The blues are brewing on vinyl, as Verve Records reissues classic folk blues from the vault. The original gatefold sleeves makes it so you can sit down and take in the sounds while also digging the pictures and liner notes. This is how music was supposed to be imbibed. Drink deeply…
Blues guitarist John Lee Hooker did a one-off recording for the jazz label Impulse! back in 1966,and it is a real bell ringer. Teamed with boppers Milt Hinton/b, Barry Galbraith/g and Panama Francis/dr, you would think this rhythm section would overpower the blues man, but they are in the pocket as deep as laundry lint. Things do get a bit frisky when trombonist comes in on a hip read of Berry Gordy’s Motown hit “Money (That’s What I Want)”, but Hooker is in prime form for “Country Boy”, “You’re Wrong” and “Sugar Mama”. Jazzin’ the blues.
LIghtnin’ Hopkins is found on the Verve Folkways Record company back in 1966, and he’s teamed up with famed drummer Earl Palmer as well as bassist Jimmy Bond and harmonica man Don Crawford. Hopkins is in rich voice and mood for lonesome ballads such as “Woke Up This Morning” , and he picks and grins on shuffling tunes like “Mojo Hand”, Little Wail and “Guitar Lightnin’”. His guitar work and voice is richly ominous, wailing on “Cotton” and “Hurricane Betsy” with Crawford’s obligato’s like a Chicago wind blowing through a broken window. Have mercy!