Chicago is still a blues town where any night of the week you can catch good live blues ranging from the obscure players to the well known. In Chicago's nooks and crannies there's plenty of veteran players who have links to the golden age of Chicago blues when guys like Little Walter and Muddy Waters dominated the scene. Jimmie Lee Robinson played with some of the city's brightest stars in the 50's and 60's but never achieved big time success himself. The previously unreleased "Chicago Jump" is a terrific set of Chicago blues from this unsung bluesman who passed in 2002.

 Robinson was an ace sideman during the Chicago blues golden age hooking up with guitarist Freddy King in 1952 for four years (co-fronted a band called the Every Hour Blues Boys), later worked with Elmore James, was a member in Little Walter's band, played and recorded with Willie Mabon and also worked with Eddie Taylor, Shakey Jake, and St. Louis Jimmy Oden. Robinson managed to record only a handful of singles for the tiny Bandera label circa 1959-60. By the mid-60's he retired from music until coaxed back in the late 80's by a young local band the Ice Cream Men. His first full length record, "Lonely Traveller" was released on Delmark in 1994 followed by a pair of fine solo records for APO in 2000 and 2001. The recordings on "Chicago Jump" stem from 1995-96 and despite shopping this session around no one was interested. It's amazing that blues of this caliber had to wait so long to be released but it does serve as a fitting tribute to Robinson, containing some of his finest work.

 Robinson is reunited with guitarist Rockin' Johnny Burgin and harmonica blower Scott Dirks who appeared on 94's excellent "Lonely Traveller" plus veteran drummer Twist Turner. The overall sound is vintage hard edged Chicago blues. Robinson's sharp edged, unpredictable guitar work enlivens every cut as does his gritty and passionate vocals. The swaggering blues of Little Walter is a major inspiration as Robinson rips through Walter covers like the stomping "Tell Me Mama", the no nonsense "Ah'w Baby", an impassioned "Last Night" and "Confessin' The Blues." Harp man Scott Dirks sounds particularly inspired on these cuts blowing up a storm, which isn't surprising from a man who co-authored the fine Walter biography "Blues With a Feeling" last year. Robinson pays tribute to former partners like Willie Mabon on the rocking shuffle of "Got To Have Some" plus solid covers of Jimmy Reed and Freddie King. Robinson and the band cut loose on the torrid instrumentals "Jimmie's Jam" and "Chicago Jump" and show some diversity with a suitably after hours vibe on Charles Brown's "Drifting Blues."

 "Chicago Jump" is a stellar Chicago blues record from a man who was steeped in that style all his life and who despite a career mostly on the sidelines proves he was more than capable of standing in the spotlight.

-Check out these related links:
Blues with A Feeling (Little Walter Biography)

(Jeff Harris)

 Based in Oxford, Mississippi, Fat Possum is the only blues label around devoted to putting out country blues. Guys who play in the style of R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough are few and far between these days but surprisingly a real deal country bluesman named Charles Caldwell lived right in the label's back yard. "Remember Me" is ominous, rough and ready juke joint blues every bit as tough as the label's more established artists.

 "You say you been in Water Valley for three years and you're only just comin' to hear me? Where the hell you been?" That's what Caldwell said to label owner Matthew Johnson when he paid a visit in May 2002. More importantly was Caldwell's response when asked if he wanted to cut a record - "Hell Yes." It was almost too late as Caldwell was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer shortly after and passed on September 2003. The fittingly titled "Remember Me" serves as his sole legacy, giving us a glimpse of an excellent country bluesman playing in a timeless Mississippi tradition that is in itself dying off.

 "Remember Me" features Caldwell playing solo and with various drummers including Spam who backs T-Model Ford another Fat Possum artist. Caldwell plays raw, jagged electric guitar creating an almost hypnotic groove. His deep, whiskey soaked voice is the perfect compliment as he delivers a heartfelt set of tunes mixing original verses and traditional ones to create something new. The music is very much in the tradition of label mates like R.L. Burnside and T-Model but Caldwell manages to invest his country blues with a unique stamp that marks him as something special. There's a deep, dark and haunting feel to Caldwell's blues on numbers like the mesmerizing "Hadn't I Been Good To You", he stomps the blues with juke joint authority on "Old Buck", delivers an eerie low key vibe on "I Know I Done You Wrong" and lays down soulful numbers on "I'll Do Anything You Say" and "Down The Road Of Love" with Caldwell's gravelly voice particularly effective on these.

 "Remember Me" is a marvelous document of a singular blues talent caught right before his blues would have been lost forever. It's an interesting thing that in a form as simple as the country blues how those rare artists can deliver performances that transcend the genre's limitations. Charles Caldwell was one of those rare artists.

-Check out these related links:
Fat Possum Website

(Jeff Harris)