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 CD Review  Book Review
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Page 1 of
2 of Reviews
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Every month Bad Dog Blues takes a look at the best new
blues releases and offers our opinions, criticism and general ramblings. We'll also take a
look at noteworthy reissues and blues related books. In addition you'll find
a real audio clip from each record we review located on the bottom left. Now on to this months reviews:
"And we played it on the sofa, and we
played it side the wall
And we played it on the sofa, and we played it side the wall
But boys, my needles have got rusty, and it
will not play at all"
(Robert Johnson, Phonograph
Blues)
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Muddy Waters: The Lost
Tapes (Blind Pig)
Muddy Waters:
Honey Bee
(Wolf )
As
if there wasn't enough live Muddy Waters records we now have two more.
It seems Muddy is destined for the same fate as other great musicians which
is to have every scrap of music he ever recorded find it's way to record. In the
case of these latest discs the results are decidedly mixed.
The Lost Tapes consist of two concerts one recorded at the University
of Washington and the University of Oregon both taped in 1971. This
was a period of transition for
Waters who was healing from a car wreck as well just
losing long time pianist Otis Spann to cancer the year before. These
also weren't the best times for Muddy in the studio churning out some
lukewarm records including the awful Electric Mud an attempt to cash
in on the psychedelic era.
By the time of the recordings on The Lost Tapes Muddy had reassembled
his band and brought aboard Pinetop Perkins to fill in behind the
piano. The rest of the band consisted of Chicago stalwarts Pee Wee
Madison and Sammy Lawhorn on guitars, Willie "Big Eyes"
Smith on drums, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones on drums. The odd man
out was West coast harmonica great George 'Harmonica" Smith.
Muddy and the band are in very good form throughout working
through a familiar set that includes good versions of
"Honey Bee" with some nice slide, "Long Distance
Call" and a swaggering version of "Mannish Boy." In
addition to the music the CD is "enhanced" with a video
interview and a live video performance of "Long Distance
Call." There's no real fireworks on the disc but this is still
very solid Muddy and that's not bad.
The recordings from Honey Bee come
from sometime in the early 80's and were recorded in Europe. The
lineup had a couple of new members including Luther Johnson and Bob
Margolin on guitars and Jerry Portnoy on harp but the rest of the band
is the same as the above recording.
By
the time of these recording Waters fortunes were once again on the
upswing thanks in no small part to Johnny Winters. Signed to the Blue
Sky label, a subsidiary of Columbia, and teamed up with producer
Johnny Winters who also played guitar, Muddy went out with a bang
recording a number of great records before his death in 1983. The
recordings on Honey Bee find Muddy in top form and has all the
excitement that was lacking in the other disc.
The set starts off with a couple of less familiar tunes including the
slow groove of "Howlin' Wolf" with some slashing slide by
Muddy and the faster paced "Garbage Man" with some driving
harp from Jerry Portnoy. Muddy is in fine form on a pair of slower
numbers including the mournful "Train Fare Home" and the
moving "Going Home." The band really starts to cook on
Little Walter's instrumental "Off The Wall" and
the funky "Can't Get No Grindin'." While this might not be
first choice for live Muddy Waters this ranks as very good Muddy and
that's high praise indeed.
Muddy
Waters shadow looms large over the blues and his reputation can only
be enhanced by these two CD's. Not the place to start for live Muddy,
Live at Newport or Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live are
better picks, but if you have those the Wolf Record is certainly worth
a look.
(Jeff Harris)
|
 Testify!
The Gospel Box
(Rhino)
Before
there was Hip-Hop, before there was Rap, before there was R&B,
even before there was Blues, there was Gospel. Gospel music, the music
of salvation, the music of hope, but most of all music that moves your
spirit and ultimately your feet.
Testify! a 3 CD set, is broken down into really two samplers. This
first two CD’s rely heavily on the early stars of the gospel
highway. Such famous groups as The Fairfield Four, The Highway
Q.C.’s, The Dixie Hummingbirds, Clara Ward & The Ward Singers
and The Swan Silvertones are
included. Other famous singers featured are Mahalia Jackson crowned
the “Gospel Queen”, Aretha Franklin, one of the best gospel singer
bar none, Shirley Ceasar, one of the toughest singers on today’s
gospel circuit, and Lavern Baker with Prof. Alex Bradford.
Aretha and Lavern crossed over from gospel to R&B, as did Sam
Cooke, Jerry Butler, Lou Rawls, and countless others. The gospel
circuit was the training grounds for countless R&B stars. Many
popular songs of the days were just reworking of old gospel standards.
The word Jesus or Savior was simply replaced with the word baby.
The 3rd CD contains a collection of modern gospel groups.
The Winans, Take 6, Yolando Adams and even Witney Houston are included
in this collection. This disc will give the listener an understanding
of how gospel music continues to include modern musical sounds into
its repertoire in order to get its message across to the younger
generation.
Rhino has done their usual exquisite packaging for this collection. A
stained glass window adorns the box set that look like a prayer book.
A white ribbon lays across the discs much like it would through a holy
book. The linear note booklet (70 pages) gives a brief history of
gospel music along with a brief history of each song presented
Testify! tries to perform the impossible task of covering a music
idiom that is both rich in tradition and history in only 3 CD’s. It
would be like trying to cover the history of blues or jazz in a 3 CD
set. Although I must say this, Testify! is a great place to begin a
gospel collection, so pass the collection plate and shout AMEN!!!!
(Dave Moskal)
|
 Clarence
"Gatemouth" Brown: American
Music, Texas Style
(Blue Thumb)
The good news is that Gatemouth Brown is back in a big way with
another high energy big band record. American Music, Texas Style
takes off where 1997's Gate Swings left off serving up another
swinging set of jazz and blues.
Gatemouth
got his start over fifty years ago filling in for an ailing T-Bone
Walker. He was quickly signed to the legendary Peacock label and his
stinging guitar licks influenced a generation of Texas bluesman.
Don't make the mistake of calling him a bluesman though, the ornery
Brown will most certainly take offense. Gatemouth's playing not only
encompasses blues but also country, bluegrass, jazz and cajun not to
mention the fact that he plays a wicked fiddle to boot. At an
early age he was enthralled with the big bands particularly Duke
Ellington, Lionel Hampton and Count Basie and it's this sound he
recreates masterfully on his latest disc.
American
Music, Texas Style finds Gate backed by a large band with a mostly
similar line up to his previous big band record. Gate never gets lost
in the shuffle and his guitar and vocals are always out front. The
first track "Rock My Blues Away" sets the tone and swings
mightily with Gate helped out on vocals by Kaye Dorian. Gate and the
band swing through a set of well known big band tunes such as "Hootie
Blues", Duke's "I'm Beginning to See the Light" and
Mercer Ellington's "Things Ain't What They Used to Be."
Gate's guitar playing is always top notch, effortlessly laying down
great blues and jazz riffs. Also worth noting are a pair of
tasty slow number including "Guitar in My Hands" and a
beautiful take on Percy Mayfield's "Strange Things
Happen."
There's
plenty of music passing itself off as swing these days and most of
those bands would do well to listen to this record and find out how
it's done.
(Jeff Harris) |
 Phillip
Walker: Big Blues From Texas (JSP)
Phillip
Walker has come a long way since "Hello My Darling" his 1959
debut for Elko Records. In the forty years since he's built a
reputation as an ace guitarist and has recorded a small but impressive
body of work. Yet if you asked the average blues fan who Phillip
Walker is you'd probably get a shrug of the shoulders. Hopefully
things may be changing for Walker who had a well received record on
Black Top last year and was part of the excellent Lone Star Shootout
on Alligator playing besides Long John Hunter and Lonnie Brooks. Big
Blues from Texas is a re-release of a 92' set on JSP and finds him in
typically sterling form.
That Walker has
emerged as one of the most respected and convincing bluesman on the
scene should be no surprise. Walker's blues resume is impressive
playing three years in Clifton Chenier's band as well as with Lonesome
Sundown and Texas legend Long John Hunter. He earned his dues gigging
around Texas and Louisiana for years before making his debut record in
1973. While he recorded sparingly since his records have been top
quality affairs all the way.
Big Blues from Texas finds Walker in tremendous shape backed by Otis
Grand who happens to lead one of the hottest blues bands in the UK. In
fact Otis has won best UK Blues Guitarist Award for seven years running.
Add a crack horn section to the mix and you've got the ingredients for
a great blues record. Walker comes out blasting with a blistering
guitar attack on the original "Dressin' Trashy" and
continues in similar fashion on another original "Young
Devil" with a nice punchy horn section. Most of the record has a
solid swinging feel particularly on the swinging
"Bluesmobile" and the big band sound of "Don't Leave Me
Baby" with Walker laying down some rolling T-Bone Walker riffs.
Walker's also has a great affinity for playing it slow especially on
the slow burner "She Torture Me" with some impassioned
vocals.
Big Blues from Texas
showcases a veteran bluesman at the top of his craft playing with a
sense of taste and conviction that only comes from years of honing
one's craft. If Walker's hot streak continues people may be calling
him the next big thing.
(Jeff Harris) |
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Johnny Copeland: Honky
Tonkin' (Bullseye)
Clarence "Gatemouth"
Brown: Okie Dokie Stomp
J.B. Hutto & The new
Hawks: Rock With Me Tonight
Robert Jr. Lockwood:
Just The Blues
With
these four releases Bullseye has inaugurated their Blues Basics
series. These are budget priced CD compilations that serve as
introductions to the artists work on Rounder. Certainly
not a bad way to start considering that all four artists have attained
legendary status.
Johnny Copeland and Gatemouth Brown probably benefited best from their
association with Rounder. Copeland was already a seasoned bluesman
when he hooked up with Rounder but his 1981 release on the label,
Copeland Special, really put him on the map. He went on to record
seven albums for the label and in the process proved himself to be one
of the truly great Texas blues masters. Honky Tonkin' is a well
chosen collection from those albums showcasing his blistering guitar
work and booming, soulful voice. Highlights include the horn drive
"Houston", the straight soul of "Cut Off My Right
Arm" and "Down on Bended Knee" and the rocking
"Texas Party" just to name a few.
Gatemouth's career stretches back to the late 40's and he was already
a bonafide blues legend when he signed with Rounder in 1981. Gate's
career had seen better days by the time he began with Rounder and like
Copeland his stint for the label was extremely beneficial. Okie
Dokie Stomp brings together the best
of Gate's two Rounder studio albums, the Grammy-winning Alright
Again! and the Grammy-nominated One More Mile, along with live
tracks from his Real Life set. Plenty of gems on this set
including a swinging remake of Albert Collins' "Frosty", a
jaunty version of Junior Parker's "I Feel Alright Again",
the country tinged fiddle of "Sunrise Cajun Style" and a
10-minute live version of the "The Drifter" on which Gate
plays harmonica as well as guitar.
Robert Jr. Lockwood's blues pedigree is
impeccable, learning frst hand from the immortal Robert Johnson,
recording a number of classics under his own name as well as being a
top notch session guitarist for Chess and other labels. Just
the Blues is culled from two eclectic records he cut for
Rounder in the early 80's with Johnny Shines. This is not the
type of music you would expect from these two Delta veterans. This is
a jazzy, swinging brand of blues that's more a showcase for Lockwood who
plays meticulous jazzed influenced lines as well as doing all the
singing. Also included are three acoustic duets that find them playing
beautiful country blues.
It's hard to believe that J.B. Hutto
would be dead six months after these recordings. Rock With Me
Tonight comes from a 1983 date originally released on
Varrick. Hutto learned his slash and burn slide style from Elmore
James himself and perfected a raw in your face style of blues that was
immediately recognizable. Hutto is in top form on this session backed
by his working band The New Hawks plus guests Ron Levy on piano and
Roomful of Blues on several tracks. This is a powerhouse set of raw
Chicago blues that's about as tough as your likely to here. Highlights
include the funky Roomful backed "Black's Ball" and
"Soul Lover" plus a smoking version of Fenton Robinson's
"Somebody Loan Me a Dime." Rounding out this collection are
a pair of previously unreleased tracks.
The first batch from the Blues Basics
series provides an excellent introduction to those unfamiliar with
these great bluesman plus the budget price doesn't hurt either. As an
added benefit all come with well written notes and have been
remastered from the original analogue tapes.
(Jeff Harris)
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