Roundup
Of Notable New Reissues
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Pinetop Perkins is, sadly,
one one of the last of the old time blues piano men. There's
precious few still active although we're lucky to have a
few like Big Joe Duskin, Henry Gray and pair of Pinetop's
protégés in Ike Turner and the underrated
Ernest Lane. Pinetop became the ultimate session man playing
behind Robert Nighthawk, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Earl Hooker
and over a decade with Muddy Waters, taking the chair from
the great Otis Spann. Perkins got a bit more room to stretch
out with the Legendary Blues Band, particularly on "Life
of Ease" and
"Red Hot 'n' Blue" before finally waxing his domestic
debut with 1988's "After Hours." Pinetop has recorded
prolifically since and while piano playing is beyond reproach
the albums have tended to lack much excitement which may
be partially due to his insistence on overly familiar standards.
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The 95North label has seen
to fit to issue two 1990's albums originally cut for the
Deluge imprint. On Top is a solid outing
that finds Pinetop in good company aided by former Muddy
harp ace Jerry Portnoy, Michael 'Mudcat' Ward on bass plus
guest Dave Maxwell and Paul Rishell. Highlights include
a sensitive reading of "Just Keep On Drinking"
featuring one of Pinetop's best vocal performances, the
blazing "Four Hand Strut" with David Maxwell and
a robust take on "Look On Yonder Wall" as Pinetop
really rips into this one with powerful two fisted piano
and growling vocals. Live
Top was released a couple of years later in 1994
and finds Pinetop in rollicking form on two live dates recorded
in Rockland, Maine that same year. Backed by The Blue Flames,
Pinetop is in fine form on the classic "After Hours",
dips into his former bosses' songbook for "Hoochie
Coochie Man", delivers a stomping "Murmur Low"
as recorded by Big Boy Spires which in itself was actually
the blues classic "Big Fat Mama", and puts across
a seductive version of "I Had My Fun."
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"Maybe somebody
else would have come up and done it another way. I came
up in the right time and the right season, and I should
say, I just taken it over, I just taken Chicago completely
over", said Muddy Waters in 1981. Muddy wasn't boasting
and his brash electrified brand of Delta Blues not only
took over Chicago, but the world as well. Now nearly 25
years after his death, Muddy's records still fill the blues
shelves and there's a seemingly endless supply of live Muddy
performances that keep surfacing. A mesmerizing live performer,
he's well served on official live documents like "At
Newport" (1960), "Blues from Big Bill's Copacabana"
(1963), "Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live"
(1979) plus a slew of circulating bootlegs of varying quality.
All Night Long: Live ranks as some very
good Muddy indeed, drawing on recordings with three distinct
bands from 1964, circa 1966-67 and the late 70's. Muddy's
1964 band includes Otis Spann, Ransom Knowling and Willie
"Big" Eyes" Smith, Muddy sounds superb on
the languid, slide drenched "Country Boy" and
an impassioned "She's Nineteen Years Old." The
1966-67 recordings features a potent lineup that includes
Otis Spann, George Smith, Pee Wee Madison, Luther Johnson
and Francis Clay. Standouts from this set include "County
Jail" with some bone slashing slide and a magnificent
"I Feel Like Going Home." The late 1970's band
includes Pinetop Perkins, Jerry Portnoy, Bob Margolin, Calvin
Jones, "Guitar Junior" Johnson and the return
of Willie "Big" Eyes" Smith. Muddy hasn't
lost any of his passion letting the sparks fly on "Can't
Get No Grindin'" and the chugging "The Blues Had
A Baby And They Named It Rock And Roll." Sound quality
is pristine throughout with Bill Dahl providing concise
notes on Muddy's career although providing no background
on these recordings, not even locations.
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Rounder
Records has always showed a deep love of New Orleans music
recording albums by Johnny Adams, Walter Washington, James
Booker, Irma Thomas, Beau Jocque and many others. A
Celebration of New Orleans Music collects tracks
from the Rounder and Marsalis Music labels to benefit the
Musicares Hurricane Relief project following the ravages
of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. This is a fine, eclectic collection
drawing together second-line brass bands, R&B, jazz,
funk, Mardi Gras Indian music, gospel and blues. The collection
goes back to the early days of New Orleans with Jelly Roll
Morton's wonderful "I'm Alabama Bound" a spoken
monologue of Morton's rough and rowdy past accompanied by
his sensitive piano playing. New Orleans always boasted
some exceptional piano talent like the brilliant James Booker
who tackles "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" here, Professor
Longhair on the funky "Cuttin' Out" and the newer
generation represented by Davell Crawford who delivers a
gospel soaked rendition of "Something You Got."
Other highlights include the Dirty Dozen Brass Band doing
some second lining on "Mardi Gras In New Orleans",
Al Johnson on his joyous classic "Carnival Time",
Bo Dollis And The Wild Magnolias on the super funky "Meet
De Boys On De Battlefront" and the beautiful spiritual
duo of Johnny Adams and Aaron Neville on the acapella "Never
Alone."
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Crooner
Johnny Adams was a remarkable vocalist blessed with an extraordinary
set of pipes, impeccable phrasing and a wide repertoire.
Blues was only part of the package as the "Tan Canary",
as he was known, tackled gospel, jazz and R&B with equal
assurance. Adams had a fair bit of success waxing sides
for the Ric and SSS labels, notably hits like "A Losing
Battle" and the country tinged "Release Me."
He found the perfect home at Rounder in later years cutting
nine albums (1984-1998) for the label prior to losing his
battle with cancer on September 14, 1998. Adams cut a wide
stylistic swath with the label but the dozen cuts culled
on The Great Johnny Adams Blues Album showcase
his classy, elegant take on the blues. Adams refined, world
weary approach to the blues is reminiscent of the great
Percy Mayfield although Adams possess greater range. It's
not surprising Adams chose to do a tribute to Mayfield,
the magnificent "Walking On A Tightrope", of which
"My Heart Is Hangin' Heavy" and "Danger Zone"
are included featuring tasteful guitar from Duke Robillard.
Adams also tackles Mayfield on the bouncy, humorous "Not
Trustworthy (A Lyin' Woman)" testifying with gusto,
takes a jazzy, funky approach on "Roadblock" featuring
Dr. Lonnie Smith on B3 and Jimmy Ponder on guitar, digs
into a gorgeous version of the gospel soaked "Scarred
Knees", the low down ballad "Room With A View
Of The Blues" with the program fittingly closing with
the steamy "This Time I'm Gone For Good" with
stellar guitar from frequent partner Walter "Wolfman"
Washington. For those unfamiliar with Johnny Adams this
disc is a fine place to start.
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