Big Road Blues

Show Notes:

From 1949 through 1971, Prestige Records, owned and run by Bob Weinstock, was among the most famous and successful of the independent jazz labels. Perhaps only Blue Note, which had its reign during roughly the same period, provided Prestige with significant competition. By the late 50's the company was looking to branch out and new categories were created within the Prestige catalog. There was the Folklore series, there was Moodsville, Swingsville and then there was Bluesville. The birth of Bluesville came at a time when when a young white audience turned their attention away from folk music to acoustic blues.

An important factor was the release in 1959 of Samuel Charter's ground breaking book The Country Blues. In 1961 Charter's hooked up with the label and played a important role getting talent for the label and did much of the producing. In addition to Charters there were a number of others whose dedication helped the label grow including Mack McCormick of Houston who provided a slew of Lightnin' Hopkins records,Chris Strachwitz who would form Arhoolie Records, Art Rosenbaum who recorded Indianapolis artists Scrapper Blackwell, Shirley Griffith and J.T. Adams and Chris Albertson who was instrumental in getting Lonnie Johnson back in the studio.

Bluesville's roster grew quickly including artists such as Reverend Gary Davis, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Roosevelt Sykes, Big Joe Williams, Jimmy Witherspoon and Memphis Slim among numerous others. A number of older artists such as Tampa Red and particularly Lonnie Johnson found a new home at Bluesville in which to revitalize their careers. In addition the label also caught some important artists on record for the first time or who recorded very little including Pink Anderson (except for two sides cut in the 20's), Baby Tate, Wade Walton and Doug Quattlebaum to name a few. The Bluesville label tended to take a mainly folkloric approach to blues recording primarily acoustic artists. In line with this the label also cut records by folk singers such as Tracy Nelson, Dave Van Ronk, Geoff Muldaur and Tom Rush among others. There were some notable exceptions including LP's by urban artists such as Otis Spann, Billy Boy Arnold and Homesick James.

The Bluesville series produced many releases in a short amount of time. Lightnin' Hopkins was the label's best selling artists but many of the lesser known artists sold only a couple of hundred copies. Because of this many of these original records are extremely rare and go for high fees on the collectibles market. Luckily Fantasy records now owns the Prestige catalog and has been reissuing many treasures from the vaults.

Samuel Charters was quoted as saying that the "Prestige/Bluesville catalog was one of the last great sweeps of the blues as social document and as the years pass this becomes increasingly meaningful as a measure of Bluesville's achievement." Listening to The Bluesville Years (an ongoing reissue series now at 12 volumes) make these words resonate all the more strongly. The recordings on the Bluesville label provide a vivid and entertaining snapshot of the 1960's blues scene.

Once again we dust off and review another fine out of print blues record. Oakland Blues was arranged/directed by Jimmy McCracklin and contains excellent performances cut in 1968-69 by three severely under recorded artists: L.C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson, Lafayette Thomas and Dave Alexander. The record was issued on the World Pacific label (originally Pacific Jazz) which was mainly a jazz label although they issued some good blues records notably by Big Joe Williams (”Hand Me Down My Old Walking Stick”), George Smith (”Blues With A Feeling: A Tribute To Little Walter”), Luke ‘Long Gone’ Miles (”Country Born”) and “Down South Summit Meeting” by Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee, Lightnin’ Hopkins and Big Joe Williams among others. Some of this material has been issued on CD by Capitol/EMI which owns the rights but Oakland Blues remains long out of print.

The five L.C. Robinson tracks that make up side one are, incredibly, his first recordings since waxing a lone record for the Rhythm label back in 1954 ("If I Lose You Baby" b/w "Why Don't You Write To Me"). He also cut four sides for the Black & White label in 1945 as the Robinson Brothers with his brother A.C. Robinson. Robinson was a dynamic performer who played guitar and fiddle, but was really known for his incredible steel guitar style. Robinson's fluid steel playing and laconic, yet impassioned singing is heard in fine fashion on "Clean Your House" the blazing instrumental "Jack Rabbit Boogie" and the shuffling "Bring My Baby Back Home" the latter two featuring some sparkling boogie piano from Dave Alexander. On "Train Time" he proves himself equally capable playing standard guitar. These tracks, sans the latter, also boast the sizzling guitar work of Lafayette Thomas which makes a nice contrast with Robinson's steel playing. Robinson only got a couple of more opportunities to record; in the 1970's he cut the outstanding House Cleanin' Blues for Bluesway which has not been issued on CD and the excellent Ups And Downs for Arhoolie which has been reissued with bonus tracks as Mojo In My Hand.

Lafayette Thomas was a brilliant T-Bone Walker influenced guitar player who's stinging fret work can be heard on numerous recordings by Jimmy McCracklin, Jimmy Wilson, Roy Hawkins, Juke Boy Bonner and many others. He was the perfect session man, one who made every record he was on sound better. During his lifetime only a scant fifteen sides were issued under his own name (a number were left unissued). The three songs here were unfortunately his last recordings under his own name. Thomas is in masterful form cutting loose on the rocking "Party With Me" laying down knotty, blistering T-Bone Walker like runs while putting it on simmer on "I Had A Dream" backed prominently by L.C. Robinson's shimmering steel guitar and the insinuating, mellow blues of "A Fool's Way Of Doin' Things" the latter two showcasing Thomas' fine soulful singing, an aspect of his talent that usually gets overlooked. As far as I know the only recordings he did after these were some 1970's session work with Sugar Pie DeSanto.

Pianist Dave Alexander (later known as Omar Sharriff) makes his debut here with three songs in the company of heavyweights Albert Collins and George "Harmonica" Smith. Collins was hooked up with Imperial during this period which may be why he's listed as the Houston Twister although Pete Welding mentions him by name in the liner notes. Perhaps the best number is the six minute "Love Is Just For Fools" a fine low down ensemble cut underpinned by big toned, mournful blowing from Smith and crisp stinging guitar from Collins. For his part, Alexander is a deliberate, easy going vocalist and versatile pianist at home playing boogies or more introspectively. "Good Soul Music" is more in a rock and roll vein boasting some wailing harp and rollicking boogie piano while "Highway 59"is a steamy instrumental with a bit of a soul-jazz feel featuring excellent ensemble playing from everybody. Alexander has recorded sporadically since this session cutting a pair of albums for Arhoolie in the early 1970's and after a lengthy hiatus a record in the 1990's with his latest issued in 2004.

Lafayette Thomas – Party With Me (MP3)

Dave Alexander – Love Is Just For Fools (MP3)

The American Folk Blues Festival (AFBF) was an annual event, beginning in 1962, that featured the cream of American blues musicians barnstorming their way across Europe. Audio recordings of these performances have long been available. Video footage, on the other hand, has been kicking around for years as poor grade bootlegs and occasionally shown on European television until Hip-O began issuing the material on DVD starting in 2003. The quality of the DVD's has been superb, the performances outstanding, and the fourth installment, The American Folk-Blues Festival: The British Tours 1963-1966, is every bit as good.

The impact of these annual tours had a profound impact on those that were in attendance. One of those in attendance was noted blues researcher Mike Rowe who's breezy, vivid recollections fill out the included booklet. Also in the audience were future stars such as Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page any many others who were directly influenced by what they saw. The rise of blues based bands like the The Rolling Stones, Yardbirds and Animals can be directly attributed to the AFBF. 40 years later the footage of that great event is every bit as awe inspiring and will no doubt have a profound effect on a whole new generation of blues fans.

The 18 selections stem from two events – the bulk from the American Folk Blues Festival with extras from Blues and Gospel Caravan. Performers include Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters, Lonnie Johnson, Big Joe Williams, Lightnin' Hopkins, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Howlin' Wolf, Big Joe Turner, Junior Wells and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The backing bands themselves were brimming with talent including Otis, Rush, Hubert Sumlin, Little Brother Montgomery, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon and others.

With his pointy goatee, bowler hat and umbrella, Sonny Boy saunters on stage and mesmerizes the audience with an intimate, conversational version of "Keep It To Yourself." A year later, in 1964, he's back, sans the bowler for a wonderful solo rendition of "Bye By Bird" and backed by a full band, including the sparkling piano of Sunnyland Slim, on the gently shuffling "Getting Out of Town."

A dapper Muddy Waters delivers a fine, if low boil, version of "Got My Mojo Working." More interesting is "You Can't Lose What You Never Had" and "Blow Wind Blow" from 1964's Blues and Gospel Caravan. These performances were filmed at a Manchester railway station. It's an odd bit of theatrics, with the station made up to look like a train station from the Old West as Muddy ambles into view with his coat and hat on, bag in hand, singing as he crosses the tracks, taking the stage where the band is already playing. Muddy lays down some outstanding electric slide on this number while on "Blow Wind Blow" he's standing on the platform in the center of an enthusiastic crowd. Both numbers feature pianist Cousin Joe who introduces Muddy in the latter number. At the same event it's Cousin Joe again who introduces Sister Rosetta Tharpe who makes her entrance in a horse drawn carriage. Rosetta straps on that big electric guitar and delivers a soaring, rocking version of "Didn't It Rain" and a soulful rendition of "Trouble In Mind."

Back to the AFBF we get a clinic in down home blues with marvelous solo performances by Big Joe Williams and Lightnin' Hopkins. With his huge nine string guitar Big Joe delivers a powerful, clattering version of his signature tune "Baby Please Don't Go." If you've never seen live footage of Hopkins you're in for a treat – he's a captivating, charismatic performer, a born storyteller and of course an outstanding and utterly unpredictable guitar player who delivers two tour-de-force numbers.

Clearly the biggest applause is saved for the larger than life Howlin' Wolf who dominates the stage like no one else. Wolf is is simply a force of nature as he puts across charged versions of "Smokestack Lightning" and the rollicking "Don't Laugh At Me." Wolf is backed by a terrific band including the incomparable Hubert Sumlin. In fact Sumlin is dazzling throughout, backing not only Wolf but Sonny Boy and Sugar Pie DeSanto.

Among the other performances everyone is at the top of their game including the pint sized dynamo Sugar Pie DeSanto, an unstoppable, gyrating Junior Wells who turns in a blistering James Brown inspired cover of "What'd I Say" and the imposing Big Joe Turner who like Wells is backed by a band that consists of Otis Rush and Little Brother Montgomery. I'm not sure what the audience quite thought of Lonnie Johnson who's music was light years away from the gritty, down home blues that was so much in vogue. For his part Lonnie was magnificent on the elegant, solo blues ballad "Too Late To Cry", a beautiful, subtle number seemingly a world apart from the other performances.