SPECIALS

SPECIALS

RECORDS

by Michael Goodwin

Blues Aplenty From Atlantic, Fantasy & Polydor

I think my karma’s improving, inasmuch as 24 blues records have found their way into my house this month. What a treat.

Atlantic, Polydor and Fantasy are all out with monster blues reissue series — well, mostly blues, with a few fringe benefits and one folkie. I set up a star system to establish a minimal frame of reference: * for poor; ** for background music; *** for gettin’ there; **** for de blues; ***** for Howlin’ Wolf’s rocking chair album and/or Blind Willie McTell’s The Early Years. Having done so, I’m gonna note only four and five star records as such, letting the others find their own level.

In roughly ascending order:

Memphis Slim: Raining the Blues (Fantasy 24705): Slim plays highly sophisticated, bluesy piano, coupled with a slick vocal style. This is a pleasant two-record set (originally issued on Prestige as Just Blues and No Strain), but it leaves me completely unmoved and uninvolved, (born: 1915, Memphis)

Johnny Young (BH/Polydor BM 4609): This is a late, 1968 session, and Young (only a competent bluesman at best) sounds old and tired. Otis Spann on piano is a saving grace, (born: 1917, Vicksburg, Miss.)

Jimmy and Mama Yancey: Chicago Piano (Atlantic SD 7229): This is Yancey’s last session, from 1951, and it suffers from a certain lack of energy, especially compared with his earlier sides. The music is slow, quiet, classical in feeling - halfway between ragtime and blues. It’s of undeniable historical interest, but I’m afraid I found it largely unexciting. (born: 1898, Chicago)

Champion Jack Dupree (BH/Polydor BM 4610): This 1969 session features a big band (including Mick Taylor on guitar), and a lot of it’s badly overproduced. Dupree (who plays piano, by the way) seems to have an identity problem: unable to choose between blues, half-hearted soul or New Orleans. Nonetheless, some of the cuts are quite good, and Taylor is really fine, (born: 1910, New Orleans)

Furry Lewis: Shake 'Em On Down (Fantasy 24703): Four sides, recorded in 1961, and originally issued on Prestige as Back On My Feet Again and Done Changed My Mind. Furry sounds old, but this is still much better than the record Polydor has released. No sdul-searing music here, but good stuff all the same: blues, ballads, sizzling knife-edge guitar, and plenty of old-timey showmanship. Easy listening, (bom: 1900, Greenwood, Miss.).

Sunnyland Slim (BH/Polydor BM 4608): This is sort of low energy (1968 again), but it’s competent Chicago blues nonetheless, featuring Slim on piano and the great Johnny Shines on guitar. Slim’s piano playing is nothing special. Still, this is a fine blues record for late at night, when dancing would disturb the neighbors, (born: 1907, Vance, Miss.)

Jesse Fuller:' Brother Lowdown (Fantasy 24707): Four sides, originally issued on Prestige as San Francisco Bay Blues and Jesse Fuller’s Favorites. These 1963 sessions aren’t quite as glorious as the earlier Good Time Jazz records, but with GTJ.sides out of print (I think they’re out of print; I haven’t seen them for years) this is a worthwhile sampler of Lone Cat Fuller's eclectic one-man band, (born: 1896, Jonesboro, Ga.)

Mississippi Joe Callicott (BH/Polydor BM 4606): Callicott recorded “Fare Thee Well Blues’’ in 1930, and that’s all anyone knew about him until he was rediscovered, and recorded, in 1968. He's neither a remarkable guitarist nor a great singer, but he plays pure Delta blues, and for blues scholars and hardcore folkies he’s a valuable window into the past, (born: 1901, Nesbit, Miss.)

John Lee Hooker: Detroit Special (Atlantic SD 7228): I have to admit that I don’t like Hooker very much - he’s a little too primitive and repetitive for my taste. (I don’t like Charlie Patton either.) Nonetheless, 75% of this record comes from a fairly early (1953) session, and it’s the best Hooker I’ve ever heard on LP: surreal Delta acid-rock. Did you know that William Moore was Hooker’s stepfather?

Bukka White (BH/Polydor BM 4606): White is a major Delta bluesman, but this is a late session (by and large, 1968 seems to have been a bad year for blues) and there are only occasional flashes of greatness left. A lame blues band drowns him out on some cuts. Don't mess with this unless you already own Bukka White: Parchtnan Farm (on Columbia), which presents him at his early best, (bom: 1909, Houston, Miss.)

Lightnin’ Hopkins: Double Blues (Fantasy 24702): Four sides, recorded in 1964 and originally issued on Prestige’as Down Home Blues and Soul Blues. Hopkins has probably been over-recorded worse than any other single blues, singer. He’s seldom bad, but he’s often mediocre - and although there are a number of excellent cuts (“Crawling Black Snake,” “Too Many Drivers”) there are also a number of uninspired performances. Too bad: there’s a great single album here, (born: 1912, Centerville, Tex.)

Elmore James (BH/Poly'dor BM 4601): This 1963 session was James’ last, but he’s still right on top of it. The record is something of a pain in the ass: it’s one of those “and now we take you to the recording studio” trips, with false takes, producer rap (“Great, man, now play two of your good numbers, just play, baby ...”), and four nearly-identical versions of “Hand In Hand.” Even so, the band is loose and funky, and James’ glorious slide guitar is as exciting as ever. With all the repeats there’s not a lot of material, but what there is is the real thing, (bom: 1910, Canton, Miss.)

Blind Willie McTell: Atlanta Twelve String (Atlantic SD 7224): This late (1949) session is half gospel and half blues, anb although it’s a far cry from the intense, early McTell, it’s a whole lot better than the enervated 1956 Library of Congress recordings. Some of the songs are available elsewhere, in earlier versions scattered on various blues compilation discs: “Kill It Kid,” “Broke Down Engine,” “Ain’t It Grand to Live a Christian.” Others are new to record, like McTell’s version of “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie.” (Which, oddly enough, has nothing to do with the song by that name; it’s actually a reworking of Jim Clark’s 1930 recording of “Fat Fanny Stomp.” Curious.) Anyway, if you’ve already got a basic McTell collection, this is a worthwhile /addition; on the other hand, if you’re unfamiliar with his music, hold off on this one until you’ve scored the essential McTell: The Early Years, Yazoo L 1005. (bom 1901, Statesboro, Ga.)

Reverend Gary Davis: When I Die I’ll Live Again (Fantasy 24704): Four sides, recorded in 1960 and originally issued on Prestige as Harlem Street Singer and A Little More Faith. Everybody must know the Rev by this time. His recorded output was of remarkably even quality, and like most of his records this set is excellent. Particularly since it includes so many of his best numbers it makes a fine, basic Gary Davis collection. Featuring the usual intricate fingerpicking' - a little sloppy perhaps, but then the Rev was always a little sloppy - it’s a fine, joyous record. Four stars, (bom: 1896, Lawrence County, S.C.)

Professor Longhair: New Orleans Piano (Atlantic SD 7225): If you’ve been wondering where Fats Domino, Huey Smith and Dr. John get their stuff from, here’s where you can find out. Longhair started it all: his rich, -rockin’ piano style prefigures nearly every great New Orleans rock V roll pianist, and it’s great to be able to hear him, finally, at length. These early recordings (1949 and 1953) don’t offer much variety but Longhair’s verve' and originality more than make up for it. The record suffers a bit from being placed in a blues context; it’d probably be happier in last year’s'“Their Greatest Recordings” series. But fuck categories: Longhair is a master, and this is the real stuff. Four stars, (bom: 1918, Bogalusa, La.)

Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry: Back to New Orleans (Fantasy 24708): Four sides, recorded in 1959 and 1960, and originally, issued on Prestige as Down Home Blues ,and Blues Iri My Soul While not as intenseas the Folkways albums, these mid-period sessions are just fine: relaxed, mellow and full of vitality. I love the humor most of all: in “Pawnshop,” Brownie sings, “I asked the pawnshop man, What is those three balls doin’ on the wall/He said, Well I’m bettin’ you two to one buddy, you won’t get your stuff out of here at all.” Four sides go by very quickly in such good company; Brownie and Sonny are too much. Four stars. (Brownie bom: 1915, Knoxville, Tenn.; Sonny bom: 1911, Durham, N.C.)

Dave Van Rorik (Fantasy 24710): Four sides, originally issued on Prestige as Dave Van Ronk: Folksinger and Inside Dave Van Ronk. What’s DVR doing in a blues review? Well, if not for Ronk a lot of us might never have started listening to blues in the first place, so for that reason, as well as old time’s sake; he belongs. Forget sides 3 & 4: Inside is a dreadful set of choked-up English ballads, and miserably recorded to boot. But sides 1 & 2, Folksinger, is probably Van Ronk’s best record; it wears superbly well after ten years. “Cocaine,” “Good Old Wagon,” “He Was A Friend of Mine“ - the hits just keep on cornin’. Terrific'guitar, funky vocals - just as good as you remember it. If you dig Ry Cooder’s Into the Purple Valley, you’ll really get off on this. Four stars.

Blues Piano: Chicago Plus (Atlantic SD 7227): Little Johnny Jones, Floyd Dixon, Little Brother Montgomery, Frank “Sweet” Williams, Meade Lux Lewis. A compendium of various Atlantic sides from the early 50s, some previously unreleased, this is one killer record. Johnny Jones (four cuts) is the find of the album, at least for me. One of Elmore James’ sidemen, he plays here with James backing him. “Chicago Blues,” a solid rocker, even has James playing on acoustic guitar. Whee! There’s no space for detailed notes, but withthe exception of one cut by Frank Williams, all this stuff cooks like mad. Sweet home Chicago, indeed. Four stars.

Otis Rush (BH/Polydor BM 4602): Extremely rare Cobra material from the mid-50s. At his best, Rush is in the same ballpark as Howlin’ Wolf, but tod often these sides are slick and overproduced: blues on their way to becoming soul, music. Rush comes very close to transcendence, but he lacks that desperate, life-on-the-line quality that distinguishes bluesmen like Wolf and Muddy. Nonetheless, this is super-solid Chicago music, featuring backup musicians like Ike Turner and Shakey Horton, and it’s well worth attention. Four stars, (bom: 1934, Philadelphia, Miss.)

Johnny Shines (BH/Polydor BM 4607): This is a late session (1968), but it’s full power all the way. Shines is best known as a Chicago R&B musician; he is revealed here as a powerful Delta bluesman as well. Despite the presence of a blues band (including Shakey Horton and Otis Spann) on some cuts, this is basically a country blues record — and a very fine one. The material is excellent: “I Will Be Kind to You” is out of the same bag as “Smokestack Lightning,” and it’s as black and scary as any Robert Johnson side, with lines like, “Give me your soul, I’ll give you silver and gold.” “Solid Gold,” another standout, is heavily influenced by Son House’s “My Black Mama,” even to the same slide guitar riff. Shines’ vocal style is pure Delta, with eerie slides into falsetto, and unexpected whoops and yells. Shines is a major bluesman; if you didn’t know it before (and 1 didn’t), this record is required listening. Five stars, (bom: 1915, Memphis)

Texas Guitar From Dallas to LA (Atlantic SD 7226): T-Bone Walker, Guitar Slim, Lawyer Houston, A1 King, Ray Agee, R.S. Rankin. A fascinating cross-section of Texas blues, ranging from the raw country sound of Lawyer Houston to the burning electric blues of A1 King, and from 1950 and 1964 — culled from Atlantic’s legendary (and seemingly bottomless) vault. Lawyer Houston gets over half the record, which is right on. A littleknown bluesman in the Mance Lipscomb fingerpicking tradition, Houston is a real discovery. These eight cuts represent his total recorded output; his thumb-heavy, dark rolling guitar and introspective vocals make an impressive addition to the already rich Texas blues tradition. The rest of the record isn’t quite up to Houston (and no wonder), but it’s' all tough, black, uncompromising stuff. Long live the Texas blues! Five stars.

Magic Sam (BH/Polydor BM 4603): This is the Magic Sam record — burning, boiling chunk of golden-age Chicago blues. If you’ve heard other, later, Magic Sam records and wondered what all the fuss was about, here’s where you can find out. These are Sam’s first recordings, made for Cobra in the mid-50s. His guitar is astounding: full-out, fast, jukin’ blues — dancing music. An essential recording — pure, glorious Chicago blues in full cry. Play it loud, get drunk, and let it put you together again. Five stars and fireworks, (bom: 1937, Granada, Miss.)