"All By Hisself: Live At The Lonestar" is the first in a series, entitled "The Rebennack Chronicles", unreleased recordings drawn from Dr. John's (Mac Rebennack) huge archive of live concert tapes. Mac lays down some outstanding solo piano and to sweeten the deal there's a bonus DVD where he discusses the history of New Orleans music sprinkled with his own playing.

  If this first collection is any indication this is going to be an incredible series. Hyena Records has partnered with Mac to create Skinji Brim, a record label designed to spotlight his archive of live concert recordings encompassing over 20 years. The label also plans to spotlight some new artists that as Mac says "ain't found a home nowhere, but has some solid music to project."  "All By Hisself: Live At The Lonestar" is all Mac, recorded over two nights in 1986 at New York's Lonestar as the Dr. delivers a rousing clinic on New Orleans piano.

 The sound quality is amazing, taken right from the board, and the material is first rate. Mac effortlessly rolls through a history lesson in New Orleans music with his exuberant piano work and that insinuating growl of his. To put it into his own words this stuff is off the hook kicking off with the storming instrumental "Swanee River Boogie" before rolling through New Orleans gems like "Stagger Lee," "Such a Night," "Junco Partner," "Iko, Iko," "Right Place, Wrong Time" and many others. Mac wraps it all up with a glorious seven minute plus medley of "Rockin Pneumonia/High Blood Pressure/Happy Times/Don't You Just Know It/Don't You Just Know Yockomo." The bonus DVD is worth the price all by itself. It's an intimate portrait of Mac sitting and playing music, talking about music, New Orleans, and the city's amazing piano tradition. This from a man who surrounded himself by that tradition all his life ever since he was a teenager back in the 50's when he was a budding session pianist/guitarist contributing to records by Professor Longhair, Frankie Ford, and Joe Tex.

 "All By Hisself: Live At The Lonestar" is a tremendous document and an absolute must for all fans roots music. This is a remarkable launch to an ambitious project, one that's slated to run some twenty volumes.

-Check out past Dr. John reviews:
Creole Moon

(Jeff Harris)

 While the much hyped Martin Scorsese film series got all attention a much better blues film aired earlier on some PBS stations called "Blues Story." If you missed it the good news is that it's now available on DVD with the addition of 30 minutes of bonus footage not seen in the PBS broadcast.

  "Blues Story" is a more conventional history of the blues than Scorsese's series putting the focus where it belongs- on the artists, particularly the older generation. This story of the blues is not told by blues academics, white producers or rock artists but directly in the artists own words in a series of intimate reminisces and performances. Among those who tell the story are a blues who's who including: B.B. King, Robert Lockwood, Buddy Guy, Honeyboy Edwards, R.L. Burnside, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Little Milton, Koko Taylor, Snooky Pryor, Hubert Sumlin and several others. Other artists featured like Lowell Fulson, Charles Brown, Ruth Brown, Willie Foster, John Jackson and Othar Turner have all died since filming underscoring how important it is to document these artists before they're all gone. In addition to the interviews are vintage clips by blues legends and performances by many of those interviewed.

 This "Blues Story" is told in roughly chronological fashion from plantation days, the rise of classic woman blues singers like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith to the early male blues stars like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake, to jump blues pioneers like T-Bone Walker and Big Joe Turner to discussions of important blues centers like Memphis, St. Louis and Chicago and proceeding up until the blues revival of the 60's. Many of these segments are highlighted by wonderful performances including: John Jackson discussing Blind Blake's enormous influence and performing "Police Dog Blues", Henry Townsend talking about his admiration of Memphis Minnie as he performs her "Bumble Bee", Robert Lockwood and Honeyboy Edwards talking first hand about Robert Johnson as Honeyboy plays "Crossroads Blues" and Jerry Ricks discussing the blues revival and playing Mississippi John Hurt's "Candy Man." It's absolutely priceless to hear Pinetop Perkins talking about hearing Charlie Patton when he was just a kid, Robert Lockwood and Willie Foster talking about Sonny Boy Williamson, Townsend giving us a history lesson in St. Louis blues (Roosevelt Sykes, Lonnie Johnson, Peetie Wheatstraw), B.B. King, Bobby "Blue" Bland and ex-MC Rufus Thomas reminiscing about amateur night at Memphis' Palace Theater where they first made their mark, Gatemouth Moore telling us how he ran away from home to join Ma Rainey's revue and Buddy Guy relating about being cursed out so much by Leonard Chess that he thought his name was motherfucker!

 Interspersed between the interviews and contemporary performances are some incredible vintage footage including an incendiary clip of Howlin' Wolf on the Shindig show from 1968, footage of Sonny Boy performing in Europe, Robert Nighthawk tearing it up on Maxwell Street from 1964, the Muddy Waters band in it's prime, The Rolling Stones on the Ed Sullivan Show talking about their idol Howlin' Wolf plus live clips of Big Joe Turner, Big Mama Thornton, Roosevelt Sykes, John Lee Hooker and others.

 "Blues Story" presents the real history of the blues from those whose lives where ingrained with the blues their entire lives, a point of view sorely lacking in Martin Scorsese's series. The DVD includes 30 minutes of extra footage and a nice feature where you can skip through to the different performances. I can't recommend this one highly enough. In addition there is an excellent 2-CD companion set with 38 songs spanning the history of the blues with lengthy notes by Jim O'Neal who was a consultant and associate producer on the film.

(Jeff Harris)

Buy From Amazon.com	Buy From Amazon.com

Various Artists: Savoy Blues 1944-1994 (Savoy)
Various Artists: Savoy Blues 'N' Boogie (Savoy)

 The Savoy label was one of the countless independent labels that emerged around or shortly after World War II but one that had more success than most. The label rose to fame on their jazz recordings, particularly bebop ("Where Bop Was Born" was their tagline), cutting seminal sides by Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Dexter Gordon and later delving into blues, R&B and gospel. For a long while Savoy's treasures languished in the vaults until Columbia Music Entertainment took over and began an ambitious re-release program of Savoy's best recordings, all expertly remastered with the latest technology. The newest reissues delve deep into the vaults to rescue vintage recordings by Big Joe Turner, Gatemouth Moore, John Lee Hooker, Johnny Otis, Lavern Baker as well as a host of lesser known artists who deserve to be better remembered.

 "Savoy Blues 1944-1994" is a marvelous 3-CD set which shines the spotlight on some of Savoy's biggest blues and R&B stars with a few forgotten gems thrown in for good measure. The first two discs and half of the third span from the mid-40's through the early 60's while the remaining sides are taken from the Trix and Muse catalogs which fall under the Savoy umbrella. Many of these sides have not been available (at least domestically) since Arista bought the Savoy catalog in the mid-70's and issued a fabulous series of double LP's under the title the "Roots Of Rock 'n' Roll." One of my favorites from this series was called "The Shouters" and a number of cuts from that LP are included here (some also appear on "Savoy Blues 'N' Boogie" reviewed below) including vintage sides by Gatemouth Moore, H-Bomb Ferguson, Nappy Brown (all still with us thankfully) and the obscure Eddie Mack on his emotionally wracked "Keyhole Blues" featuring the outstanding guitar of Mickey Baker. Big voiced blues singers abound on this collection including great sides by Billy Eckstine with his sophisticated brand of blues, Doc Pomus best remembered for his songwriting (hits for Elvis, Dion, the Drifters and others) proves himself a fine blues shouter particularly on the jumping "Doc's Boogie", Billy Wright (a prime influence on Little Richard), huge voiced Tommy Brown's impassioned brand of blues on the fine "Never Trust A Woman" and the magnificent Joe Williams on a pair of post-Basie recordings. The greatest of them all was Big Joe Turner who is at the peak of his powers on a trio of 40's sides including the topical "I Got My Discharge Papers", the salacious "My Gal's a Jockey" and the hilarious "I'm Still In The Dark." The ladies get their due with stellar sides by Albinia Jones, Little Esther and Linda Hopkins (both backed by Johnny Otis' Orchestra) plus Helen Humes, LaVern Baker in her pre-rock 'n' roll days when she was known as Little Miss Sharecropper and the tremendous vocals of Big Maybelle who really goes to town on the low-down "Blues Early, Early Parts 1 & 2." Other highlights include the down-home blues of John Lee Hooker on a pair of early gems circa 48-49', Brownie McGhee and a pair of cuts by blues guitar hero Lafayette Thomas (best know for his work with Jimmy McCracklin's band) including the previously unreleased "Texarkana."

 "Savoy Blues 'N' Boogie" covers similar ground as the above collection spanning the heyday of R&B from 1945-1952 and featuring a 18 prime sides. You'll find a number of the same artists here including more stellar sides by Gatemouth Moore including his glorious oft covered "Did You Ever Love A Woman" and the big band swing of "I Ain't Mad At You Pretty Baby" supposedly inspired when Gate witnessed a woman being carted off by the cops after hitting her man in the head with her shoe - you guessed it, he yelled after her "I Ain't Mad At You Pretty Baby!" Also on board are more great cuts by Tommy Brown (who's currently in the midst of a comeback) on his humorous "Double Faced Deacon" ("he preaches his best while winking at the woman folk") and his romping "V-8" Baby", Lavern Baker's aptly titled "I Want To Rock", H-Bomb Ferguson's "Bookie Blues", Helen Humes doling out some love lessons "with a 69 year guarantee" on "Helen's Advice", Billy Wright's bouncy "Married Woman's Boogie" and the perennially rocking Tiny Bradshaw on the good time "Take The Hands Off The Clock." Other highlights including Jackie Wilson's unmistakable soaring pipes on 1952's "The Rainy Day Blues" hiding under his real name Sonny Wilson, the Louis Jordan inspired Dallas Bartley on a pair of jivey cuts and the honking frenzy of tenor wild man Big Jay McNeely on the blasting instrumental "Man Eater."

 Savoy has been doing a stellar job with their blues catalogue in recent years with fine collections by Big Joe Turner, John Lee Hooker, Big Maybelle, Johnny Otis and Nappy Brown. If your unfamiliar with Savoy's blues treasure these two lovingly compiled and wonderfully remastered collections come highly recommended.

-Check out these related links:
Savoy Records Website

(Jeff Harris)