his strong playing that evokes the great piano blues of the past and his own vocals.


Several tracks are introduced by a short homage to the original artist whether Montgomery on the title track (Erwin Helfer plays the piano on this while Chuck sings), Sunnyland Slim on Johnson Machine Gun and Going Back to Memphis (Slim’s variation on the Rollin’ and Tumblin’ theme taken by Chuck as an instrumental), or Leroy Carr on Barrelhouse Women, Mean Mistreater Mama, Straight Alky Blues, and My Own Lonesome Blues as well as his own renditions of blues standards like Sitting on Top of the World, Tin Pan Alley and Corrine Corrina.


His renditions of many of these numbers are truly a joy as he displays a touch and sense of time that many heralded pianists’ lack. He really captures the flavor of Montgomery and Carr with his playing along with his natural singing. With Sunnyland Slim’s material, he evokes the flavor of Slim’s originals, but doesn’t duplicate Sunnyland’s own distinctive sense of phrasing. On Ain’t Nobody’s Business Erwin Helfer joins him for a piano-organ duet on this blues standard. Handsomely packaged, Prescription For the Blues is an absolute delight that piano blues enthusiasts will want.

Barrelhouse Chuck is also present on 8 Hands on 88 Keys (The Sirens) along with pianists Erwin Helfer, Detroit Junior and Pinetop Perkins. Chuck opens with a fine rendition of Sunnyland Slim’s It’s You Baby, followed by a fine slow instrumental, Rooster’s Blues, is backed by Helfer on Pinetop’s Blues where Helfer plays some stunning runs inspired by Pinetop Smith’s original, and by Detroit Junior on Miss Ida B, an old Roosevelt Sykes number that Pinetop Perkins frequently performs.


Detroit Junior, a member of Howlin’ Wolf’s last band, is also represented on disc and it’s a delight to hear him on the rollicking I’m So Unhappy and the slow country-inflected Ella although his rendition of Staggerlee, based on Lloyd’sPrice’s hit is simply pleasant. Helfer backs him for Ain’t Nobody’s Business, which is followed by a fine original boogie woogie and Jimmy Yancey’s 4 O’clock Blues. Helfer accompanies Pinetop Perkins vocal on the Ivory Joe Hunter classic, I Almost Lost My Mind, which is followed by Perkins’ typical renditions of Grinder Man Blues, How Much More and How Long Blues. There is perhaps nothing new from Pinetop, but his performances provide a fine end to a collection of top-notch piano blues performances. It should be mentioned that Helfer has an excellent disc on The Sirens, I’m Not Hungry But I Like To Eat – Blues that was nominated for a Handy Award as Comeback Blues album of the year.

Another highly recommended piano blues album is Christian Dozzler’s All Alone and Blue. The Austrian born Dozzler was for years a member of The Mojo Blues Band, one of Europe’s leading blues aggregations. He played with Larry Garner for a period and now is based in Dallas where he plays with Robin Banks (he can be heard on her two excellent discs I reviewed a few months ago. This disc features some strong piano and vocals with the title track and Midnight Hour Blues being strong renditions of Leroy Carr numbers while his rollicking piano drives along John Brim’s Be Careful. A couple of tracks display his strong boogie woogie piano style and he even takes out the harmonica for a track. You can order this as well as the discs on The Sirens thru cdbaby.com, and likely better stores and online cd retailers.


This review of several piano blues albums appeared originally in the September 2003 DC Blues Calendar, then the newsletter of the DC Blues Society. I likely received review copies of the albums on The Sirens and purchased the Christian Dozzler CD.  These are still available.

Watermelon Slim Brings Grit to His Blues

Watermelon Slim has emerged as a hot act in the blues and roots music realm. This is the first of three  reviews of his music that I have written over the past few years. This 2006 review (appeared in March-April Jazz & Blues Report issue 280) is of the eponymously titled CD that marked his breakout as an act. It is worth bringing this to your attention which might get lost in connection with some of his recent releases. My 2008 review of No Paid Holidays appeared in the October, 2008 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 309) will appear in this blog on Sunday December 12. The final review is of Escape From the Chicken Coop which originally appeared in the September 209 Jazz & Blues Report (issue 320) and will appear on Sunday, December 19.

Since he wrote most of the songs on the eponymously titled Watermelon Slim & the Workers (Northern Blues), I assume William Homans is Slim’s real name. I had heard of Slim since Chris Wick contacted me to promote his nomination for a W.C. Handy Award (Now known as the Blues Music Awards). His band, The Workers, also include guitarist Ian lamb and Cliff Belcher on drums with Dennis Boryki guesting on piano.

First of all, there is an authority to his singing as well as his sharp harp and slide guitar playing. His singing suggests Sam Myers to my ears, not to suggest he attempts to imitate Myers, but rather I find his voice similar. He is more than capable to bring his own voice to blues standards like Baby Please Don’t Go or Mississippi Fred McDowell’s Frisco Line, while Devil’s Cadillac, a collaboration with drummer Michael Newberry has evocative lyrics about the crossroads to go with the trebly slide guitar heard here as the Workers provide a light, latin-groove.  

Check Writing Woman is a terrific rocker with some rollicking piano and some fleet Tornado Alley guitar from Lamb and driving harp from Slim, but the band never takes things over the top. Possum Hand is a nice instrumental that displays more of Slim’s fine harp playing. Listening to this disc, it is easy to understand why Northern Blues’ Fred Litwin was excited after hearing him perform and signed him to the label.

Watermelon Slim brings a lot of things to this disc as a songwriter and a performer and has put together some terrific tracks. This gets a high recommendation.

The review copy of this CD were provided by the record label, a publicist for the label or performer.