CHICAGO/ The Blues Yesterday Volume 3

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.

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.

(http://dontaskmeidontknow.blogspot.fr/2012/11/maxwell-street-jimmy-davis-same.html)

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 Vol. 3

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