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John "Juke" Logan
The Chill
Razor & Tie Records |
I
actually heard John “Juke” Logan before I heard of him.
In the ’90s, his harmonica playing was associated with two of
the most popular TV shows, with his harp work a big factor in
the theme music on Home Improvement and Roseanne.
Logan also backed musicians like
Dave Alvin, Leon Russell, Dobie Gray, Rick Vito, and Ry Cooder,
and wrote songs for Poco, John Mayall, Gary Primich, Albert
Collins, John Lee Hooker, J.J. Cale, and Etta James. He also
recorded songs for films (Crossroads, La Bamba,
Streets of Fire) and commercials, and hosted a weekly blues
radio show in the ’90s.
Logan managed to mix in four solo
albums, none of which I was able to collect in those days, but a
few years back I reviewed an album called Twist-O-Lettz,
a collaboration between Logan, guitarist Rick Holmstrom, and
percussionist Stephen Hodges. It was a really cool disc and was
Blues Bytes’ Surprise release for September 2010. Sadly, Logan
passed away in 2013 after a four-year battle with esophageal
cancer.
A couple of years ago, I heard a few
of Logan’s songs on a radio program called Blues Time on WNCU
out of Durham, North Carolina, and really dug what I was
hearing. This encouraged me to finally check out some of his
solo recordings, deciding to start with his debut effort, The
Chill (Razor & Tie Records) from 1993. Since I plugged it
into my CD player, I’ve been kicking myself around the house for
not tracking down his music sooner.
The musicians chipping in on the
superb 14-song set are most impressive. Logan is joined on four
tracks by “Un Parte de Los Lobos” – David Hidalgo on guitar,
Conrad Lozano on bass, with Blasters drummer Jerry Angel. Three
tracks find Logan teaming up with Billy Bacon (bass), Mario
Moreno (guitar/accordion), and Jeff “Lil Chubby” (drums) from
the Forbidden Pigs. The remainder of the tracks include an
ensemble called the “Chill Aces” – guitarist Denny Freeman,
Junior Watson and Brenda Burns, bassist Gregory Boaz, singer
Janiva Magness, percussionist Michael Tempo of the Bonedaddys,
Richard Cantu on rubboard, plus the Texacali Horns and The Wild
Angelenos.
Logan wrote all of the songs, and
there’s not a dud in the bunch. “Dig Ta’ China,” the opener, is
incredibly catchy and it only gets better from there. “She’s
Cool People” has quickly become one of my favorite tunes,
telling the tale of working up the nerve to talk to that
complete package of a woman. The funky “Play Tha’ Blues” traces
the music from its days in Mother Africa to the storied days of
Muddy, Little Walter, Willie Dixon, Big Joe Turner, dropping the
names of many other legends before the song wraps.
“Rumblin’ Reeds” is a tasty
instrumental with Logan and the Los Lobos contingent, notably
Hidalgo on guitar and accordion, and the raucous “Fan The
Flames,” later recorded by John Mayall, features Freeman and
Burns on guitars, while the cool “Hustler” showcases Watson’s
swinging West Coast fretwork.
Burns joins Logan on vocals for the
slinky, slippery blues “The Long Low Ride,” and The Texicali
Horns and Wild Angelenos join up for the Second Line shuffle
“Bayou Diamond Ring.”
“Young & Wired” is an old school
rock n’ roller backed by Hidalgo, Lozano, and Angel, with Logan
playing harp and organ, and the humorous “If The Money’s
Alright,” with the Forbidden Pigs and Burns in support, is a
standout. The title track is terrific, with Logan’s echo-laden
harp figuring prominently, and the closer, “Soul Stroll,” is a
smooth instrumental featuring Logan on harmonica, Burns on
guitar, Boaz on bass, and Angel on drums.
The Chill was reissued in a
re-mastered format with two additional songs around 2007, but I
can’t imagine that it could possibly top the original. This
release sounds like it was as much fun to record as it is to
hear. If you’re unfamiliar with John “Juke” Logan and his music,
this disc will lead you to dig deeper, as I plan to do in the
near future.
--- Graham Clarke
