VARIOUS

Blues Guitar Killers

Wolf 120.104 CD

by Tim Holek

Every now and then, writing a review is not at all like doing work. If the CD is as enjoyable as this one, it is pure pleasure to review it. Almost all of the artists on this CD, and some of the songs, first introduced me to the blues many years ago. As a result, I fell in love with the genre – especially Chicago blues guitar. However, don’t expect this CD to only showcase guitar. Acclaimed supporting musicians such as Abb Locke, Willie Kent, and Tim Taylor do their part to ensure the songs sound fine. When the guitar is in the spotlight, don’t expect it to be played in a wicked or extended style. These clever guitarists know a complete song matters more than noisy guitar wanking. Throughout, you can expect to hear electric Chicago blues; only one cut is acoustic. These recordings were made between 1956 and 2000, with the majority being cut after 1988. Though the bulk of songs were recorded for Wolf albums/CDs, some have been released under license from other labels.

            Magic Slim is in no rush on Spider In My Stew where the music takes its sweet time to unfold. When you hear Slim laughing, you can sense him grinning from ear to ear. His vocal chords seem to have been scratched with sandpaper and his abrasive guitar solo speaks volumes more than those guitarists who would bore us with excessive notes.

 With the guitar and arrangement sounding like 1950s Chuck Berry, Eddy Clearwater’s original 2x9 is a treat. Lurrie Bell is the pride of Chicago’s current blues scene. The feeling displayed in his dramatic guitar playing and singing will show you why. There is a sense of the rural in Johnny B. Moore’s urban blues. While his Lookin’ Good  becomes repetitive, nevertheless it provides a hypnotizing effect. (It’s a damn shame Moore’s poor health has kept him from regularly performing in Chicago’s blues clubs.)

John Primer’s embracing vocals, vivacious guitar, and instinctive arrangement on Smile In Your Face create one of his best songs. Phil Guy has been challenged to capture his live effervescence on disc. Here, he teams with one of his best ensembles and delivers tormented, piercing guitar notes. Eddie Taylor Jr.’s Worried About My Baby is the exact type of blues I first fell in love with. Unfortunately, not many artists perform this style any longer as most of today’s blues is too far removed from its roots.          

            The substandard songs chosen to represent Michael Coleman and Otis Rush do not fit well on this contemporary collection. Coleman’s version of the over-recorded Mustang Sally is sappy – though his rhythm guitar is impressive on the Primer track. Given that all the other artists are from Chicago, the inclusion of Fort Worth, Texas’ U.P. Wilson is peculiar. It would have been better if none of these songs had already appeared on other Wolf compilations. Still, this 14-song sampler is a must-have since it illustrates that today’s Chicago blues artists are still a vibrant force. Chicago’s gangsters chose the Tommy gun as their preferred weapon, but modern day Chicago could easily be held hostage by these six-string gunners. You’ll be absorbed by this music. After all, this is the blues. 

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