WILLIE "BIG EYES" SMITH

Born In Arkansas

Big Eye Records

By James Porter 

Willie Smith seems to be having fun in the role of frontman, after 50-odd years of backing up other people. It's not a new thing; he briefly led his own band in the Fifties, but was always being tapped to play drums for other people, leading to his 19-year stint on that instrument with Muddy Waters. But the last decade has seen him stepping out as singer and harmonica player, and this is the latest in a series of solo discs. The result is a nice straightforward set of vintage-style Chicago blues. Of special note is Barrelhouse Chuck, who plays fine piano in that Otis Spann style, but you should really watch out for his (uncredited) organ when it appears. When Chuck's hands aren't on the organ, Smith's chromatic harmonica fills that bill nicely, giving things a nice, spooky texture.

While this disc has the intensity of the ‘50s Chi-town blues sound, it still moves along like a laid-back blowing session, with no one in a rush to get to the point. This suits Smith's laconic vocals well, working out on a set of songs that he penned. One distinct highlight is "I'm The Creeper" - somehow, the vision of a "creeper" conjures something forbidding and lurching, but in Smith's hands he turns out to be just another lover man on the prowl.

While there are no real surprises on this disc, in the end it's a dependable blues session that has everybody playing at their best, with both enthusiasm and restraint in the right places. And these days, that's not a bad thing to expect.

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