JOHN LEE HOOKER "Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go" (And Soledad Prison) '66

Wonderfully gritty live blues.How about John Lee Hooker backed by Muddy Waters and his band? That's what went down at the Cafe Au Go-Go in 1966, and the first eight tracks capture this meeting of immortals for posterity. The other six tracks were recorded at Soledad Prison in 1972, and are quintessential Hooker-ian "endless boogie." One Scotch, One Bourbon and One Beer , and more.

Simply one of the greatest live blues recordings ever. Hooker plays alone at Soledad, yet the real thrill is hearing him backed at Greenwich Village's Café Au-Go-Go in 1966 by Muddy Waters and his band, including pianist Otis Spann, unsung harmonica giant George Smith, Francis Clay on drums, and guitarists Sammy Lawhorn and Luther Johnson. All are at the height of their abilities, but it's Hooker who works like a hoodoo conjurer, making misery rain down in "Seven Days" and "When My First Wife Left Me." This August night's reading of "I'm Bad Like Jesse James" ranks among the most intimidating vocal performances ever taped. His guitar and baritone singing sink to rarely heard depths of the blues--that secret place in the music (known only to its absolute masters) where it becomes an elemental force. --Ted Drozdowski, Record Runner

This CD reissue combines John Lee Hooker's "Live At The Cafe Au Go-Go" album with five songs from his "Live At Soledad Prison" LP (the other two songs from that LP had John Lee Hooker, jr. doing lead vocals, which is probably why they aren't included).

The eight Cafe Au Go-Go-tracks feature Muddy Waters and his band backing John Lee Hooker, and Hooker performs some of his best songs in rough, tough arrangements, topped by his hoarse, expressive baritone voice.

It's a little bit unusual to hear the Hook backed by a full band, but the arrangements work very well, and Hooker is in no way overwhelmed by the presence of three more guitarists (Muddy Waters, Sammy Lawhorn and Luther Johnson), and pianist Otis Spann.

Highlights include a truly menacing "I'm Bad Like Jesse James", a swaggering, swinging "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer", a tremendous, slow "I'll Never Get Out Of These Blues Alive", and a soulful "When My First Wife Left Me", to which Otis Spann adds some truly magnificent piano playing.

On the Soledad tracks, which are also band-backed, Hooker lays down great renditions of "What's The Matter Baby" and "It Serves Me Right To Suffer", with the twin lead guitars of Luther Tucker and Charlie Grimes smouldering behind him.

"Lucille" is a great, mid-tempo boogie, and "Bang Bang Bang Bang" an alternative version of "Boom Boom", which rocks every bit as much as the MTV version did twenty years later.

If your idea of what the blues should sound like is latter-day B.B. King or Robert Cray, this might not be your thing. These recordings are far from polished and very much full of grit, but if you like your blues raw and ragged, this is indeed the real deal. One of the finest, most autenthic live blues records I have ever heard. (Blues World)

trax:

01 i'm bad like jesse james 02 she's long, she's tall (she weeps like a willow tree) 03 when my first wife left me 04 heartaches and misery 05 one bourbon, one scotch and one beer 06 i don't want no trouble 07 i'll never get out of these blues alive 08 seven days 09 what's the matter baby 10 lucille 11 boogie everywhere i go 12 serve me right to suffer 13 bang bang bang bang

…Many Thanks To Jillem For The Share! served by Gyro1966...