EARL HOOKER/ Complete Studio Recordings

 EARL HOOKER/ Complete Studio Recordings (re-up and new links)

 

          

  Although Earl Hooker was highly praised by his pairs, he never gained the recognition his talents should have brought him.

            Earl Zebedee Hooker was born in Vance, Ms on 15 January 1929 or 1930, from Earl Jake Hooker (an uncle of John Lee Hooker) and Mary Catherine Blare. His family moved to Chicago during the early 1930's and young Earl suffered from a frail health all his life, contracting tuberculosis while a child. He took the guitar at 10 years old and quickly developed a strong proficiency, listening to blues, jazz and Hillbilly greats like Les Paul, a strong inluence on him alongside T-Bone Walker. With his friend and mentor Robert Lee Mc Coy/ Nighthawk, Earl started to play on Chicago street corners while a child and thereafter in clubs and venues.

            After the war, Robert Nighthawk who was constantly going from Chicago to the South brought Earl with him, the two performing on almost all Southern juke joints from Mississippi to Florida. In 1950, Earl formed his own band with Kansas City Red on drums, trying his luck a little bit everywhere, playing in Chicago quite regularly. Able to play all kinds of music with the same technical ability and proficiency, from deep Delta blues a la Nighthawk to Country & Westerns instrumentals unto jazz and swing numbers, Earl Hooker was very often in the studios backing many artists and waxing some numbers under his name for a lot of labels: King, DeLuxe, Rockin', Sun, Chess/Argo, United, States etc... His main drawback was his voice, a little bit light and unexpressive and for which he had no confidence.

            In 1956, Earl suffered a bad attack of tuberculosis and had to be hospitalized for a long time. He had to wait 1959 to be fully back on the scene and on the recording studios, this time pairing with Junior Wells who brought him to Mel London's Chief group of labels. Very impressed by Earl's talents, Mel put Earl as his house guitarist for a lot of sessions and artists like Wells, Lillian Offitt, Magic Sam, A.C. Reed, Ricky Allen, Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, Bobby Paxton, Betty Everett and others. Earl also recorded some instrumentals under his name, particularly the soulful Blue guitar which went to be a minor hit in Chicago. In 1961, Hooker also recorded some instrumentals for Chess that Len Chess used later on as the backing track for some Muddy Waters's numbers (You shook me and You need love)!

            During the mid-60's Earl Hooker recorded his first album for the Cuca label (The Genius of Earl Hooker) with a strong Funk appealing mood. But once again in 1967, Hooker had to be hospitalized for almost a year and he thus couldn't capitalize to this LP. In 1968, Earl boldly formed a new and original band with his old friend Pinetop Perkins at the keyboards, Freddie Roulette on steel guitar, Carey Bell and Andrew "Blues Boy" Odom, a powerful singer in the B.B. King's mould. The band impressed enough Arhoolie's Chris Strachwitz who then recorded Earl, issuing the great now classic LP Two bugs and a roach.

           

The album sold quite well among blues buffs around the world, allowing at last Earl to play on major festivals, recording several very nice albums for Blue Thumb (thanks to his old friend Ike Turner) and particularly Bluesway for which Hooker also was the lead guitarist on many albums by blues luminaries like Charles Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon, Johnny Walker, Brownie Mc Ghee & Sonny Terry, even pairing with his cousin John Lee Hooker on a memorable session (If you miss' em I got' em).

            In October 1969, Hooker and a lot of Arholie's artists toured Europe with the legendary American Folk Blues Festival (cf the entry on my blog), getting rave reviews. This was the only time I saw Earl Hooker (at the Paris show) and he performed a very great set. But this very tiring European tour damaged even more Earl's health and he came back to Chicago very ill. Hospitalized again in December 1969, Earl this time never fully recovered, had to stay in a Chicago sanatorium a couple of months where he died on 21 April 1970.

            A very accomplished and versatile major guitarist, Earl left us a very rewarding recording legacy. Sebastian Danchin who knew very well Earl wrote a nice biography of the man, from which I have taken most of this article.

            Thanks to Steve W., John "Boston" and some others friends for their help in gathering the complete studio recordings of this major artist.

                                                           Gérard HERZHAFT

HERZHAFT ON THE BLUES

HERZHAFT ON THE BLUES 

 

J'ai eu la chance de travailler à la conception de la série The Blues conçue pour commémorer le soi-disant centenaire du blues (1903 date où W.C. Handy mentionne un "bluesman") pour la chaîne américaine PBS. Cette série a été conçue par Martin Scorsese et a réuni des metteurs en scène aussi prestigieux que WimWenders, Spike Lee, Pearce ou Clint Eastwood et permis aussi d'exhumer des km de suppléments (films, enregistrements, photos) pour la plupart inédits. Lorsque une grande chaîne française cryptée a diffusé l'intégralité de ces 7 films vers 2007, j'ai été interviewé assez longuement (dans un joli magasin de musique parisien) pour les bonus de ces diffusions. Voici l'intégrale de mes interventions.

CLARENCE GREEN/ Blues Guitar Masters Vol. 12

CLARENCE GREEN/ Blues Guitar Masters Vol. 12

 

           

Après Cal Green, ce douzième "Blues Guitar Masters" est consacré à son jeune frère Clarence Green, lui aussi un excellent guitariste texan. Clarence est né à Mont Belvieu (TX) le 1^er janvier 1934 mais a grandi dans le 5^ème arrondissement de Houston, peuplé largement de créoles venus de Louisiane et connu sous le nom de Frenchtown. Contrairement à Cal, Clarence a toujours préféré vivre d'un travail salarié (chez Houston Light Power) mais a néanmoins pratiqué la musique régulièrement, jouant les week ends de façon régulière autour de Houston. Son premier groupe, Blues For Two, formé en 1951 avec le chanteur Zydeco Albert Redeaux, comprenait même à un moment Johnny Copeland et Joe Hughes. Mais c'est surtout d'abord avec les Cobras puis les Rhythmaires que Clarence a enregistré tout au long des années 1960, soit en vedette (en 1958 son premier 45t Mary my darling/ Old Grandpa) soit derrière quantité de chanteurs et chanteuses de Houston comme Iola Broussard, Lavelle White ou Trudy Lynn ainsi que derrière Bobby Bland, Joe Hinton et Junior Parker. Son orchestre régulier comprenait alors Henry Hayes, Teddy Reynolds , Wilbur Mc Farland.

            C'est un peu dans la foulée de Cal Green que Clarence Green a réussi un retour en studio et sur scène, gravant un très bon album en 1987.

            Il avait plusieurs projets de disques et de tournées quand il est décédé à Houston le 13 mars 1997.

            Nous avons regroupé presque la totalité des titres enregistrés sous son nom par Clarence Green sauf 6 qui soit sont introuvables soit uniquement dans des ventes aux enchères à des prix faramineux. Toute copie sous n'importe quelle forme (.mp3) est bien sûr la bienvenue.

                                                                       Gérard HERZHAFT

 

Following Cal Green, this twelfth volume of “Blues Guitar Masters” is dedicated to his younger brother Clarence Green, himself an outstanding Texan guitarist. Clarence was born in Mont Belvieu (TX) on January 1, 1934, but grew up in Houston’s 5^th Ward, which was largely populated by Creoles from Louisiana and known as Frenchtown. Unlike Cal, Clarence always preferred to make a living as a salaried employee (at Houston Light Power) but nonetheless played music regularly, performing on weekends around Houston. His first band, Blues For Two, formed in 1951 with the Zydeco Albert Redeaux, even included Johnny Copeland and Joe Hughes at one point. But it was primarily with the Cobras and then the Rhythmaires that Clarence recorded throughout the 1960s, either as the lead artist (in 1958, his first 45, “Mary My Darling/Old Grandpa”) or backing numerous Houston singers such as Iola Broussard, Lavelle White, and Trudy Lynn, as well as Bobby Bland, Joe Hinton, and Junior Parker. His regular band at the time included Henry Hayes, Teddy Reynolds, and Wilbur McFarland.

Following somewhat in the footsteps of Cal Green, Clarence Green made a successful return to the studio and the stage during the 1980's, recording an excellent album in 1987.

He had several recording and touring projects in the works when he passed away in Houston on March 13, 1997.

We have compiled nearly all of the tracks recorded by Clarence Green under his own name, with the exception of six that are either unavailable or can only be found at auctions for astronomical prices. Any copies in any format (.mp3) are, of course, most welcome.

Gérard HERZHAFT

Thanks to our generous friend Hartmut M. here are two rare tracks by Clarence Green that I was missing: Lil Green + Your love (Clarence Green, vcl/g; band. Houston, Tx. 1965)

 

A TRIBUTE TO SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

 A TRIBUTE TO SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON

(click on the photo to hear the song)

"Help me" est devenu un standard obligé du blues presque par hasard. Nous l'avons joué à presque chacun de nos concerts (cf    • HELP ME Herzhaft blues, Québec 02 1997  ) et enregistré sur le deuxième CD Herzhaft blues. Cette version 2026 est l'occasion d'un hommage en photos au très grand bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), créateur de ce titre. “Help Me” became a blues standard almost by chance. We've played it at nearly every one of our concerts (see    • HELP ME Herzhaft blues, Québec 02 1997  ) and recorded it on our second CD, *Herzhaft Blues*. This 2026 version serves as a photographic tribute to the great bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), who wrote the song. I sing and play the guitar, David on harmonica, Lise on piano and sring bass and drums have been added electronically. Enjoy

Sur ce blog Blue Eye , vous pourrez ecouter la totalité de l'oeuvre de Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) avec deux entréés:

On this blog Blue Eye you will be able to hear the complete recordings by this major bluesman Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller) on two posts:

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON/ The complete studio recordings

Ainsi que sur cet autre post pour lequel j'ai rassemblé tout ce que j'ai pu des enregistrements "live" de ce grand bluesman, une compilation totalement inédite.

SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON/ The Complete Live Recordings

TRIBUTE TO JLH

 TRIBUTE TO JOHN LEE HOOKER

On My YouTube Channel

J'ai vu et revu John Lee Hooker dès les années 1960 en concert. Un bluesman gigantesque qui est revenu en Europe de très nombreuses fois. J'ai eu la chance de l'interviewer à Washington dans son (très modeste) hôtel tandis qu'il se produisait dans un club de Georgetown en solo, n'ayant alors plus les moyens de payer un orchestre. Personnage peu disert mais chaleureux et ravi d'être apprécié. J'ai écrit la toute première biographie de Mr John Lee. J'ai composé ce "Tribute" à la mort de Hooker et nous l'avons joué dans pratiquement tous nos concerts.

I saw John Lee Hooker perform live time and again starting in the 1960s. He was a legendary bluesman who returned to Europe countless times. I had the chance to interview him in Washington at his (very modest) hotel while he was performing solo at a club in Georgetown, as he could no longer afford to pay for a band. He was a man of few words but warm and delighted to be appreciated. I wrote the very first biography of Mr. John Lee. I composed this “Tribute” upon Hooker’s death, and we’ve played it at nearly all of our concerts.

JOHN LEE HOOKER with EDDIE KIRKLAND

Une anthologie de la quasi totalité des titres enregistrés par John Lee Hooker avec Eddie Kirkland, son accompagnateur le plus présent (et le plus fidèle)

An anthology of nearly all the tracks recorded by John Lee Hooker with Eddie Kirkland, his most frequent (and most loyal) accompanist

La biographie de John Lee Hooker que j'ai publiée (la première!) a été rééditée (sans la discographie) dans l'ouvrage PORTRAITS EN BLUES disponible ICI

FENTON ROBINSON/ Complete Studio Recordings

 FENTON ROBINSON/ Complete Studio Recordings

           

Malgré son immense réputation auprès des fans de blues du monde entier, Fenton Robinson est rarement cité parmi les bluesmen majeurs. Alors que son œuvre, presque toujours excellente voire remarquable, en fait un des plus accomplis des chanteurs/guitaristes du blues "moderne".

            Né le 23 septembre 1935 à Minter City, dans le Mississippi, au sein d'une famille de métayers miséreux, essentiellement élevé par sa mère, il doit quitter l'école très jeune pour aider aux travaux des champs. C'est un voisin, le guitariste Sammy Hampton, qui lui apprend les rudiments de la guitare. Mais ce n'est qu'après avoir déménagé à Memphis en 1951 que Fenton découvre les guitares des grands innovateurs de la Côte Ouest comme T-Bone Walker ou Oscar Moore, les arrangements des big bands de jazz et les voix des blues shouters tels Eddie Vinson ou Joe Williams. Ce seront toujours ces influences sophistiquées et urbaines qui domineront sa musique.

            Il décide alors de devenir musicien professionnel, forme un groupe avec Charles McGowan et parfait son éducation musicale auprès de différents musiciens chevronnés de la ville. Une démarche extrêmement inhabituelle pour un bluesman du Mississippi qui, plus tard, l'amènera à apprendre à lire et à écrire la musique et arranger l'orchestration.

            Memphis se révélant peu lucratif, Fenton gagne tenter sa chance à Little Rock en 1953, en faisant sa base de rayonnement jusqu'en 1961. Il joue dans les clubs de jazz et de blues, anime une émission de radio sur KXLR, présentant tous les talents de la capitale de l'Arkansas: Larry Davis (alors bassiste), Sammy Lawhorn, Sunny Blair, Ernest Lane... Il joue aussi souvent à Saint Louis, notamment en 1954-55 au Blue Flame Club où il rencontre Ike Turner et ses Kings of Rhythm. Quand Fenton retourne à Little Rock, il est suivi de quelques musiciens des Kings of Rhythm, tel le saxophoniste-ténor Little Cameron avec lequel il enregistrera.

           

Photo E. Choisnel

Remarqué par Lester Bihari, Fenton enregistre enfin en 1957 pour Meteor Tennessee woman, ce qui l'amène à signer pour le label de Don Robey, Duke qui saura lui faire graver une série de séances remarquables dans ses studios de Houston: As the years go passing by (une composition originale de Peppermint Harris cédée à Robey qui deviendra le standard que l'on sait), une version supérieure de Tennessee woman, Mississippi steamboat ou l'instrumental The Freeze (qui influencera tant Albert Collins). Fenton accompagne aussi plusieurs chanteurs comme Larry Davis sur le classique Texas flood.

            Mais dans le Sud, Robinson ne réussit pas à vivre, comme il le souhaite tant, de sa musique, et doit travailler en usine le jour (notamment chez Coca Cola). Il gagne donc Chicago. Presque immédiatement, la réputation de ses disques Duke, son jeu de guitare jazzy, fluide, virtuose, expressif, son chant poignant qui ajoute au phrasé distingué des blues shouters la ferveur du Gospel lui permet d'assembler un groupe (Bobby King, Jack Myers, Earl Robinson) qui devient l'orchestre-maison du club Theresa's. Il enregistre pour plusieurs petits labels de Chicago (USA, Palos). En 1967, le magnifique Somebody loan me a dime commence à flirter avec les Hit Parades locaux mais l'hiver précoce et très dur paralyse la ville durant plusieurs semaines, empêchant l'ascension du titre.

            Cependant, Somebody n'est pas perdu pour tout le monde, notamment pas pour le chanteur de rock Boz Scaggs qui l'enregistre en 1969 sur Atlantic, s'en approprie la composition et en fait un énorme succès commercial! Malgré ses efforts, Fenton - qui n'a guère les moyens financiers de lutter - ne récupérera jamais les droits qu'il aurait dû percevoir. Robinson continue donc une petite carrière, grave encore quelques 45 t pour le minuscule label Giant puis, dans la foulée du succès de Boz Scaggs, un album entier à Nashville sous l'égide de John Richbourn qui ne trouve rien de mieux que de le priver de sa guitare et l'entourer d'un des groupes de rock les plus rigides du moment.

            Fenton tourne ensuite avec Charlie Musselwhite durant quelques années. Jusqu'à ce que Bruce Iglauer lui permette enfin en 1974 d'enregistrer le merveilleux Somebody loan me a dime (Alligator). Magnifiquement produit, entouré de grands musiciens de blues, Fenton est au sommet de son art et cet album est certainement un des grands chefs d'œuvre indispensables du Chicago blues de cette période. Plusieurs titres de cette sublime séance sont encore inédits et on peut espérer que Alligator va en sortir un jour l'intégrale?

           

Avec un tel disque et un label comme Alligator, l'avenir de Fenton semblait enfin prometteur. Malheureusement, impliqué dans un accident de voiture mortel, Robinson est condamné à la prison et incarcéré en 1975. A sa sortie, il enregistre un nouveau très bon album pour Alligator I hear some blues downstairs. Mais le caractère ombrageux et la personnalité de Fenton le brouillent avec beaucoup de monde. Il retourne vivre à Little Rock, cette fois pour trouver une scène du blues agonisante, gagne Springfield (Ill) où il obtient une résidence d'artiste dans un college... Il ne joue plus en public que sporadiquement, disparaît pratiquement de la scène américaine. Heureusement, sa réputation en Europe et au Japon lui permettent d'y effectuer des tournées et d'enregistrer encore sporadiquement quelques albums pour le label néerlandais Black Magic (Blues in progress/ Nighflight; Special road).

            C'est hélas un homme amer, désabusé, sûr de ses talents dont il vivote à peine qui meurt d'une attaque le 30 novembre 1997 à Rockford dans l'Illinois.

            Sa très belle œuvre enregistrée, elle, n'a cessé de grandir avec le temps.

                                                                 Gérard HERZHAFT

 

    

Although rarely credited as a major figure of the Chicago blues, Fenton Robinson has nevertheless a strong and well deserved reputation as a wonderful smooth singer and subtle and expressive guitarist among blues buffs all over the world.

    Born September 23, 1935 in Minter City (Ms), the young Fenton had a very hard childhood, having to quit school at an early age to help his farming mother. A neighbor guitarist, Sammy Hampton, opened up his mind to music, jazz and blues. It was anyway not before Fenton had moved to Memphis in the early 1950's that he was confronted to "real" musicians, live or on records, T-Bone Walker, Oscar Moore, the sound of the big bands, the blues shouters like Joe Williams (from Count Basie's) and Eddie Vinson who, all of them, would stay as his main musical influences. All his life Fenton would want to be a professionnal, classy musician, taking lessons, learning how to read and write music and arrangements. With a friend, the guitarist Charles McGowan, Fenton embarked himself on a musical career with great expectations and ambitions. Relocated in Little Rock (Arkansas) in 1953, Fenton knew and played with all the local musicians (Larry Davis, Sammy Lawhorn, Sunny Blair), hosted a local radio programme and had gigs all around Little Rock up to Saint Louis where he knew and played with Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. Sax-tenor Little Cameron, one of Ike's alumni, even went into Fenton's band whose whom he would record a handful of sides.

     At last, Fenton recorded in 1957, first for Lester Bihari's Meteor label (Tennessee woman), then for Don Robey's Duke label. Well produced, with gound sound and arrangements, the tracks that Fenton waxed for Duke in 1959-60 stand up very well the tests of time. As the years go passing by (an original composition by Peppermint Harris who sold it to Robey), a new superior version of Tennessee woman, Mississippi steamboat or The freeze (which would greatly influence Albert Collins) are some of the best Duke titles.

     But despite all that buzz, Fenton had still to work on a day-job (in a Coca Cola plant) for bread and butter. Once again, with great hopes, he went to try his luck in Chicago where he would take more music lessons with Reggie Boyd.

     Quickly, his mellow, jazzy, floating and inventive guitar playing as well as his classy singing (plus the reputation of his Duke 45's) earned him a secure job as leader of the house band (with Bobby King, Jack Myers...) at Theresa's. He also managed to record for several small Chicago labels: USA, Giant, Palos... In 1967, his stunning composition Somebody loan me a dime, for Palos, started to climb the local charts but was unfortunately cut off by an early and severe Chicago winter which froze litteraly all activities in the Windy city.

     Anyway, rising rock star Boz Scaggs heard the song, copyrighted the tune and recorded it for his Atlantic album in 1969, a national smash it that should have earned some needed money to Fenton but instead left him embittered and poorer, the expanses of lawyers and such going nowhere!

     Trying to emulate Boz's music, Nashville producer John Richbourn signed Fenton and made him recording a poor rock-oriented album in which Fenton didn't even had the right to play his guitar! Fenton went for a while on the road with Charlie Musselwhite.

      At last in 1974, Fenton recorded a major album under the wise production of Bruce Iglauer. Somebody loan me a dime (Alligator) is certainly a masterpiece of the "modern" Chicago blues idiom in which Fenton appears at the peak of his considerable talents. Several tracks from this legendary sessions are still unissued. Maybe one day, Bruce and Alligator would give us the "complete" recording session?

     With such an album and a dedicated producer like Iglauer, the future of Fenton Robinson seemed at last promising. But bad luck struck him once again. Involved in a fatal car accident, Fenton had to go to jail for several months in 1975.

     He recorded another good album for Alligator albeit less stunning than the previous one (I hear some blues downstairs) but seemed not to be able to cash on anything. His brood temper, his versatility discouraged many to take care of his career. Fenton quit Chicago to return to Little Rock, just to find a dying blues scene, relocated to Springfield, Illinois, where he chiefly lived upon musical lectures in schools and even day jobs. He dropped off the US blues scene almost completely but, fortunately, his great reputation in Japan and Europe gave him the opportunty to tour overseas and record a handful of (very good) albums for the Dutch Black Magic label.

    But this is a very bitter, suspicious, disillusionned man, still aware of his considerable musical talents largely unrecognized outside some limited circles, that died after an attack on november 30, 1997. His mostly first rate recorded legacy speaks for his greatness.

                            Gérard HERZHAFT