Pinetop Perkins Pinetop's Boogie Woogie

Best known as Muddy Waters' pianist after Otis Spann left, Joe Willie 'Pinetop' Perkins also spent time with the King Biscuit Time radio program, played (and recorded) with the likes of Earl Hooker, and Robert Nighthawk, and was a founding member of the Legendary Blues Band after Muddy's seventies' band split from their leader. He has a new album on Antone's Pinetop's Boogie Woogie which is a well played and recorded collection of Chicago style blues. He is backed by members of the Fabulous Thunderbirds (harpist Kim Wilson sounds particularly good here), James Cotton, Hubert Sumlin, Luther Tucker, Willie Smith and Calvin Jones. There is plenty of strong band work and soloing, and Pinetop's solid two handed piano provides more than a solid foundation.

Unfortunately, Pinetop's low-key vocals are not nearly as strong or colorful as his keyboard work and his treatment of jump blues like Eddie Vinson's Kidney Stew, and Louis Jordan's Caldonia, are not memorable. His laconic, low-key singing is more successful on Sunny Road, and is most effective on Jimmy Reed's You Don't Have to Go, and his own Ida B. (which reminds me of Robert Nighthawk's Anna Lee). The impact of these recordings is also diminished by the fact Pinetop has recorded many of the songs before.

This review originally appeared in Issue 178 of Jazz & Blues Report from 1992. I made some minor changes to this review. I likely received a review copy from the label or a publicist. 

Snooky Pryor In This Mess Up To My Chest

Snooky Pryor
In This Mess Up To My Chest 
Antone’s 

Snooky Pryor was one of the earliest Chicago blues artists to record after World War II, first as part of Snooky and Moody, and later on his own for several labels including J.O.B. and Vee-Jay. Influenced in his harp playing by John Lee ‘Sonny Boy’ Williamson, he never had great commercial success with his initial recordings, although many are classic Chicago blues performances marked by a crying vocal style complemented by his crying harp playing. Antone’s has done a great job in recording him, and has presented several remakes She Tried to Ruin Me, and Judgment Day (from a live recording), along with nice versions of Sonny Boy’s Bluebird Blues, and new songs like Bury You in a Paper Sack, and Take It Easy Greasy. The late Luther Tucker adds his cutting accompaniment to several tracks and guitarist Derek O’Brien does a yeoman’s job elsewhere. Pinetop Perkins adds his typically solid piano on several tracks, and Ted Harvey, one of the last great blues drummers, adds to the music’s spirit. Another fine album of classic Chicago blues.

This review appeared in the July-August 1994  Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 193) and I likely received a review copy from Antone's Records. This may be harder to fine on CD or LP but is available as a download. 

Snooky passed away October 18, 2006 in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Here is Snooky performing his classic Judgment Day, from a New York City appearance in 1991.

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James Cotton It Was A Very Good Year

James Cotton

It Was A Very Good Year

Just a Memory JAM 9144-2

It Was a Very Good Year/ Mystery Train/ She’s My Baby/ One More Mile/ How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)/ I Can’t Quit You Baby/ Sweet Sixteen/ Midnight Creeper/ Hootchie Cootchie Man/ You’re So Fine. 46:55.

Cotton, vcl, hca, Albert Gianquinto, p; Luther Tucker,g; Bobby Anderson, b; Francis Clay, d. September 28, 1967. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

This is the third disc deriving from live performances by the James Cotton band at the New Penelope Cafe in Montreal in September 1967 on Just a Memory. These must be among the last performances by the Cotton band with Albert Gianquinto on piano. This writer saw Cotton and his band in Cleveland in early Fall 1967 (possibly a week or two after the engagement which produced this recording), by which time a saxophone had replaced pianist Gianquinto. In any event , this was one of Cotton’s best bands and if this recording lacks the highest of fidelity (the drums are too prominent), the sound is acceptable. 

1967 may well have been a very good year in Montreal with Expo ‘67, but the title track is a feature for Gianquinto’s jazzy piano before the band brings Cotton up to the stage. There is a nice mix of songs from Cotton as he opens up with Jr. Parker’s “Mystery Train” before tackling Sonny Boy Williamson’s “She’s My Baby” which Cotton had recorded as “Sugar Sweet,” and his own “One More MIle”. The inclusion of Marvin Gaye’s Motown hit “How Sweet It Is,” is an indication that the boundaries between blues and soul were not as demarcated as some find today. 

Luther Tucker’s guitar is spectacular on Cotton’s solo rendition of Otis Rush’s “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” and the lengthy “Sweet Sixteen” where he really stretches out. Cotton has the lengthy “Midnight Creeper” to showcase his harmonica mastery. Cotton also sings here as well as he ever did and the level of the music supports the memory of this being a great blues band. Incidentally, the closing “You’re So Fine,” is erroneously credited to Little Walter. It is a reworking of the Johnny Otis song that was a hit for the Fiestas.

This review was written in 2001 and likely published in Cadence from whom I likely received a review copy. I had previously reviewed another CD "Seems Like Yesterday" from this engagement, and it was posted back in 2012. Here is Cotton and band from 1967 doing "Off The Wall."

Luther Tucker's Sad Hours

Luther Tucker is an unsung hero of the blues who has been gone a long-time. The following review of Tucker’s Antone’s label release Sad Hours, appeared in the April 1994 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 190). I likely received a review copy from the label. This album is still in print and is also available as a download. The late Luther Tucker was best known for his work on Chess sessions by Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II, and was a member of what was perhaps James Cotton’s best band in the late sixties. A resident of the San Francisco Bay area since 1973, Tucker made few recordings as a leader. A dazzling guitarist, he mixes a slashing West Side Chicago attack with a jazzy sensibility, reflecting the influence of Robert Lockwood’s chordally based style. His jazz sensibilities is evident on the instrumental, Canadian Sunset. Not known as a vocalist, he comes across as more than engaging. The highpoint is an inspired West Side Chicago style treatment of Five Long Years, using the melody of Otis Rush’s Double Trouble. Tribute to Elmore is a kinetic non-slide instrumental derived from Bobby’s Rock. A few songs are funk and while a couple are not realized, the singing and playing against the James Brown groove on War Boy is first-rate. The tight backing band is outstanding and horn charts fresh. Kim Wilson adds harp on a few tracks. This is a surprisingly impressive recording, which even with flaws provides a strong memorial to a departed master.

James Cotton in 1967 Seems Like Yesterday

The Canadian Just a Memory label continues its documentation of live blues performances in Montreal in the late 1960s. The latest release, Seems Like Yesterday is by James Cotton from a September 28, 1967 appearance at the New Penelope Cafe, which was around the time when this writer saw Cotton at La Cave in Cleveland. I do not believe Cotton had the same band when I saw him. I believe that Alberto Gianquinto, who is on piano, had left Cotton, being replaced by a saxophonist, but I definitely recall the late, highly underrated Luther Tucker on guitar, drummer Francis Clay and bassist Bobby Anderson backing James at La Cave. Musically, this release mixes the blues and soul repertoire that characterized Cotton’s first Verve-Forecast album with renditions of songs from James Brown (I Feel Good); Big Jay McNeely (There is Something on Your Mind, although Cotton’s vocal is based on Bobby Marchan’s hit version, not McNeely’s original with Sonny Warner on vocals); and Bobby Bland (Good Time Charlie), along with classic Chicago Blues themes from Willie Mabon (I Don’t Know) and Little Walter (It Ain’t Right). Likely recorded from the soundboard, this may not be high fidelity, but one can hear what is going on. In addition to his first-rate harp, Cotton was in strong voice back then and sounds particularly convincing on Stormy Monday on which Tucker plays in an especially striking fashion. Cotton’s openness to a variety of sources is shown by his rendition of Nat Adderly’s Work Song. This may have been inspired by Paul Butterfield’s famous recording of the tune. Because of the less than perfect sound, casual listeners may pass on this. Others who remember this particular band, or are fans of Cotton will want this for historical and other reasons. This review appeared originally in the July-August 1998 Jazz & Blues Report (Issue 233) and I probably received a review copy from a publicist or the label. Here is James Cotton from 1969 in a low-fidelity and slightly washed out video.

Mark Hummel Salutes Little Walter

Mark Hummel’s Blues and Lonesome: Tribute to Little Walter (Rockinitus Records) is a compilation from recordings he has made over the years in homage to Little Walter. Little Walter Jacobs arguably was the most important and influential harmonica player of all time and his songs have been part of Hummel’s repertoire over the years.

Hummel, in his liner notes, was friends with three individuals who had spent time playing and recording with little Walter: Luther Tucker, Dave Myers and Francis Clay, as well as several musicians such as Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, who played with walter when Walter would play with Muddy Waters Band in the sixties prior to his death in 1968. Tucker, Myers and Smith are present on several of these recordings, while many of the tracks feature members of Hummel’s band, the Blues Survivors.

While fans of Hummel may have most of these selections from his albums, it is convenient to have these all in one CD. His fans, and those of Little Walter’s music, will enjoy his tribute. The performances here are modeled on the originals and are strong, idiomatic renditions of classic Chicago Blues that Hummel sings and plays strongly on.

While the level of the performances is high throughout, several selections standout including the title track on which the late Luther Tucker is present. Tucker played on the original, and is able to stretch out with some startling guitar that he could not on the original 45 rpm single. With just guitarist Rusty Zinn, Hummel does a nice job reworking Walter’s “I Just Keep Loving Her,” and there there is the rocking shuffle “My Kinda Baby” with a terrific band that included the late Dave Myers along with Billy Flynn on guitars, pianist Barrelhouse Chuck, bassist Bob Stroger and drummer Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith.

I purchased this from bluebeatmusic.com and you might also check Mark Hummel’s own website, www.markhummel.com. Here is a video of Mark playing a Little Walter number not on the CD.

Mark Hummel's Rocking Blues Parties

Mark Hummel has been playing the blues for decades and with his Blues Survivors, has shared the stages as well as backed numerous blues legends. In more recent years, he has been known for his tours of Blues Harmonica Blowouts, with recent tours being documented on disc on compilations on the Mountain top label. Now we have the good fortune to have new new compilations that go back to the vaults that help celebrate the blues. Electro-Fi, Hummel's current label has just issued Mark Hummel's Blues Harmonica Blowouts, subtitled "'Still Here and Gone' 1993-2007," while Mountain Top has released Mark Hummel's Chicago Blues Party subtitled "Recorded Live! 1980-1992."

For those who are fans of the Blues Harmonica Blowouts, the new double disc collects recordings by a variety of highly regarded players, some who are no longer with us. The focus on harp allows the presence of Magic Dick whose vocal talents nowhere approach his instrumental skills, as well as the brilliant Lee Oskar, who turns in a stunning instrumental rendition of Duke Ellington's In a Sentimental Mood. Hummel turns in his usual solid playing, rooted in the classic playing of Little Walter and Big Walter (a nice rendition of Hard Hearted Woman, along with the set's closing Summertime). There are nice representative performances from Lazy Lester, Sugar Coated Love; Carey Bell, I Got to Go; Billy Boy Arnold, Sugar Gal; Johnny Dyer, and Rick Estrin. Of special note are performances by several not with us: two by Paul deLay, Can't Stand Your Evil Ways; two by Sam Myers with Anson Funderburgh on guitar, especially I Done Quit Getting Sloppy Drunk; and three brilliant performances by William Clarke, including Stretch My Money and the instrumental Chrome Jumpin'. Rusty Zinn are on these selections while Junior Watson graces the James Harman and Paul deLay selections. The harp playing is high and most of the vocals are strong on a set with broad appeal.

Chicago Blues Party is even better with previously unissued performances spotlightling a number of now deceased blues legends: Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Mississippi Johnny Waters, and Luther Tucker. The disc opens with five 1992 performances by the great Jimmy rogers backed by Hummel and a band that included Rusty Zinn on guitar from Slim's in San Francisco. Over a decade and a half later it is a delight listening to Rogers redo You're the One and Ludella with Hummel's harp embellishing the vocals so well. Less familiar Rogers songs like Tricky Woman, standout along with a rendition of Jimmy Reed's Big Boss Man. The late Eddie's set lacks reworkings of some of his better known recordings like Bad Boy and Big Town Playboy. Instead he focuses on reworkings of Wolf's Smokestack Lightning, Muddy Waters' Trouble No More, and Charles Brown's Sunny Road. Despite the familiarity of the material, Taylor is in good form. On Taylor's set, Mississippi Johnny Waters is on rhythm guitar and takes the lead vocal as well as plays some strong slide guitar for Dust My Broom. Waters, real name Johnny Sandifer, was a strong traditionally oriented Mississippi bluesman who Hummel played with for several years from 1977 on and there are two performances by Waters with guitarist Sonny Lane from the 1980 San Francisco Blues Festival including solid renditions of Wolf's Shake For Me and J.B. Lenoir's How Much More Long. These performances display strong vocals backed by a tight rocking band playing classic Chicago blues. The fact Waters recorded so little makes these especially valuable. Another 1985 Waters performance, a rendition of Long Distance Call, has Luther Tucker on guitar. Tucker himself is featured on two 1994 performances with Hummel handling the vocal with Tucker's solo on "Blue & Lonesome," based on his solo on Little Walter's original recording, arguably being the highpoint of a terrific disc of Chicago blues. Hummel is to be thanked for making these superb performances by some departed blues masters accessible.

As I write this, the “Chicago Blues Party” set may be hard to find. Bluebeat Music, www.bluebeatmusic.com has both of these.