John Hammond has been a professional bluesman for over forty years yet remains as passionate and committed to the blues as he did when he first started out. That passion and intensity has been evident all three times I've witnessed Hammond and his most recent show at Rochester's Montage Grille was no exception. Hammond performed solo, as he often does, and drew from deep repertoire putting his own stamp on a number of blues obscurities and more well known material.

 Hammond began his career at the start of the 1960's and was on the scene at the first flourishing of the blues renaissance that began in the late-50's and bloomed in the mid-'60s. All of a sudden revered blues artists of the 1920's and 1930's began to be rediscovered by white enthusiasts and quickly commenced on busy second careers playing coffeehouses and festivals around the country and in Europe. Among the hallowed names were the reemergence of once mysterious figure such as Mississippi John Hurt, Rev. Gary Davis, Furry Lewis, Son House and Skip James among many others. Hammond was deeply influenced by these first generation bluesman as evidenced on his 1962 Vanguard debut which boasted covers by Robert Johnson (a prime influence), Blind Lemon Jefferson, Leroy Carr and Son House. That's not say Hammond can't play a mean electric guitar. On more recent recordings Hammond has show versatility laying down tough electric blues on 1994's "Trouble No More" backed by Little Charlie & The Nightcats, teamed up with Duke Robillard on the fine "Found True Love" and most surprisingly of all 2001's stellar "Wicked Grin" that found him tackling a dozen Tom Waits tunes which turned out to be his most commercially successful record to date.

 For his Montage performance Hammond drew from his huge repertoire interpreting a wide range of material from Robert Johnson to Tom Waits. As he said at the start of the set, he had some 44 years worth of material to work with. Asked by a fan before the show how he managed to look so good for his age he replied that it's because he loves what he does which was clearly evident in the sheer intensity of his performance. Hammond blew some piercing racked harmonica and demonstrated some ferocious, lightning quick dexterity on six string acoustic and National Steel. Robert Johnson has always loomed as a large influence on Hammond and he delivered fine versions of the ribald "Phonograph Blues" and a movingly intense version of "Come On In My Kitchen" a song that Johnny Shines said had both woman and men crying when Johnson performed it. In between songs Hammond related some great stories like being introduced to the cantankerous Big Joe Williams by Mike Bloomfield before delving into one of Big Joe's classic numbers. Once Big Joe found out Hammond owned a car he warmed right up to him even letting him blow a little harmonica on stage with him. Between Big Joe and Bloomfield Hammond got quite an education on the Chicago blues scene as he related with some colorful stories. Before playing Buddy Guy's "My Time After Awhile" he recalled being on stage and referring to the song as a Buddy Guy song and being berated by Bob Geddins who claimed to have wrote the song. He also related in awe getting to see Sonny Boy Williamson at Sylvio's in Chicago as he jumped into a great version of the classic "Fattening Frogs For Snakes." Before even seeing Sonny Boy he heard his harmonica and eventually followed the cord through the crowd to a table where Sonny Boy was sitting blowing harmonica surrounded by three woman and a bottle of booze on the table! Needless to say he was impressed. Hammond tackled an eclectic batch of songs including "I'm A Jockey", Hambone Willie Newbern's "Dreamy Eyed Girl", a stunningly intense version of Son House's "Preaching The Blues", "Saddle My Pony", "Drop Down Mama" plus a pair from "Wicked Grin" including a mesmerizing version of "Get Behind the Mule" and closed out with a beautiful version of "Fannin Street."

 John Hammond clearly still loves what he does and it shows in every song he performs. While Hanmmond's records have been consistently strong through the years he takes it to another level in front of an audience and never fails to disappoint as the two standing ovations amply demonstrated.