Tag Archives: Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson

October 1, 2012

Interview: John Lee Hooker, Jr., All Hooked Up and Happy

I was so thrilled with John Lee Hooker, Jr.’s new release “All Hooked Up” that I just had to sit with him and talk about it and his life. Well here it is.
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Blues411: Your new release “All Hooked Up” on Steppin’ Stone Records has just hit the streets, to me it is a very interesting and severely biographical one. Care to share the process with us on how you got to this point and some of the thinking behind it all.
John Lee Hooker, Jr. (JLH, Jr.): Now you know that you can’t get nowhere if you are on a bicycle and the chain keeps slipping. It keeps on slipping and you go a little further and it slips some more then eventually the chain breaks. So that was how my life waas going, slipping and breaking and that’s how I came up with the title “All Hooked Up” which is the opposite of a chain that’s not linked together.

First and foremost the title is reference to the Lord above and how he has grabbed me and put me back together again. My life, social life, my marriage family ties he just hooked me up, because I was ‘off the hook’ on drugs and alcohol – a ragged life. So I asked him to come into my life and help me and he did.

He hooked up with that part of my life several years ago, and He now hooks me up with this great producer Larry Batiste, a great manager Ron Kramer, and a great publicity firm Mark Pucci, all of these great people. Add to that a great slew of musicians, Betty Wright, Lucky Peterson – that’s where this is all coming from.

Blues411: I hear you, before this your life was pretty much in shambles no?
JLH, Jr.: Absolutely it was ‘off the hook’. I have been shot and stabbed, I was homeless – now I am all hooked up. Everything is all right now. I am walking the straight line.

Blues411: I saw you perform at the Riverfront Festival in Wilmington in 2010, were you on or off the hook then?
JLH, Jr.: Oh I was on the hook. I have been this way since the nineties. The title of the record – that term has been with me for some 15years, but it is just coming into fruition and reality now.

Blues411: It is interesting how you speak about it – sounds like it was just yesterday that you got ‘hooked up’. I would hazard a guess that it is something (the addictions and toxic life style) is something you need to face every day.
JLH, Jr.: Exactly.

Blues411: I loved your previous release “All Odds Against Me” and especially the track ‘Dear John’, so I was thrilled when with this release you included a DVD of the animation of that song by Callicore company. It was so spot on in the depiction of what I heard in the song, of how you fight with yourself constantly.
JHL, Jr.: It compliments my life being’off the hook’ and now there’s a record to show how I am hooked up. I fight with that myself, old guy, every day Jimi, every day I have to fight with him. It’s an on going struggle. I even wrote a song called ‘It’s A Struggle‘ . There’s always a struggle because I am fighting to maintain my life. I am just grateful to be in the music industry, and keeping the Blues alive and taking it to another level. That’s what this is all about.

I just want to say that that the graphic animation is the first ever done with regard to the Blues. It was at the hands of Laurent Mercier from Paris, France, whom I call my French Brother. I think it is something that touches everybody of every race, creed, color, all of us.

Blues411: Indeed it does, I believe it captures the struggle and pain of that experience.
I agree whole-heartedly. I think that part of what pushes it to another level, or shall I say engages the audience is the entertainment factor that exists in some artists shows, like yours.
Does the entertaining gene come naturally or is it something you developed?
JLH, Jr: I was a clown in elementary school, in kindergarten, I was always entertaining my classmates. It’s what I have done all my life.

Blues411: I understand John Lee. Can I backtrack to the title/phrase ‘all hooked up’ again for a moment? To me it also openly references your surname, Hooker. Was it hard for you to find your own voice in the Blues?
JLH, Jr.: No, not at all – it has always been this way. I didn’t;t have to search for it, no image overshadowing me. I did not have to break out of my dads’ scenario. It was quite easy.

I was brought up in Motown, so there’s so many influences on my CD. You will hear the funk, you will hear the Lou Rawls part of me, the John Lee Hooker part of me – all of the influences they are all there. You will hear ‘I Surrender’ with Betty Wright, they were not difficult to reach or do.
I had a great producer, he knew those sounds were there, he pulled it out of me. That’s what I used to sing on the street corners and bathrooms doo-wop – background type things. I did what I wanted to do.
We had some great musicians on this CD and these people helped create such a great album.

Blues411: Yes it is, but it is also a diverse one with a whole lotta truth in it.
JLH, Jr.: It’s full, it’s rounded, it’s got pop, funk, rhythm & blues. It’s got hard times, it speaks on the economy. Hard times – what people will go through to get along, signing their sons name or using his social security number on a check.

The part about stealing baloney, that’s true. I stole two packs of baloney and I can’t remember if it was a Three Musketeers or a Snickers, but it made sense to sing Three Musketeers in the song. (‘Hard Times’)

I write, as journalists have mentioned, what is on the front page of newspapers. People, places and things, life experience what I have been through and what you have been through – life.

When I was a little kid they used to call me a ‘Big Liar’ but back in the day liar was a curse word, so they would change it to ‘big storyteller’. “He could tell some whoppers, don’t you believe a word John Lee says.”

Blues411: So it hasn’t changed (we laugh) and has paid off in the long run.
JLH, Jr.: Yes, so what I have grown up to do now is tell stories. From the song ‘Tired of Being A Housewife’ to ‘You Be My Hero’ these songs are my imagination and my feelings towards all the military people including our Allies too, they all are my heroes.

Blues411: Speaking of heroes and influences you listed some of your historical influences on the back of the release notes. Which I thought was great because it gives us a glimpse of you and your growth as a person inside the music family. I was surprised by several of them, Louis Armstrong, The Duke and Bessie Smith….
JLH,Jr.: First let me say that I could not include all of them on the back cover, we only had so much room. So, as a child I used to listen to but mostly watch Duke Ellington. He conducted and led this big entire orchestra and was so amazing at doing that, and he always had a big smile on his face. I always thought to myself what a nice man he is, always smiling and happy to be making this music.

Louis Armstrong, the big smile, ad-lib, innovation – considering Louis went through the era of racial discrimination and such, but he still had that big smile on his face. That’s one thing my Dad taught me, no matter what you going through in your life, but before they open the curtain and you hit the stage, go out there and show them that you are having a good time regardless, do your job!

Bessie Smith, she had her problems with drug addiction like I did. It is just one of those reminders of what drugs can do when you mix it with music. She sang high, I sang high but she still went to work and did her job. She never did get al her dues, but Bessie wa great.
Even Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson he was on drugs, but he was also a great entertainer. I don’t even have to say anything about my dad….

Blues411: Yes you do…
JLH, Jr.: I was woken up, with a pacifier in my mouth, by the loud Blues music downstairs from my naps. All these great people were my influences, the blues, jazz and funk, as I said I could not include them all.

Blues411: John, thank you so much for sharing your time with us and all the fans. I hope to see you at the Blues Music Awrds up on the stand taking home an award.

Please do take the time to aquaint yourself with this fine gentleman and blues man by visiting his web site: http://www.johnleehookerjr.com/

Until next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease
chefjimi
©Blues411.com 2012
photos: Leslie K. Joseph, Jenny Skeller
Where Blues Thrives

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Filed under Blues, Blues411, Entertainment, Interviews, Music, Rock & Roll

Tagged as American Roots Music, Bessie Smith, Betty Wright, Bill Wax, Blues, Blues Music Awards, Blues411, Callicore, Chefjimi, Detroit, Duke Ellington, Entertainment, John Lee Hooker, John Lee Hooker jr., Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise, Leslie K. Joseph, Lou Rawls, Mark Pucci Media, Motown, Rock & Roll, Steppin' Stone records, The Blues Foundation, Tony Colter, XM 70 Bluesville

June 19, 2012

CD Reviews: Three Treats To Thrill Ya’s

As always I like to mix and match several different artist together when I review CD’s here. I do this for several reasons, the main one is to cross market them to other fans who may not know of them or especially like that style of music. Ya never know what might strike a harmonious chord in folks so it’s always good to put artists out there for everyone to read about and hopefully listen to.

Here then are a threesome that are quite different musically but with one thing in common, well probably more than one thing, but for my purposes one thing, they are represented by Frank Roszak who is also a Tier 1 Supporter of Blues411. I guess that’s a disclosure of sorts but ya know if the artist or release doesn’t resonate with me then it ain’t getting any press, so sit back enjoy and maybe check these artists out, and if you are an artist maybe check out Big Frank too !

Liz Mandeville: Clarksdale (Blue Kitty Music)
http://lizmandeville.com/main/

I love it when a release start with a snippet of conversation with the artists from the studio. In this case it’s picked up as Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Darryl Wright and Liz Mandeville are talking about ‘coming out swinging’. Liz says to them “If I am ever in a fight I want you on my side” to Willie and Darryl, and that’s just what they do ‘come out swinging’ on this release.

Starting with ‘Roadside Produce Stand’ it’s Liz at her double entrendre best, as she extols the virtues of all the goodness she has in store at her produce stand. This song is a throw-back to the days when ladies like Lucille Brogan, and Victoria Spivey ruled the roost. Liz revealed to Blues411 that this song was a direct result from a conversation with Bill Wax at the opening of the Blues Foundation office space in Memphis.
As they kick of the shuffle she throws us a hint with a nasty little guitar lick that recalls “nah nah, nah nah nah, nah” that we all used to taunt other kids back in the playgrounds with and then proceeds to sing about her tomatoes that you can hold in your hand and most especially her raspberry bush that makes the sweetest jam ! HAH, damn sure I bet it does.
Not just a silly ode to her feminine attributes, but a fun rollicking trip down the road to that old style country store featuring Willie blowing tasty notes on the harp as the bands sings the chorus of “‘it ain’t my fault, I’m just made that way”

Ms. Mandeville is certainly not a one trick pony when it comes to song writing. She can focus on (and has several times) the pain, loneliness and frustration of being part of the military’s extended family. On ‘A Soldiers Wife’ she paints a very sad and heartfelt portrait of what it is like to be just that for four-hundred days and all that goes along with it. With some stunningly poignant slide guitar work by Donna Herula that brings the anguish and emptiness to the front making this song one that everyone needs to listen to.

Picking up the acoustic for some acerbic political prose Liz gives us 4:20 Blues. As she sings “..I see murderers going free and pot heads doing time’ we realize that the time has come to (and is in the process of) reexamine the war on drugs. Done with a wonderful example of rhythmic blues finger picking styled tune she lambastes the DEA, politicians and others who waste our tax dollars on this out dated prohibition.

Backed by solid musicians and featuring some super guest artists like Eddie Shaw, Nick Moss, Clarksdale is a welcomed release that should be on everyone’s player who appreciates well crafted songs, excellent musical presentation and the wit and charm of a seasoned veteran that refuses to pull punches and does not back down or compromise musically or politically.

Tweed Funk: Love Is (Tweed Tone Records)
http://www.tweedfunk.com/home/

From the opening strains of “Fine Wine” Tweed Funk kicks out the jams with a funky back beat that features Smokey on vocals, and some tasty Carl Perkins styled guitar by JD Optekar in conjunction with a rolling horn section that work together quite harmoniously and most seriously funky!

Sometimes we get over saturated with covers of certain songs, “A Real Mutha For Ya” by Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson, is one of those songs – that is except in this case. There is a certain understanding in this version, the inherent funk and soulful B3 of Jimmy Voegeli combined with a deep reaching guitar work by JD Optekar and special guest Greg Koch make it a contemporary twist of a classic song that has not lost it’s meaning to this day. This sensibility can also be applied to their take on the James Brown classic ‘Sex Machine’.

With father’s day just behind us, we are treated to some fatherly advice that stands the test of time and rings true in ‘Pick Em Early’. A slightly funked up shuffle that recalls Daddy’s advice to J.D to pick ‘em early in the night – fun stuff and advice well heeded. Once again we hear some tasty guitar work from JD while Marcus Gibbons (drums) and Donnie Mac (bass) keep that pocket in place and rockin’.

Latin rhythms and serious throw-back, old school set ups abound in ‘Smooth Taste’ give it a listen and get out the wide collared shirts and “I’m Gonna Get Ya Sucka” styled platform shoes complete with gold fish in them fro the back of the closet and throw a party for the neighborhood.

Not to be pigeon holed, Tweed Funk gives us ‘Gettin’ Home’, which is a smoldering slow blues number that features Mr. Voegeli’s B3 expertly translating the wave of emotions and insecurities into sounds. Smokey’s pleading vocals and JD’s guitar work make this one fine cut that is a favorite.

Out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tweed Funk has been around about eighteen months and this is their second powerhouse release. Put on that Members Only jacket, pour a glass of Jack and Coke and get down and funky with ‘Love Is’.

The 44′s: Americana (Rip Cat Records)
http://www.the44sband.com/

Out of Los Angeles area, these cats mix West Coast Blues with Chicago and other American styled roots music into their own brand of hi energy infectious music.

Opening with ‘Hanging Tree’ we are treated to a serious boogie based song of the effects and cost of high and hard living. Featuring Kid Ramos, on this and several tracks, we get the feeling that there is no regrets and this was the the road chosen and therein lies the tale.

‘Lady Luck’ slowly smokes as Johnny Mains sings of the abandonment by this fickle lady and his quest for the smallest bit of appeasement in the battle called life. Some great horns, arranged by Kid Ramos and Ron Dziubla, add depth to this cut which has a familiar riff to it – I’m thinking ‘Mama Told Me Not To Come’ and actually it would make sense knowing the overall theme of the song. Let me know if ya hear it!

Well versed in many styles but all lead to the well trodden path of dangerous women, uncompromised living and the harsh dramas found along that path. In ‘Cocaine’ we ride the wave of the lady’s love being equated to that seriously addictive drug and other vices that are so easy to pick up on and ever so hard to put down.

To further show their ability to detail the dark side they take us on the highway to ‘Dixie’. A taste of Southern rockabilly that stomps and kicks, smokes and chugs before ending like a train that has hit the restraining wall just as the brakes finally kick in. Good fun!

The two covers here are the gritty ‘Mr. Highway Man’ by Howlin’ Wolf, and the rockin’ “You’ll Be Mine’ by Willie Dixon.

There is a classic old-school party till you drop feel to many of the eleven original cuts (of thirteen) the road, the take no prisoners approach to life that is refreshing and straightforward. Asking for no forgiveness and offering no apologies, the 44′s stand on solid ground with their back to the wall middle finger extended and upright as the firing squad takes aim. Aptly titled ‘Americana’ is a must for those who like their blues guitar’d up but not overdriven to the boredom factor.

Until next time,
Love, Peace & Chicken Grease
chefjimi
©Blues411.com 2012
photos: Courtesy of artists

Frank Roszak is now available for hire for independent radio and press promotion. Roszak’s multi-faceted background in the music industry includes over 25 years of experience as an award winning record producer and engineer, in addition to extensive involvement booking acts at many internationally acclaimed festivals around the world. If you are an independent artist serious about seeking representation for marketing your next project to radio and press, then you owe it to yourself to discuss your options with someone who can provide you with the necessary experience and industry connections to help take your music to the next level. http://www.roszakradio.com/index.html

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Filed under Blues, Blues411, CD Reviews, Entertainment, Music, Rock & Roll

Tagged as American Roots Music, Bill Wax, Blues, Blues411, CD Reviews, Chefjimi, Eddie Shaw, Entertainment, Frank Roszak Promotions, Howlin' Wolf, IBC's, JD Optekar, Johnny 'Guitar' Watson, Kid Ramos, Liz Mandeville, Memphis, Nick Moss, Rock & Roll, The 44's, The Blues Foundation, Tier 1 Supporter, Tony Colter, Tweed Funk, Willie 'Big Eyes' Smith, Willie Dixon, XM 70 Bluesville

November 11, 2011

Early November Music: Transitioning the Seasons With Music

The Soul of John Black: Good Thang
(Yellow Dog Records)

John Bigham (aka Soul of John Black) has always been on the cutting edge of music whether with Fishbone back in the day, or as a solo artist with SOJB. Steadfastly refusing to be classified or fenced in by genres, critics or even fans in some cases - he has always provided an interesting mix of soul, blues, rock and more to the music he puts out there for us. ‘Good Thang’ opens so many doors for the blues scene that I do believe that they will soon need a velvet rope to keep people back from clamoring to cross-over the lines that he has erased.

Starting off with some attention getting bass lines ‘Digital Blues’ is a funky reminder of the isolation of the digital world we are living in. The trappings of easy and instant satisfaction/gratification and it’s dehumanizing effect is laid out with some of the funkiest rhythms to be burned of late. ‘Robot Sadie is all I want” goes the slightly phased chant halfway thru the cut, and it repeats and serves as a warning to us all, beware brothers beware – as Louis Jordan would say.

The title track ‘Good Thang’ SOJB throws down a sweet grove homage to his good thang. Stating that stark fact (quite in contrast to Digital Blues) that all the money in your pocket couldn’t buy this thang.
Just to go three deep ‘How Can I’ is a throw back, old school soul ballad that recalls the Stylistics and other great soul r&b bands from the seventies, but updated just a touch with synthesizers and a smoother bass line that makes it all the more contemporary.

With this release SOJB covers so much ground (as he always has) that it amazes me at the competence that he displays in any of his chosen soundscapes. Now for the ‘blues-purists’ out there they can sink their teeth into ‘My Brother’. Starting off as a voice and guitar front porch setting, it nicely progresses into a crescendo of a thousand layers featuring some of the funkiest clavichord sounding keys by Adam MacDougall that has me shaking my Afro to the combination of Stevie Wonder meets Billy Preston that is hard enough to get through to you but soft enough not to overpower.

Closing out the ten track release is ‘Turn Off The Phone’ where we revisit the digital twenty-four hour world where we are always on the hurry up and go life. Turn off the phone, take off your clothes, let down your hair and stay awhile are part of the enticing lyrics laid over a real dreamlike sound – if we all could only make this oft’ used plea sound this good we wouldn’t be competing with the hectic pace of the other reality.

I feel that this release is one that everyone should spend time with. It will challenge you on so many levels and make you take a hard look at your concept of what the blues are and what a glorious future they have in the creative hands of artists like John.

Maria Muldaur: Steady Love
(Stony Plain Records)

For musical icon Maria Muldaur this is the 30th solo release of her career, and 12th in the last 11 years. That’s longevity and high quality work folks, pick up anyone of them and you will hear a master song interpreter weave vocal paintings that any museum would proudly display on their walls if they could.
Each of her releases has been dedicated to a special sound or style – Steady Love is rooted in what Maria calls Bluesiana – soul, gospel grits and style over easy combined into a tasty gumbo of fine music.

First off let me state that there aren’t too many folks who can cover the Elvin Bishop/Bobby Cochrane ditty “I’ll Be Glad’ and nail it so damn well. Maria does just that with her sultry, spicy voice she turns this song into a gospel evocation that certainly raises the rafters and sets the stage for nothing but good times ahead.

Maria works her way through her chosen songbook that features such talented writers as Bobby Charles, Eric Bibb, two from the Greg Brown collection, old friend Rick Vito and also pays sterling tribute to Percy Mayfield in ‘Please Send Me Someone To Love’.

A wonderful sashaying shuffle treatment of ‘Blues Goes Walking” features some swampy lead guitar work by Clanston Clements which combined with Maria’s vocal treatment makes this a fine updated version of this classic song. On this this release Maria works with a superb cast of musicians each of them adding what is needed from background vocals to horn arrangements to the pocket and harmonies.

One simply magnificent appearance is by her daughter Jenni Muldaur sharing vocal harmonies on ‘Rain Down Tears’. Written by Henry Glover & Rudy Toombs this is a head bopping version that pays tribute to Hank Ballard’s 1959 release. But what is the topper is the sweet music that Maria and Jenni create as they skillfully blend their two unique voices together for a seamless almost inseparable voice that takes us to the depth of despair and makes the dire prognostication that they will need shelter from the raining down of tears. I know how proud Maria is of Jenni as she has become a ‘Ronnette’ and is currently working with the great Ronnie Specter.

Maria has always seemed to balance the sensual with the spiritual. She reminds us that we cannot live a full life as intended without paying tribute to each side of this eternal struggle. She portrays it quite well with this release wherein one breath she teases us with her rollicking girl on the town ‘Soulful Dress’ or the Arthur Adams song ‘Get You Next To Me’ and then turns the other cheek and proclaims ‘I’ve Done Made It Up My Mind’…to serve God till she dies – but know in your soul and heart that there really isn’t a contradiction here, it’s the way it is – ya need to have both to live a full life.

A very positive release both musically and spiritually. Contained here are reminders to believe in our heart of hearts, to follow our true paths to where we wish to be – and upon arrival remember how we got there and not to lose our souls upon arrival. As always, Maria has treated us to an outstanding collection of fabulous music made only more better by her interpretations of them. I am already looking forward to her next release which is said to be a tribute to Memphis Minnie featuring some great surprise guests.

Candye Kane featuring Laura Chavez: Sister Vagabond
(Delta Groove Music)

Right from the start Ms. Kane and her trusty partner set the stage for a rollicking, roller coaster ride thru various side roads where the Blues truly reside. Johnny Guitar Watson’s “I Love To Love You’ kicks off the disc with a guitar riff from Laura that harkens back to the giants of blues guitar and adds a sultry vocal statement by Candye that changes to swing to shuffle and back again – not to stop there LC cuts through it all with a scorching solo that expresses so much in a limited format. Ms. Chavez understands that the space between the notes are as valuable as the notes themselves and again and again demonstrates this fact for all to hear.

‘Love Insurance’ is an up-beat song telling the tale of our heroine pleading for the one insurance policy that the powers that be haven’t yet been able to milk us on. ‘Sweet Nothin’s’ is a down right greasy adaptation of the Brenda Lee pop song. Swampy and sensual yet somewhat innocent in the songs truer meaning, Ms. Kane easily works the vocals into a tight prayer of thankfulness while Ms. Chavez adds an almost Creedence Clearwater touch of guitar to it. Fun times with this one.

What might be the best track is a Kane/Chavez original (one of 9) ‘Walkin’ Talkin’ Haunted House’. A wonderfully composed lyrical poem wherein Ms. Kane sets herself as a ‘walkin’, talkin’ haunted house’ that is occupied with the ghosts of her past lovers. A fascinating thought, and delivered spot on by both Candye and Laura. No other cut to date has captured the bond between these two ladies as this one does. There are some added effects by Stephen Hodges such as chains and various forms of percussion that adds to the otherworldly feel of this track – bravo !

On almost every of Ms. Kane’s previous releases she has included a song from Jack Tempchin (of Eagles fame) and this albums track is ‘Everybody’s Gonna Love Somebody Tonight’. Written with the assist of Glenn Frey, the bad boy of the Eagles, this songs rocks out with that familiar ‘Heartache Tonight’ feel and one can imagine this with a large crowd of dancers and fans on the Whiskey A Go-Go stage. Some fine, fine harmonica work by an underrated harpist James Harmon gives it just the right twist to make it qualify as a true blues tune.

I honestly can’t say that there is a weak cut on this release, this release seems to be what they have been searching for and now that it has been found we can sit back and look forward to more of the same explosive, creative and varied takes on the big tent of blues music that I feel is the future of the genre.

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