Sweet Home Chicago Blues

Wrapping up our look at great 1970’s blues albums we once again head to Chicago to check in with Alex Randle who goes by the handle Easy Baby. Much less well known than Fenton Robinson or Son Seals, Easy Baby nonetheless cut one of the great blues records of the 1970’s. There’s nothing fancy about “Sweet Home Chicago Blues” (1977), just good old fashioned Chicago blues honed to sweet perfection.

Fame and fortune never found Easy Baby who worked as a mechanic by day and the Chicago clubs at nights. “Sweet Home Chicago Blues” was easy to overlook; it was released on the small Barrelhouse imprint (released on CD on the Japanese P-Vine label), the generic title likely didn’t help as did the fact that the set list was standard Chicago favorites.

To say that Easy Baby and his talented cohorts transcended those limitations is an understatement. Easy Baby is a disciple of Little Walter. Like Walter his harmonica playing is unflaggingly inventive, putting forth one of the most gorgeous and commanding tones you’ll ever hear. Easy Baby is a terrific soulful, world weary singer with a conversational manner that’s deeply engaging. A large part of the record’s success goes to the band: Eddie Taylor’s fleet fingered playing is every bit as inventive as his band leader while Kansas City Red’s drumming is so crisp and in-the-pocket it should be used as a clinic for up and coming blues drummers. The music is straight out of 1950’s Chicago starting with the shuffling instrumental “Madison Street Boogie” that displays ensemble work so precise and well integrated it’s a thing of beauty. As befits his name, Easy Baby is magnificent on slow and easy numbers like “So Tired” and the aching “All My Life.” His tasteful harp work gives way to jaw dropping on the nearly minute and a half solo he drops in to close “You Gonna Miss Me.” Even songs that have become clichés like “Sweet Home Chicago” and “Rock Me Baby” receive invigorating treatment.

Easy Baby, is well, taking it easy these days and rarely plays out anymore. He did play the 1998 and 2000 Chicago Blues Festivals and found time to cut “If It Ain’t One Thing, It’s Another” for Wolf in 2000, an outstanding session that falls just short of his glorious debut.

Madison Street Boogie (MP3)

 

 

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