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Howard Tate
Mama
Was Right
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B.B. King: Reflections
(MCA) 
At 77 B.B
King remains as busy as ever, reliably putting out a record
or two every year and sounding remarkably youthful. "Reflections"
is a diverse collection of standards all given King's
personal touch, elevating these old songs into something
very special.
Since hitting
70 King seems to have only accelerated his output including
the gold-selling duets album "Deuces Wild" in
1997, 1998's Grammy winning "Blues On The Bayou",
"Let the Good Times Roll: The Music of Louis Jordan"
in 1999, the double-platinum "Riding With the King"
with Eric Clapton, "Makin' Love Is Good for You"
in 2000, and the two time Grammy winner "A Christmas
Celebration of Hope" in 2002. For "Reflections"
King reunites with Simon Climie who produced "Riding
With the King" for a much different record as King
nostalgically looks back on songs that are very special
to him.
Surrounding
King on this outing is a superb session band including
piano and keyboards by Joe Sample, Tim Carmon on Hammond
B3 and acoustic piano, renowned jazz bassist Nathan East,
drummer Abe Laboriel Jr. and fine Texas guitarist Doyle
Bramhall II. For the most part the backing is enhanced
by big swelling horn and string arrangements as King's
expressive and confident vocals sail over the top. There's
ample room for King's signature single string guitar work
although the focus here is more on the vocals. The covers
cut a wide swath from pop chestnuts like "For Sentimental
Reasons" and "What A Wonderful World" to
bluesier territory. King can sing anything and put it
across convincingly but it's the blues material that really
shines particularly "I Want A Little Girl" where
King cuts loose with a somewhat raunchy solo, "A
Mother's Love" cut by Earl King among others and
Lonnie Johnson's classic 1948 smash "Tomorrow Night"
given a soaring treatment by King. He even covers himself,
with "On My Word Of Honor" cut in the '50s and
featuring great B-3 work and "Neighborhood Affair"
from the early '70s. Songs like the above mentioned "What
A Wonderful World" and "Always On My Mind"
are perhaps a bit overly familiar and not even King can
totally rescue them but otherwise he breathes fresh life
into these well worn songs.
Blues purists
may not be totally satisfied but King has never restricted
himself to blues and shows impressive diversity on another
typically classy affair. In a career that's spanned over
50 years and 50 albums there's not much left that King
hasn't done. There's still no one like B.B. King and each
new album should be treasured. He still remains the undisputed
king of the blues.
-Check out
these related links:
B.B.
King Official Website
MCA
B.B. King Website
B.B.
King Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame
(Jeff Harris)
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Down In Houston: Bayou City
Blues By Roger Wood And James Fraher (University Texas
Press) 
Chicago,
Memphis, New Orleans- those are the cities that come
readily to mind when one thinks of major blues centers.
In "Down In Houston" writer Roger Wood and
photographer James Fraher make a persuasive case for
Houston to be added to the list in this photo filled,
superbly researched and affectionate story of a blues
community long overlooked.
The
focus here primarily explores Houston's blues scene
in the years following World War II and the reasons
why the blues community has remained so vital up
to the present day. As Fraher states in the introduction:
"Houston was a place where African American musicians
created some some of the most influential blues-based
music ever played...Houston today is one of the few
places anywhere in which a person can regularly, practically
any night of the week, find venues where blues is performed
by talented practitioners who grew up with the music
and call it their own."
Roger
Wood and James Fraher began their exploration of Houston's
blues scene in 1995 and the the range of original research
is staggering making this book a major contribution
to blues history particularly since so little of the
city's blues history had previously been documented.
This is old fashioned oral history at it's best drawn
directly from the mouths of those who made the music
and those still active on the scene. The authors seemingly
interviewed every Houston blues musician who was willing
to talk as well as audience members, record producers
and club owners. The result is an incredibly detailed,
intimate look at the city's blues community both past
and present made even more special by well over one
hundred gorgeous
full page black and white photos.
The
authors travel far and wide to tell their story with
a strong emphasis on tight knit blues communities like
Houston's Third Ward home to legends like Lightnin'
Hopkins, Albert Collins Johnny Copeland and many others.
It was also the home of famed clubs like the
upscale Eldorado Ballroom and the
legendary Shady's Playhouse a joint that served as "undergraduate
school" where countless young bluesman became schooled
in the blues. Similarly there was the Fifth Ward a center
for black creoles where blues mixed with zydeco in places
like the Club Matinee, the Continental Lounge, the Silver
Slipper and
the Bronze Peacock. The Bronze Peacock was owned by
Don Robey who later closed the club and used the premises
to launch Peacock Records, "the largest and most
influential African American owned-and-operated record
conglomerate in the world during the 1950s and early
1960s." The acquisition of Duke Records in 1952
made the label a true powerhouse with a roster of artists
that included Gatemouth Brown, Bobby "Blue"
Bland, Johnny Ace, Junior Parker and many others, well
documented in the forty page chapter "The Duke-Peacock
Legacy."
The
legacy of Duke-Peacock is still felt in the city even
though the fabled record company shut it's doors in
1973. As saxophonist Wilbur McFarland points out "you've
got more historical musicians in Houston than, I believe,
in any other city in the union. Because the blues artists
that was real big back in the fifties - listen at me
real good - T-Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Amos Milburn,
B.B. King, Bobby Bland, Gatemouth Brown, Junior Parker,
Albert Collins...many of the musicians in town played
with those artists." And they still do, playing
regularly at small joints with devoted followings like
Double Bayou Dance Hall, C. Davis Bar-B-Q, Mr. Gino's,
El Nedo Cafe, Miss Ann's Playpen and several others.
"These weekly rituals...have become long-standing
traditions crucial to the survival of Houston's original
blues culture." As the author states on a personal
note "...it's mainly been in those kinds of places
that I've found and incredible sense of community..."
"Houston
is a camouflaged city when it comes to music",
says singer/guitarist James Bolden. "There's something
there-but away from it, you can't really see it."
Roger Wood and James Fraher have gone a long way to
remove that camouflage
revealing a storied blues history and a still vibrant
blues community which until now has remained hidden
from view. The
combination of lively, passionate writing and wonderl
photographs take the reader on a personal guided tour
of a Houston most people will never see. "Down
In Houston" will go down as a classic of it's kind,
a loving tribute to a city and it's blues people.
(Jeff Harris)
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Cootie
Stark: Raw Sugar (Music Maker)
Various Artists: Sisters Of The South (Music
Maker)
Guitar Gabriel: Toot Blues (Music
Maker)
Music
Maker is built around a firm mission "dedicated
to helping the true pioneers and forgotten heroes
of Southern musical traditions gain recognition and
meet their day to day needs." As a byproduct
the Music Maker Relief Foundation has quietly been
issuing terrific records by theses artists for several
years although most don't get much recognition. Their
latest batch of releases include "Raw Sugar"
a sophomore release by 77 year old Cootie Stark, "Sisters
of the South" a collection of woman blues and
gospel performers and a reissue of Guitar Gabriel's
1991 "Toot Blues" previously issued only
on cassette.
Cootie
Stark made his belated debut in 1999 with the marvelous
"Sugar Man." Stark's musical career goes
way back learning his blues around Greenville, South
Carolina from legends like Baby Tate, Pink Anderson,
Peg Leg Sam and Blind Simmie Doolie. All of them are
long gone making Stark one of the last of the Piedmont
blues players. If anything "Raw Sugar" is
an even stronger record than his first as Stark shouts
out the blues with conviction, beats out some serious
guitar and gets energetic support from Taj Mahal (banjo,
harp, piano), labelmates Cool John Ferguson (guitar,
piano) and Lightnin' Wells plus Music Maker founder
Tim Duffy lending a hand on guitar. The music has
a loose, down-home feel including outstanding numbers
like Bull City Red's "High Yellow" with
Taj beating out rhythm on the ham bone, a moving version
of the traditional "Alberta" plus high energy
workouts like "Shuckin' Corn" and "U-Haul"
where Cootie shouts out the blues like a man half
his age.
"Sisters
of the South" is a charming collection of gospel
and blues ladies mostly performing in an older tradition.
Best known is Precious Bryant who serves up a wonderful
country blues in "If You Don't Love Me, Would
You fool Me Good" and issued her full length
debut last year (one of the year's best). Others have
had full albums on the Music Maker label including
Beverly "Guitar" Watson on the electric
"Baghdad Blues", the legendary Piedmont
finger-picker Etta Baker on a beautiful instrumental
version of "One-Dime Blues" and Essie Mae
Brooks' moving "Feel Like My Time Ain't Long",
one of the album's most engaging numbers. Other highlights
include Willie Mae Buckner (former tent show performer,
stripper, fire swallower) on the risqué "Yo-Yo"
sure to bring a smile to your face and the deep old-time
gospel of Marie Manning on "Hard Luck & Trouble"
with her husband laying down some propulsive guitar.
Guitar
Gabriel (Robert L. Jones) was one of the first artists
Music Maker head Tim Duffy was involved with. The
two became fast friends playing together and becoming
fixtures in the blues joints of Winston-Salem. Gabriel
was born in 1924 outside of Winston-Salem, NC and
from the late 40's to the early 70's he traveled the
country playing the blues and performed with many
great bluesman. By the time Duffy found him he had
hung up his guitar and had only one 45 and one LP
to his name. Duffy cut this album in 1991 now being
released on CD for the first time. "Toot Blues"
is a stunning set of country blues. Gabriel was a
commanding, soulful singer and magnificent guitar
player with an totally unique and unorthodox sound.
Gabriel sings gospel and blues including moving versions
of "Amazing Grace", "Careless Love"
and a wild version of "Just A Little Bit."
This set should be required listening for all fans
of country blues.
Aficionado's
of traditional blues should do themselves a favor
a check out Music Maker who's built up one of the
strongest blues catalogs of any current label. And
don't forget that it's all for a very worthy cause.
-Check
out these related links and past Music Maker reviews:
Music
Maker Website
Big
Boy Henry
Little
Pink Anderson
Cora
Mae Bryant
(Jeff Harris)
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All Music Guide To The Blues:
The Definitive Guide To The Blues Edited By Vladimir Bogdanov,
Chris Woodstra, Stephen Thomas Erlewine
(Back Beat)
Now in
it's 3rd edition, "All Music Guide to the Blues"
has come a long way since it's humble beginnings in 1992.
Touted as the definitive guide to the blues this
new edition comes close to that lofty ambition and is hands
down the most comprehensive blues guide on the market.
One of
AMG's big pluses is it's layout which is very easy to use.
The book is laid out alphabetically with each artist receiving
a biography followed by a discography (both LP and CD) with
reviews of many of those records. Alongside each record
is a it's rating (one to four stars) along with special
symbols for those deemed essential recordings
and those that should be your first purchase
by this artist. Thus newcomers trying to navigate their
way through the hundreds of recordings by artists like B.B.
King or Lightnin' Hopkins will find a convenient and easy
way to get started. A real bonus is The
Essays section in the back that puts these recordings/artists
in context by providing well written pieces on the different
blues styles (Delta, Chicago, Jump blues, etc.), label profiles
(Sun, Chess, etc.) and miscellaneous essays on The Blues
Revival, Blues Reissues, Blues Box Sets
among several others.
To give
you the huge scope of this project some facts and figures
are in order. This new edition has been significantly expanded
since the already hefty 2nd edition featuring 100 more pages,
has grown from covering 950 artists to 1,200 while the recordings
listed and rated have been expanded from roughly 6,000 to
8,900. In addition the Various Artists section has
doubled from 20 to 40 pages. There has been some trimming
in order add all this additional information including a
condensing of the Essays section which still runs
some 50 pages. One of the wisest moves was the axing of
the nearly 60 page Blues In Jazz section which was
superfluous since AMG already puts out a jazz guide. While
all these changes are good there are still a number of flaws
that should be discussed.
First,
as in the previous editions, far too much ink is spent on
rock groups (again AMG has a Rock guide). Among those who
get written up extensively are Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rolling Stones,
Humble Pie, Jimi Hendrix, Gov't Mule, Santana, Paul Rodgers
and Elvis to name just a few. Unfortunately this comes at
the expense of artists like Eugene "Hideaway"
Bridges" (one of the best of the younger crop), Roy
Gaines, Hollywood Fats, Little Mack Simmons, Alberta Adams
just to name a few deserving artists who have been left
out.
There's
also a number of troubling discography problems. For example
take Robert Nighthawk. Rounder's "Live On Maxwell Street"
gets the nod for first purchase when in fact this is a edited
down bootleg and the complete recordings can be found on
Rooster's 3-CD "And This Is Maxwell Street", a
landmark set which isn't even listed. Or where is Ike Turner's
2001 release "Here & Now", Turner's belated
return to the blues? A major release but nowhere to be found.
Another problem besides simple omission is that some of
the recordings touted as essential picks have been
surpassed with newer/better sounding versions. For example
if you look under Charlie Patton the "first purchase"
pick is Yazoo's "Founder of the Delta Blues" which
has been out for ages. Patton's recordings have been cleaned
up considerably in the last couple of years and first choice
should go to the budget priced 3-CD Catfish set issued in
2001. This important set is not even listed. Same goes for
Freddy King who's two Ace collections (the finest collections
of his prime 60's sides) don't even rate a mention while
lesser sets get praised. Unfortunately this trend is not
limited to Patton and King and can be quite misleading to
blues newcomers.
No the
"All Music Guide to the Blues" is not entirely
comprehensive or without it's faults yet each new edition
has got better and the 3rd edition is the best yet. Despite
the flaws detailed above this hefty tome delivers the goods
more often than not. This one comes highly recommended
whether you're a novice who's
looking to pick up that first Albert King record or an experienced
collector looking to find out more about Blind Joe Taggert,
you'll find this to be an indispensable companion.
(Jeff Harris)
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Buddy Guy: Blues Singer (Silvertone)
Buddy Guy is one of
the blues most popular artists but his enormous success
among rock fans has not always pleased blues fans. Since
his huge success in the 90's Buddy's records have been
unpredictable and uneven. "Blues Singer", a
stark acoustic outing, will certainly confound many of
Buddy's rock fans and is almost the exact opposite of
his recent efforts.
In the early 90's Buddy's
reputation really took off with "Damn Right, I've
Got the Blues" (his first domestic album in a decade)
earning him a Grammy as did his two following records
all done for his current label Silvertone Records. His
success was certainly overdo as Buddy had been cutting
records since the late 50's most notably a stint with
Chess (1960-67) that cemented his reputation as one of
the most incendiary of Chicago bluesmen. Among some blues
fans his recent rock heavy records were a disappointment
considering what Buddy was capable of. His reputation
has taken a further hit due his live performances (subject
to a recent damming NY Times piece) where he could be
in the midst of an intense workout and abruptly cuts off
his song to jive with the audience and do imitations of
Clapton or Hendrix. This is the baggage that each new
Buddy Guy record drags around and "Blues Singer"
has already been garnering a fair bit of commentary.
This is Buddy's acoustic
album modeled on Muddy Waters' 1963 acoustic record "Folk
Singer" which just happened to feature a young Buddy
on guitar. Now forty years later Buddy is assuming the
role of his idol helped out by a low-key band that includes
Jim Keltner on drums, Tony Garnier on upright bass, Jimbo
Mathus on guitar and guest appearances by Eric Clapton
and B.B. King. The record works surprisingly well and
the usually over-the-top Buddy sounds rather subdued but
still quite commanding on a nice mix of offbeat covers
and more familiar material. Buddy's emotionally wracked
voice is superb and his acoustic work very good. "Crawlin'
Kingsnake" features both Clapton and King while "Lucy
Mae Blues" features just Clapton with this latter
number originally by Texas bluesman Frankie Lee Sims,
an unexpected cover, is one of the album's most inspired
songs. Other highlights include a stark, eerie cover of
Skip James' "Hard Time Killing Floor", "I
Live The Life I Love" and Son House's "Louise
McGhee."
Taken
without the baggage and on it's own merits, "Blues
Singer" is a very good record. Muddy Waters' "Folk
Singer" was a classic because it wasn't really a
stretch for Muddy. All he had to do was go back to his
roots which were never far behind in his music to begin
with. "Blues Singer" isn't quite as convincing
simply because Buddy never played this style of blues
before. Still for Buddy Guy fans looking for a new dimension
to their hero this is a good one.
(Jeff Harris)
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Howard Tate: Rediscovered
(Private Music)
Welcome
back Howard Tate! After cutting some some stunning soul
songs in the 60's, including the oft covered "Get
It While You Can", Tate disappeared so completely
he hadn't been spotted in over 20 years. A remarkable
turn of events brought Tate out of the shadows and in
2001 news of his comeback spread like wildfire among soul
and blues fans. "Rediscovered" more than lives
up to the hype and shows that Tate's wonderful vocals
have lost nothing since his glory days.
Tate
made the R&B Top 20 three times in the late '60s with
"Ain't Nobody Home," "Stop" and "Look
at Granny Run Run." It was "Get It While You
Can" which became his most famous song due to covers
by Janis Joplin, who made it her signature song, as well
as covers by B.B. King and Grand Funk Railroad. The album
"Get It While You Can" came out on Atlantic
in 1967 followed by two more that did little commercially.
He dropped out not long after, got involved with drugs
and alcohol before having a spiritual awakening which
led him to become a pastor in a New Jersey church. Tate's
rediscovery came bout due to local DJ Phil Casden
who was airing Tate's music from a recent CD collection
and pleading to his audience for clues to Tate's whereabouts.
Surprisingly, this panned out in 2001, leading to an amazing
comeback for Tate with triumphant shows in New York and
New Orleans. "Rediscovered" is proof that the
glowing reviews of those comeback shows weren't hype-
Howard Tate is back and he sounds like he never left.
Tate
sounds like he stepped out of a time machine form the
late 60's - it's all there the subtle phrasing, the bluesy
aching feel behind every word and that amazing falsetto
that can stop you in your tracks. The other good news
is that this album reunites Tate with Jerry Ragovoy, who
produced and wrote much of Tate's early material and also
plays piano on this record. Add a solid rhythm section,
the Uptown Horns and a batch of great new songs and you
have the perfect comeback record. The slinky, bluesy opener
"Mama Was Right" sets the right tone and we
know Tate is really back. A number of these songs already
sound like classics especially the aching ballads "Sorry
Wrong Number" and the heartfelt "Don't Compromise
Yourself" where Tate is utterly convincing as he
sings what he knows all to well: "you've got to take
good care of your soul or you're gonna be sinking into
a deeper hole." The album includes two covers including
a surprisingly good, funky version of Prince's "Kiss"
and wraps up with a spellbinding version of "Get
It While You Can" with just Jerry Ragovoy on piano.
Howard
Tate's story is worthy of Hollywood, a remarkable journey
that improbably had a happy ending. When the last notes
of Ragovoy's piano fade out on the final track you're
left to wonder how such a transcendent voice could have
be stilled for so long. "Rediscovered" is everything
Tate's fans have been hoping for and more.
(Jeff Harris)
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