One of my very favourite blues album of all time features three very underated african americans playing three instruments that when played together makes for the perfect blend of jazzed up no nonsense Chicago blues. Recorded practically in the first week of 1970, the album recieved rapturous reviews from music critics in america, including the coveted ROLLING STONE. Junior Wells is the main star of the show, i have always loved his style of harmonica playing, in the same league as CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, NORTON BUFFALO, and SONNY TERRY. In other words, he is a harmonica king. Although SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM was considered to be a bit too much off the peddle in comparison to Well's electrifying album HOODOO MAN BLUES in 1965, SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM, probaly thanks mainly to the contribution of legendary blues pianist Otis Spann, made up for a slight lack of rhythm with atmosphere and its very club sounding feel, even firebrand guitarist BUDDY GUY chose to be a lot more introspective than his usual self, no doubt Spann's more refined jazz influenced piano style neccessitated that both Wells and Guy slow down the pace a bit and not give in to their instinct to let loose like wild animals. SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM is what you call sophisticated, almost like an attempt by Junior Wells to do a Miles Davis and record a KIND OF BLUE, in reference to that brilliant pure be-bop jazz album in 1959. What it lacks in grunt it makes up for in undistorted,freewheeling melody like you'd hear in Chicago and on Beale Street.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
THREE BLUES KINGS UNITED TO RECORD SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM
One of my very favourite blues album of all time features three very underated african americans playing three instruments that when played together makes for the perfect blend of jazzed up no nonsense Chicago blues. Recorded practically in the first week of 1970, the album recieved rapturous reviews from music critics in america, including the coveted ROLLING STONE. Junior Wells is the main star of the show, i have always loved his style of harmonica playing, in the same league as CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE, NORTON BUFFALO, and SONNY TERRY. In other words, he is a harmonica king. Although SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM was considered to be a bit too much off the peddle in comparison to Well's electrifying album HOODOO MAN BLUES in 1965, SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM, probaly thanks mainly to the contribution of legendary blues pianist Otis Spann, made up for a slight lack of rhythm with atmosphere and its very club sounding feel, even firebrand guitarist BUDDY GUY chose to be a lot more introspective than his usual self, no doubt Spann's more refined jazz influenced piano style neccessitated that both Wells and Guy slow down the pace a bit and not give in to their instinct to let loose like wild animals. SOUTHSIDE BLUES JAM is what you call sophisticated, almost like an attempt by Junior Wells to do a Miles Davis and record a KIND OF BLUE, in reference to that brilliant pure be-bop jazz album in 1959. What it lacks in grunt it makes up for in undistorted,freewheeling melody like you'd hear in Chicago and on Beale Street.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment