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The Howlin' Wolf Story
(Arista/Bluebird) 
Howlin'
Wolf wasn't just large physically, he was larger than
life, an almost mythic figure who like Charlie patton
and Son House before him, seemingly embodied the undiluted
power of the blues with every fiber of his being.
One of the best descriptions of Wolf comes from Sam
Phillips and it's worth quoting here: "When I
Heard him I said, 'This is for me. This is where the
soul of man never dies.' The greatest sight you could
see would be Howlin' Wolf doing one of those sessions
in my studio. God, what it would be worth to see the
fervor in that man's face when he sang. His eyes would
light up and you'd see the veins on his neck, and
buddy there was nothing on his mind but that song.
He sang with his damn soul!..." Few of us were
ever lucky to get that close but the next best thing
may be "The Howlin' Wolf Story" an outstanding
new entry in BMG's When The Sun Goes Down
series
In
this 90 minute authorized documentary director Don
McGlynn and producer Joe Lauro give us a well rounded
look of this blues giant weaving together Wolf's story
chronologically using rare and previously unseen footage
of Wolf in action, interviews of those who knew him
intimately and some wonderful period photos. Among
those interviewed are band members like Jody Williams,
ace guitarist Hubert Sumlin who Wolf looked on as
a son, drummer Sam Lay, Wolf's daughters plus Marshall
Chess, Bob Koester (Delmark Records), Wolf biographer
Mark Hoffman (look for his book next April), Billy
Boy Arnold, Sam Phillips, writer Robert Gordon and
numerous others.
The
live footage of Wolf is outstanding particularly his
1965 performance on Shindig with the Rolling
Stones (they insisted he be on the program). Wolf
is absolutely riveting as he shakes it like he's got
rubber legs and belts out a fierce version of "How
Many More Years." Other footage includes Wolf
in Europe as part of the American Folk Blues Festival
(64') and some amazing footage of Wolf performing
at Newport (66') in an area set up to emulate a juke
joint. While some of this footage appeared on the
video Devil Got My Woman/Blues At Newport the
versions here are greatly improved. Film from a 2nd
camera was found in the Lomax Archives so instead
of the earlier mostly close-up shots of Wolf you now
get to see the band and audience as well. More importantly,
pieces of a better audio track wrere found with the
audio overall much improved. This Newport footage
is interspersed throughout the film and Wolf delivers
an intimate and spellbinding set including a tough
"Dust My Broom" and "Meet Me In The
Bottom" where Wolf drops to one knee as he wails
on the guitar! Wolf's Newport set is marred by Son
House who is literally sloppy drunk and insists on
interrupting Wolf at one point as the two exchange
some words in a scene that's both funny and a little
sad. Other footage includes a riveting clip of Wolf
and Bukka White jamming together backstage at Newport
and perhaps most astonishingly clips of drummer Sam
Lay's never-before-seen home movies of Wolf and others
(including Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson and
Little Walter) performing in various Chicago clubs
(in color but unfortunately no sound). Author Mark
Hoffman's description of a Wolf live show is right
on target: "He was like a feral beast stalking
the stage."
There's
more here than just a montage of clips and Wolf's
story is eloquently told. It's starts from a particularly
hard childhood in Mississippi, "I was broke when
I was born, that's the reason I'm Howlin'" he
says, he "played all over the cotton belt"
before heading up to Memphis where he cut sides for
Sun Records and then to the bright lights of Chicago
and the legendary Chess Records. There's a fair bit
devoted to the burgeoning blues revival which was
stoked to a good degree by the American
Folk Blues Festival when America's best bluesman
barnstormed across Europe in the 60's to packed venues.
They were treated like royalty
and were a major inspiration to bands like the Rolling
Stones (seen here performing Wolf's "Little Red
Rooster"), the Yardbirds, Kinks and many others.
Despite his huge fame it's that hard childhood that
seemed to haunt Wolf, particularly his relationship
with his mother. His mother threw him out of the house
and disapproved of him singing "the devil's music."
In a moving segment Hubert Sumlin recounts Wolf seeing
his mother in Clarksdale after ten years of estrangement.
Wolf started crying and gave his mother a $500 dollar
bill which she promptly stomped on and left on the
floor. In the end, when Wolf was dying, he reached
out to his mother but she refused to see him. Perhaps
because of this Wolf took great pains to take care
of his family and his beloved wife Lillian. Wolf never
slowed down, continuing to give his it his all even
when he started suffering serious health problems
with his kidneys and a series of heart attacks. The
end is told with the strains of Wolf's intense version
of Wolf's "Going Down Slow" in the background
with a an obviously choked up Hubert Sumiln recounting
when he heard the news of Wolf's death.
Along
with the two DVD volumes of the "American
Folk Blues Festival" released last year, "The
Howlin' Wolf Story" is absolutely essential viewing.
The DVD is rounded out with nice extra features including:
previously unknown performance footage, additional
Sam Lay home movies and and interesting segment on
the Muddy/Wolf rivalry.
-Check
out these related links:
When
The Sun Goes Down
(Jeff Harris)
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Kenny Neal & Billy
Branch: Double Take (Alligator)
"Double
Take" combines the forces of blues veterans Billy
Branch and Kenny Neal on a mostly unplugged set of
down-home blues. The duo sound particularly inspired
together on this recording, originally released in
1998 on the small Isabel label and now with Alligator's
re-release it can be heard by a wider audience.
Kenny
Neal broke out in the 80's cutting a series of strong
records for the Alligator label and most recently
cutting a trio of records for Telarc. Branch was touted
as a future blues star early on but has never really
fulfilled that promise despite some solid recordings
and a long resume as a first rate session player.
Branch has one prior tie to Alligator as co-headliner
of the 1990 summit meeting "Harp Attack"
(Junior Wells, Carey Bell, and James Cotton) where
he seemed to get a bit lost in the midst of those
heavyweights. On "Double Take" both men
get plenty of opportunity to shine on this loose,
engaging set of back porch blues.
The
duo split the vocal chores down the middle of this
12 track set confidently running through a set of
of covers and originals. The bulk of this set is acoustic
and the whole record has a nice easy going feel like
two old friends sitting on the porch reeling off some
blues on a lazy afternoon. Things kick off with "Going
Down Slow" taken at a fast clip propelled by
hand clapping and the incessant riffing of Branch's
harmonica and the duo effortlessly roll through fine
numbers like Neal's moving "The Son I Never Knew"
(from Neal's 1989 record "Devil Child"),
a sprightly "My Babe" sung by Branch with
fine jazzy picking from Neal and the low-down "Early
One Morning" with Branch blowing some inspired
Jimmy Reed like licks. Things heat up on a gritty,
nearly eight minute duet of "Mannish Boy"
with Branch uncorking some blistering amplified harp,
the romping instrumental "Billy And Kenny's Stomp"
before simmering down on Branch's autobiographical
"Northern Man Blues" a real showcase for
his singing and passionate harp work and one of the
album's best cuts.
"Double
Take" is a relaxed down-home affair from two
first rate bluesmen and despite the easy going feel
there's plenty of sparks that fly. Both men acquit
themselves marvelously but it's the lesser known Branch
who really makes his case as a bluesman to be reckoned
with.
(Jeff
Harris)
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Corey Harris:
Mississippi To Mali (Rounder)
Corey
Harris is both a musical innovator and a blues
traditionalist and throughout the course of six
albums these two impulses have made him one of
the most consistently interesting bluesman on
the scene. On "Mississippi To Mali"
Harris seamlessly fuses blues and African music
creating a fascinating musical hybrid.
"Mississippi
To Mali" came about from his participation
in Feel Like Going Home, episode one
of Martin Scorsese's PBS series, The Blues.
In that episode, one of the best of the series,
Harris explored the links between the blues and
African music and further explores that theme
on this new record. "I wanted to demonstrate",
he writes in the liner notes, "the living
links between African music and African-American
music, specifically the blues and it's offspring:
jazz, funk, r&b, and hip-hop."
On
"Mississippi To Mali" Harris succeeds
spectacularly in bridging the two cultures on
this intimate, earthy collection of Africanized
blues aided by blues musicians like Sam Carr,
Bobby Rush and several African musicians including
the great Ali Farka Toure on guitar and vocals.
The CD is appropriately dedicated to fife and
drum master Othar Turner, who passed just a week
before he was to record for this project. It's
also appropriate because Turner's ancient sounding
fife and drum is perhaps one step closer to an
African sound than the blues. Turner's spirit
lives on as his Rising Star Fife and Drum Band
is featured on two tracks with Shardé Thomas,
the 12-year-old granddaughter of Othar Turner,
leading the band. These two cuts are outstanding
particularly the ragged but right version of "Sitting
on Top of the World" (here called "Station
Blues") featuring Shardé's fine little-girl-voice
and engaging fife playing. All the tracks were
recorded live in the field giving them an intimate
feel especially successful on Africanized versions
of Skip James' "Special Rider Blues"
and "Cypress Grove" aided considerably
by Harris' excellent throaty vocals. There's a
very traditional feel to many of these sides and
outside of perhaps Alvin Youngblood Hart, there's
few better young interpreters of old time blues
than Harris. That's evident on a a pair of slide
driven solo cuts like the lovely instrumental
opener, "Coahoma" and a moving version
of Blind Willie Johnson's "Dark Was the Night,
Cold Was The Ground" that closes the record.
Other highlights include a magnificent loping
"Big Road Blues" featuring Sam Carr
on drums and Bobby Rush that owes a debt to Houston
Stackhouse's 1967 version and who in turn learned
it from Tommy Johnson who cut the original in
1928 and "Mr. Turner" (with the same
group), a heartfelt moan to the late Othar Turner
with Harris laying down some tremendous ringing
slide that bears the unmistakable stamp of slide
master Robert Nighthawk. The rest of the album,
equally fine, leans more toward African music.
"Mississippi
To Mali" is yet another innovative and consistently
enjoyable outing from the multi-talented Corey
Harris whose restless and creative spirit continues
to burn bright.
-Check
out these prior Corey Harris reviews:
Downhome
Sophisticate
Live
At Starr Hill
Corey
Harris: Live At Milestones
(Jeff
Harris)
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Tommy Brown: Remember
Me (Bonedog)
Last
month we reviewed an excellent comeback record from
40's & 50's era blues belter Piney Brown. That record
was arguably the comeback record of 2003 and now with
the release of Tommy Brown's "Remember Me"
we may have the comeback record of 2004. Brown had his
greatest success as a big voiced R&B shouter in
the 50's and this belated return finds him in marvelous
form.
"Remember
Me" is a fitting title but the reality is that
outside of die hard collectors few will remember Tommy
Brown. He had a very good run in the 50's recording
for major R&B labels like Savoy, Dot, King, United,
Groove and Imperial. Brown even scored a number one
record back in 1951 when "Weepin' And Cryin'"
topped the R&B charts for four weeks. He cut a number
of top flight numbers during this period like the humorous
"Double Faced Deacon" plus rousing tunes like
"Atlanta Boogie", "V-8 Baby" and
"The House Near The Railroad Tracks." Through
the 60's Brown released a number of comedy albums before
hanging it up in the 70's. In 2001, fifty years after
his #1 hit, Brown returned to the stage appearing at
the prestigious Blues Estafette Festival in Holland
(coincidentally where the aforementioned Piney Brown
launched his comeback the year before) and was also
the cover story in Juke blues magazine the same year.
Now, on the same label as Piney Brown's comeback, Tommy
Brown returns with a vintage set of blues and R&B.
Back
in his heyday Brown shouted the blues in the best tradition
of hit makers like Wynonie Harris and Roy Brown and
while he can't match the sheer lung power of his old
records his voice remains remarkably strong and supple.
On this set of mostly originals Brown sounds smooth
and assured backed by top drawer band including a full
horn section, first rate background singers and some
particularly strong keyboards from Jim Britton. You
can tell Brown has still got it when he launches into
the humorous chugging opener "Remember Me"
and the funky "High Maintenance Woman" another
humorous tale of a woman who's just a little too much
for poor Brown as he relates: "Yeah baby you tough,
but you too tough to maintain/I started thinking this
chick is outta my league/She needs a viagra sugar daddy
with the bucks to set her free!" Brown revisits
older numbers like the rocking horn driven "Woman
And Cadillacs (V-8 Baby)" a romping remake of his
"V-8 Baby", the bouncy "Honky Tonk"
is a vocal version of Bill Doggett's famous number (a
song Brown claims to have had a role in composing when
he gigged with Doggett in the early 50's) and a moving,
low down take on "Chains Of Love." Other highlights
include the contemporary sounding blues of "Blues
Singer" and the insinuating shuffle of "Gotta
Find Me A Lover" featuring fine accordian giving
it a slight cajun feel. My only complaint is the lack
of liner notes detailing Brown's lengthy career in music.
Surely they could have used some of the excellent Juke
Blues article for this purpose.
Like
the Piney Brown record, Tommy Brown's record is also
a triumph finding this old blues singer in remarkably
fine voice. Bonedog Records should be commended for
letting vintage blues singers like these get another
chance to shine.
-Check
out these related links:
Bonedog
Records
Piney
Brown Review
(Jeff Harris)
|
The Holmes Brothers:
Simple Truths (Alligator)
For
over a decade The Holmes Brothers have been releasing
terrific records showcasing their rocking fusion of
blues and gospel with those wonderful three part harmonies.
"Simple Truths" is a departure from their
prior record, an all gospel affair, and finds The
Holmes Brothers tackling a more adventurous program
covering a wide range of material, running the gamut
from Willie Nelson to Bob Marley. At times the results
are electrifying, other times a bit uneven
The
Holmes Brothers are always worth a listen and their
previous outings for Alligator and Rounder have been
nothing short of outstanding. The Holmes Brothers
joined forces and started performing together in 1979,
(bassist Sherman Holmes, guitarist/keyboardist Wendell
Holmes and drummer Popsy Dixon) and have taken their
rootsy, uplifting music from the streets of New York,
where they cut their teeth, to an international audience.
In addition to their six studio records the trio has
recorded with Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Odetta,
Phoebe Snow, Jungle Brothers and Joan Osborne and
have gigged all over the world.
While the band shakes up the formula a bit on "Simple
Truths" to sometimes mixed results, there's enough
great moments that make this record tough to ignore.
At
the core of the group is the is the unbeatable harmonies
of The Holmes Brothers, an equal mix of grit and honey,
who imbue whatever they sing with a deeply spiritual
and rootsy vibe. As on prior records a few guests
are on board including pedal steel ace Greg Leisz,
guitarist Chris Bruce and Patrick Warren on pump organ
all who've played with a daunting number of well known
artists - too long to list here plus bassist David
Pilch from the Bill Frisell Band. The program is eclectic
with some surprising covers and fine originals. The
Holmes Brothers serve up some typically strong originals
including the rocking opener "Run Myself Out
of Town" featuring Wedell Holmes' gritty gospel
soaked lead and the rollicking country tinged "You
Won't Be Livin' Here Anymore." These tunes are
The Holmes Brothers at their best and close to what
they sound like live, a stunning experience, - take
my word! Of the covers nods go to the storming blues
of "Big Boss Man" featuring blistering lap
steel from Greg Leisz, a knockout cover of Hank Williams'
"I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" replete with
some raunchy, fuzzed out guitar and the achingly soulful
Willie Nelson number "Opportunity to Cry"
with just Wendell on vocal and piano is a stunner.
Some of the other covers seem a bit lightweight in
comparison including stripped down numbers like Townes
Van Zandt's "If I Needed You", Gillian Welch's
"Everything Is Free", Bruce Channel's 62'
pop hit "Hey Baby" and Bob Marley's "Concrete
Jungle" all lack the fire and grit we've come
to expect from The Holmes Brothers.
All
in all the good stuff on "Simple Truths"
is as good as anything The Holmes Brothers have done
while the other stuff just doesn't match up. I'd never
dissuade a band from stretching out and trying new
things but with The Holmes Brothers why tamper with
a formula that's been unbeatable so far.
-Check
out these related links:
Speaking
In Tongues Review
(Jeff Harris)
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