
Henry Gray
Plays Chicago Blues
Hightone Records
The
1950s was THE golden age of Chicago blues according to many blues scholars
and fans. I count myself as one of the many lovers of the classic Chicago
sound, and cherish any new recordings by the few remaining musicians from
that era. Pianist Henry Gray is among the best of the Chicago
veterans still on the blues scene, and this new album, Plays Chicago
Blues, captures the rawness and raucousness of the music from that
period.
Phoenix-based
producer and harmonica player Bob Corritore assembled a solid supporting
cast for the sessions represented on Plays Chicago Blues, including
drummer Chico Chism, who was also a part of the Chicago scene during the
same period as when Gray was active there, and former Muddy Waters
guitarist Bob Margolin. Rounding out the backing band are Fabulous
Thunderbirds guitarist Kid Ramos and a trio of Phoenix's top blues players
in Johnny Rapp (guitar), Paul Thomas (bass), and Pops McFarlane (bass).
The disc starts
strongly with a rambunctious original. "Talkin' 'Bout You." that
puts the listener into the mood for a good time ... no sign of any
depressing blues here.
If there's any
question as to whether Gray's piano playing has lost any nimbleness or
agility through age, he puts that fear to rest with the frenetic
instrumental "Henry's Houserocker." Aided by the superb drumming
of Chism, this number recalls the wild and "almost out of
control" instrumental romps of Gray's former employer, Howlin' Wolf.
The blues doesn't
get any bluer than on the slow number "Trouble Blues," with
incredible Muddy-style slide playing from Margolin, who makes his guitar
sing along with Gray's pained vocals.
The spirit of Wolf
is recalled again on the uptempo shuffle "How Many More Years,"
with Corritore's harp riffs dancing playfully around Gray's raspy vocals
and his pounding piano accompaniment.
Without taking the
limelight away from the star of the show, Corritore makes this album a
personal statement for his tasty harmonica playing, especially the fuller,
heavily amplified sound on the Gray original "How Could You Do
It."
Ramos lends his
guitar talents to the slow blues "It Hurts Me Too," providing
more sophisticated licks to contrast Gray's most impassioned singing on
the album.
Rapp comes to the front of the bandstand on the midtempo shuffle "Don't Start
That Stuff" with a beautiful solo in the middle of the song.
The album closes
with one of the better numbers, a serious Chicago blues original,
"Showers of Rain." Gray's co-stars, Corritore and Margolin, each
are given the opportunity to show their best stuff here, and they take
full advantage with excellent solos and accompaniment. Margolin
has long been regarded as one of the most faithful evangelists of classic
Chicago blues, and his sympathetic accompaniment on this album shows why
he has earned that reputation.
After listening to Plays
Chicago Blues, you'll feel like you've been transported to the windy,
inhospitable streets of Chicago. But that's what happens when you assemble
a living legend with a band of guys who love to play this kind of music,
even if you do so in a studio in Arizona, and not in Chicago. The result
is the best collection of Henry Gray recordings in many years.
--- Bill Mitchell |