CHICAGO/ THE BLUES YESTERDAY/ Volume 3
Dans ce troisième volume de la série
"Chicago/ The blues Yesterday", je vous propose d'écouter (et souvent
de découvrir) les premiers titres pour la plupart parus uniquement en 45t de
deux bluesmen qui ont fait carrière (Magic Slim et Eddie King) ainsi qu'un
single extrêmement rare de Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis enregistré à Memphis.
Magic
Slim (Morris Holt) est devenu un grand nom du Chicago blues mais ses toutes
premières faces n'ont été que très partiellement rééditées. On peut l'entendre ici
à ses débuts dans son style déjà bien défini autant en vedette avec ses TerDrops
qu'accompagnant le chanteur et harmoniciste Richard "Little" Hite qui
a brièvement hanté les clubs de Chicago dans les années 60 et 70 et qui n'a
aucun lien de parenté avec Bob Hite, le leader des Canned Heat comme la
critique britannique l'a longtemps suggéré.
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| Eddie King & May Bee Mae CD |
Eddie
King (Edward Lewis Day Milton dit) (1938-2012) est un bluesman d'importance
trop négligé. Très présent dans les clubs de Chicago, King a développé un jeu
de guitare sur le modèle de B.B. King (d'où son surnom) et a enregistré
derrière quantité de musiciens (Little Mack, Detroit Jr). Après un terrible
drame personnel, Eddie King abandonne quelques années la musique avant de
reprendre le chemin des clubs en compagnie de sa soeur, la chanteuse Mae Bee
May. Ils enregistrent ensemble des 45t entre blues, Soul, Disco dont nous avons
regroupé la plupart dans cette anthologie. Leur chef d'oeuvre demeure le
magnifique album The blues has got me (Black Magic) que nous recommandons
chaudement.
Maxwell
Street Jimmy Davis (Charles Thomas) (1925-95) a commencé sa carrière de
musicien en enregistrant pour Sun (des titres jamais édités) puis a gagné
Detroit où il a côtoyé John Lee Hooker (qui l'a fort influencé) avant de
s'installer au marché aux puces de Maxwell Street, tenant un petit restaurant (le
Knotty Pine Grill) tout en jouant son brin de blues du Delta bien personnalisé
pour ses clients. Il a substantiellement enregistré pour divers labels,
notamment un très bel album (Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis) jamais
réédité mais que l'on peut trouver sur l'excellent site DontaskmeIdontknow.
Il a aussi
gravé un curieux 45t à Memphis, très mal connu, que nous proposons ici.
Merci à tous les collectionneurs et
amateurs de blues qui ont permis cette anthologie, notamment Stanley Danville,
Georges J. et Fonsoul.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
For this third opus of the Chicago/ The blues yesterday series, I've gathered all the early
sides by Magic Slim, most of the early 45s by Eddie King as well as a rarity by
Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis.
Magic
Slim (Morris Holt) is of course a well-known blues legend, having recorded
dozens of (generally excellent) CD's. But his very first 45s have been
strangely neglected. His style of no-nonsense West Side Chicago blues firmly
rooted in the Deep South tradition is already there in the 60's whether on
songs, instrumentals or behind little known harp player Richard
"Little" Hite who dwelled in the small Chicago clubs during a couple
of years. This Richard Hite is an African American who has nothing to do with
Bob Hite, from Canned Heat fame, as it has been sometimes written.
Eddie
King (Edward Lewis Day Milton) (1938-2012) was a favorite of the Chicago
blues clubs during the 50's and 60's. A guitarist strongly influenced by B.B.
King (hence his "King" name), he has been in the studios behind many
blues singers and has waxed a couple of 45's for several small labels under his
name or in the company of his strong-voiced sister Mae Bee May. By far, their
best effort is The blues has got me,
an album for the Dutch Black Magic label. But their early 45's, between blues
and Soul are nevertheless quite interesting.
Finally, Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis (Charles Thomas) has brought his brand
of Delta blues into Chicago. The man has first recorded for Sun in the early
50's (unfortunately still unissued sides), then stayed in Detroit playing with
John Lee Hooker who left his mark on his style. He settled afterwards in
Chicago, managing a small restaurant (Knotty Pine Grill) on Maxwell Street
while entertaining his patrons singing and playing the blues. He has recorded
some excellent solo sides in the 1960's, particularly for Testament and
Elektra, a major album (Maxwell Street
Jimmy Davis) that has never been reissued but that you can find on the
wonderful blog DontaskmeIdontknow http://dontaskmeidontknow.blogspot.fr/2012/11/maxwell-street-jimmy-davis-same.html)
Later on, he also recorded a very
rare and strange 45's in Memphis that we are featuring here.
Thank you to all the collectors and
blues fans who have generously loaned their rare records thus making this
volume possible: Stanley Danville, Georges J. and Fonsoul.
Gérard
HERZHAFT
CHICAGO/ The Blues Yesterday Volume 3
Eddie King, vcl/g; Rico Collins, t-sax; Detroit Jr, pno;
Bob Stroger, bs; Robert Whitehead, dms; Three Queens, vcls. Chicago,
Ill. 1960
01. Love you baby
Eddie King, vcl/g; Mae Bee May, vcl; horns; Bob Stroger, bs; Robert
Whitehead, dms. Chicago, Ill. 1969
02. Please Mr DJ
03. Are you pushed in love?
Eddie King, vcl/g; band. Chicago, Ill. 1970
04. Kindness love and understanding
05. I talk too much
Eddie King, vcl/g; Mae Bee May, vcl; band. Chicago, Ill. 1971
06. Get off my back
07. Really I don't know
Magic Slim, vcl/g; Paul Brown, t-sax; Robert Perkins, bs; Willie
Jones, dms. Chicago, Ill. 1966
08. Love my baby
09. Scuffling
Magic Slim, vcl/g; Little Hite, hca; Nick Holt, bs; Joe Mason, dms.
Chicago, Ill. 1969
10. She's mine
11. I got a feeling
Little Hite, vcl/hca; Magic Slim, g; Nick Holt, bs; Joe Mason,
dms. Chicago, Ill. 1969
12. Fine
13. A while ago
14. Soul blues
Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis, vcl/g; Eddie
Willis Jr, hca; Willie James Bennett, dms. Memphis, Tn. 1967
15. A man's a fool
16. What a dream
