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Taj Mahal's An Evening Of Acoustic
Music (Ruf Records - Germany) was recorded before a
live audience in Bremen, Germany in June 1993. While Taj
doesn't cover any new territory here, it's always good to
have another collection of this wonderful artist's music.
The sound quality is excellent, and we get good versions
of Taj Mahal standards like "Dust My Broom,"
"Big Legged Mamas Are Back In Style Again,"
"Candy Man," "Cake Walk Into Town,"
and "Ain't Gwine To Whistle Dixie Anymo'." An
added treat is provided with the guest accompaniment on
several tunes by Howard Johnson, playing tuba and penny
whistle. ...a worthy addition to your Taj Mahal
collection.
If you look in the dictionary for the term
"journeyman of the blues," you're likely to
find a picture of Magic Slim. And I mean that in a
complimentary way. Slim has been a major part of the
Chicago blues scene for over 30 years. While never
reaching the stardom of counterparts like Buddy Guy,
Junior Wells or Lonnie Brooks, he's released a slew of
excellent recordings and always puts on a fine live show.
His latest CD, Scufflin' (Blind Pig), is no
exception, as Slim leads his band through a dozen
examples of raw Chicago blues. The best number here is
the title cut, "Scufflin'," a Hound Dog
Taylor-influenced original.
As much of a journeyman as Magic Slim is Aron
Burton. Like the Son Seals disk reviewed on the Pick
Hits page, Aron Burton Live (Earwig) was recorded
at Buddy Guy's Legends. Burton is best known for his work
as bassist with blues legend Albert Collins, but as
you'll hear on this disk he's no slouch as a bandleader.
With a solid band consisting of guitarist Michael Dotson,
keyboardist Allen Batts, drummer Kenny Smith, and harpist
"Mad Dog" Lester Davenport (the highlight of
this set are his two vocal numbers), Burton runs through
an excellent set of Chicago standards. Liz Mandville
Greeson joins the band for several numbers, although I
prefer the core band's straightahead gritty Chicago
blues.
I really dig it when veteran blues guys who have been
out there scrappin' for years finally get a chance to go
into the studio. One such artist is Johnny Yard Dog
Jones, a Detroit harmonica player/singer who has been
playing the blues in the Motor City for the past 25
years. Going back further, Jones got his musical
education playing in the Sanctified and Baptist churches
with his family group.His new CD, Ain't Gonna Worry
(Earwig), shows Jones to be a fine singer and harpist in
a pure, unordained Chicago style. One listen to this disk
and you'll be wondering why it took a quarter of a
century for someone to record him. Jones also gets to
solo on guitar on a couple cuts, and shows himself to be
a tasteful, although not flashy, guitar player.
Otherwise, guitar chores are taken are of by Chicago
veteran Johnny B. Moore. Another longtime Chicagoan,
Detroit Junior, guests on piano. The spirited "Goin'
Home," the final cut on the disk, is the best here.
The Ford brothers have been part of the Northern
California blues/rock scene since the early 1970s. While
guitarist Robben has since gone on to stardom, drummer
Patrick keeps the family band going with a new release by
The Ford Blues Band, entitled Ford &
Friends (Blue Rock'It). Brothers Robben and Mark and
special guests Lowell Fulson, Charlie Musselwhite, Fenton
Robinson, Chris Cain, and the late Luther Tucker join the
current band on 12 cuts with mixed success. There are
some good cuts here as well as some not-so-great ones.
The best features Cain doing a Patrick Ford original,
"Another Fine Day," which the composer
describes as a "happy blues song."
Lil' Ed (formerly of The Blues Imperials) joins
forces with former bandmate Dave Weld and his band
The Imperial Flames for Keep On Walkin' (Earwig),
his first new album in over two years. This disk is quite
a departure from Ed's previous "houserockin'"
Alligator albums. Actually, the best cuts are the five
acoustic numbers; Ed's raw, gruff voice is perfectly
suited for that type of blues. Dave handles the vocals on
about a third of the tunes, but those numbers don't match
up to when Ed is behind the mic. But if you think that
there's none of the old houserockin' sound here, you'll
be proven wrong when Lil' Ed sings "Let's Boogie
Baby."
Spencer Bohren has never gained the recognition
he deserves as one of the finer purveyors of traditional
blues today. Dirt Roads (Zephyr Records) contains
12 mostly traditional recordings featuring the artist on
a variety of stringed instruments, accompanied by buddy
Jab Wilson on harmonica. In the liner notes Bohren says,
"Recording this album was like putting on an old
pair of boots. Very comfortable." You'll feel the
same way listening to it.
Another nice traditional CD, although containing more
good time blues than the Bohren disk, is by Portland,
Oregon artist Terry Robb. Stop This World
(Burnside Records) includes guest appearances by Maria
Muldaur and Eddy Clearwater. I prefer his two covers of
Muddy Waters tunes, "I Want To Be Loved" and
the haunting "Feel Like Goin' Home."
Prestige Records has released four more volumes in
their continuing series of The Bluesville Years
series, including an early 1960s set by Brownie McGhee
and Sonny Terry. But my favorite of this quartet is Blues
Sweet Carolina Blues, with cuts by Pink Anderson,
Baby Tate, Sonny Terry, Rev. Gary Davis, Larry Johnson,
and Brownie McGhee. Beautiful music.
--- Bill Mitchell
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