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Christone "Kingfish" Ingram
662
Alligator Records
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Several years ago, one of my friends sent me a
video clip of Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
performing at a Clarksdale club with the
message, “You’ve got to check this kid out. I
think he’s maybe 14 years old!!” I know this is
a tale that’s been told over and over again by
blues fans all over the world, and I can assure
you that my reaction was the same as all the
others. I was simply blown away by his playing.
Ingram didn’t just wail away on the guitar, his
solos were naturally enthusiastic and energetic
in their presentation, but there was a crispness
and a sharpness, and an amazing maturity to his
performance that belied his youth. As time
passed, I got to find out more about the young
man and I was as impressed with him as I was
with his guitar work.
662 (Alligator Records) is Ingram’s second
release and to these ears, it’s a more personal
effort, focusing a lot on the guitarist’s
Mississippi roots and mixing in a bit more funk
and R&B to the mix. Like it’s predecessor,
662 was recorded in Nashville, with producer
Tom Hambridge behind the board (and drum kit) as
well as collaborating on the 14 tracks with
Ingram, Richard Fleming, and Ashley Ray. I’m not
sure how much Ingram collaborated on the lyrics,
but he delivers them in a manner that indicates
he contributed quite a bit from his own personal
experience. His vocals are rapidly approaching
his guitar prowess.
The
blues rock title track describes Ingram’s
hometown (area code 662) in vivid detail,
capturing the summer heat and humidity as well
as its standing as the birthplace of the blues.
The second half of the track features a
scorching guitar run. “She Calls Me Kingfish”
and “Long Distance Woman” discuss the
difficulties of finding and maintaining
relationships, while the soulful “Another Life
Goes By” reflects on the current state of
affairs.
The
driving rocker “Not Gonna Lie” finds Ingram
grateful that his talent has enabled him to
avoid many of the difficulties he might have
faced otherwise as he promises to keep the blues
alive. On the funky “Too Young To
Remember,” he pays tribute to the old juke
joints that used to permeate the Delta long
before he was born, paying tribute to those
blues legends who had to pay their dues in those
establishments, includng B.B. King, Buddy Guy,
Jimi Hendrix, and Lightnin’ Hopkins.
“You’re Already Gone” is a softer, acoustic
ballad that looks at the end of a relationship,
and on a similar note, albeit in a tough
electric shuffle format, “My Bad,” focuses on
mistakes made in a relationship. “That’s All It
Takes” is a a fine soul blues number with horns
that shows Ingram coming into his own as a
vocalist, and “I Got To See You” is a catchy,
up-tempo rocker.
“Your Time Is Gonna Come” is a splendid slow
burner as Ingram supplies some sweet guitar work
complemented by Marty Sammon on piano. “That’s
What You Do” recounts the trials and
tribulations of a traveling blues man, and
“Something In The Dirt” revisits the theme of
the title track, focusing more on the source of
the blues and the actual blues scene this time
around.
That’s the actual conclusion of the album
itself, but there’s a “bonus” track included.
“Rock & Roll” is a poignant tribute to Ingram’s
mom, Princess Latrell Pride Ingram, who passed
away in December of 2019. I think Ms. Ingram
would be proud of this fine tribute.
While I loved Kingfish for its
straightforward introduction to the incredible
talent of Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, I think I
like 662 a little bit better because the
guitarist expands on his sound, features some
powerful, even heartfelt, compositions, and pays
tribute to the place of his birth, the land
where the blues began.
--- Graham Clarke
