Junior Wells
Hoodoo Man Blues- Delmark Records
Rating: 6/10
Hoodoo Man Blues was the first of over 30 studio albums recorded by Chicago blues legend Junior Wells. Throughout his career, Junior collaborated with other legendary blues musicians like Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, and B.B. King. However, most musical historians consider Hoodoo Man Blues to be Junior’s finest work. The album, which was recorded at the pinnacle of the 1960’s Chicago blues-boom, encompasses multiple types of Delta-style blues. On the album’s lead track, Snatch it Back and Hold It, Junior and his band establish their sound by implementing a pretty standard 1960s electric blues guitar progression. Essentially, Snatch it Back and Hold It sounds nearly identical to some of the work that Muddy Waters was producing during the same period.
The second track however conveys a drastically different sound to the listener. On the first track, Junior and his band played at a much faster pace, infusing jazz-influenced drumming with standard blues guitar and vocals. On the second track, Ships On the Ocean, Junior Wells and the band play a more depressing style of blues. In the song’s chorus Junior wails out in a cry to an ex-lover: There ain’t nothing in this world I wouldn’t do for you!
The third track on the album, Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, combines the sounds of both the first and second track. Instrumentally the song has the dirty-delta sound of Ships On the Ocean, but the track’s lyrical flow mirrors the structure of Snatch it Back and Hold It. Another interesting fact about Good Morning Little Schoolgirl is that it has been covered by many musicians throughout blues history. Most notably, The Grateful Dead covered the song at multiple concerts and it appears on their most recent three-disc live box set.
After the blues-fusion presented in Good Morning Little Schoolgirl, Junior Wells launches into Hound Dog, a song that sounds like it was created to be played in a 1960’s dancehall. Next is the immensely depressing and overpowering In the Wee Hours. While the song contains few lyrics, Junior manages to do all the talking with guitar and harmonica. Junior switches off simultaneously between the two instruments, trading solos back and forth. The presence of drums and bass, while noticeable, is kept to a minimum on this incredibly dramatic track.
A seventh standout track on the album is the title track Hoodoo Man Blues. In the opening seconds of the song, Junior builds up the instruments perfectly. Frankly, this track probably should have been the first track on the album as I’m guessing it landed at the top of most of Junior’s set lists while he was touring in support of the album.
Overall, Hoodoo Man Blues hits all the standard blues album notes. When you listen to the album, notice how its sound both mirrors Junior Wells’ early blues influences like Muddy Waters and allows the reader to hear the birth of the more contemporary blues sound simultaneously. Essentially, the album fits perfectly into the Chicago blues history timeline. However, while the album is rich in historical context it is far from perfect. One major problem with the record is that instrumentally, it resembles a completely generic blues album from the 1960’s. Additionally, due to poor recording quality, many of Junior’s lyrics appear to be muffled or inaudible. Because bad recording equipment was a reality of the 1960’s blues movement, it leaves those of us who were raised in the digital music age with an occasionally annoying musical experience.
In summation, it should be noted that it was albums like Hoodoo Man Blues that created the foundation of the Chicago music scene. If it weren’t for musical pioneers like Junior Wells, Muddy Watters and Buddy Guy bringing the Delta Blues to Chicago, there would have been no blues music created in Chicago.
Looking back today, there are many of us music fanatics who long for a local musical explosion like that of the 1960’s blues movement in Chicago. Today, there are very few remnants of the old blues culture, as most of the famous blues clubs have been bought out by white business owners who pander to Lincoln Park yuppies or have just been closed down altogether. But luckily, the music of Chicago blues musicians like Junior Wells can never be bought, stolen or diminished. Thankfully, for those of us who can see past the gentrification of the Chicago blues culture, the music created during the 1960’s blues movement will live on forever.
1 comments:
My Blues &Groove Class will be performing "Little by Little" this Saturday 6/20/09. Any interesting facts about this song that I can include in my introduction?
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