DAVE SPECTER

Live In Chicago

Delmark DE 794

 DVD 1794

by Tim Holek

Dave Specter is a former Delmark Records shipping clerk and employee of the famed Jazz Record Mart in Chicago. Sound familiar? It should, as that was the very foundation that spawned the careers of harp master Charlie Musselwhite, Alligator Records’ Bruce Iglauer, and the Earwig label’s Michael Frank. Specter has finely developed his Chicago blues guitar technique by performing with Barkin’ Bill and Son Seals for many years. The 20-year veteran of the Chicago scene admits to having a preference to record and play live. This disc was recorded live in August 2007 at Legends and Rosa’s. The core band is comprised of Chicago’s prominent blues musicians who, like Specter, cut their teeth playing with legends such as Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Albert Collins, Junior Wells, and Lonnie Brooks. Brother John Kattke (keyboards), Harlan Terson (bass), and Marty Binder (drums) are so supportive they could aid a blind man to win a dance contest.

           Specter is an improvisational guitar player. His groovy instrumentals such as Boss Funk/Riverside Ride are not your standard 12 bar blues. Specter’s music is more complex than that. His guitar playing isn’t as exciting as usual on Texas Top due to his emulating too many Texas blues masters. Is What It Is stands out as a classy instrumental that pairs blues and jazz as perfectly as peanut butter and jam. Tad Robinson is a great white soul crooner who has been performing with Dave since the early ’90s. Here, Specter’s band and Robinson perform the sweet country soul ballad How I Got To Memphis live for the first time. They also play songs from Specter’s Blueplicity album which featured Robinson on vocals. Jimmy Johnson is one of the all-time unique vocalists and guitarists in blues. He is practically 80 years old and yet he sounds as vibrant as he did on his classic album, Johnson’s Whacks. On the bluesy Out On The Road, Specter holds his smooth notes much longer while Johnson lacerates his sharp notes quickly. Johnson sings an octave higher than most men, but that’s part of what makes his voice so likeable. Vocalist Sharon Lewis got her start at Lee’s Unleaded Blues on the South Side. On In Too Deep, she is driven by Binder’s galloping beat, Specter’s bouncy guitar, and Kattke’s fingers, which dance all over the keyboard. The powerful singer contributed two of her original songs to the mix.

     What has the DVD got over the CD? It offers a chance to see the ageless Jimmy Johnson, three bonus tracks, and a very extensive commentary by Specter. In it, plenty is revealed about the artist and his music – for instance, his instrumentals were inspired by Booker T. and the MGs and The Meters. You wouldn’t learn more about Specter if you had a personal interview with him. Some of the views from the five different cameras make you feel like a member of the audience. The cinematography is some of the best that the Delmark production crew has made since that team started making live music videos.  

     This recording is a Chicago blues showcase that features a consummate band, a stylish guitar player, and three expressive vocalists. Hearing and watching Live In Chicago leads you to conclude Dave Specter is a rare artist who openly embraces music of varying styles, crosses the border into many genres, and plays them all equally well. You’ll walk away with an abundance of admiration for Specter. If you thought Chicago talent had dried up years ago, this release will set the record straight.

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