Smitty's picks of the greatest records of 2001: part 1 of 2

NEW RELEASES

WILLIE KING & THE LIBERATORS "Freedom Creek" : Rooster Blues

Yeah, yeah, technically it came out in 2000, but WE didn't get it until early this year and the damn thing is so good, I HAVE to include it here. Raw, gritty electric blues in the North Mississippi style that Fat Possum made famous, but King writes lyrics about stuff that MATTERS, dammit. Ain't no 93rd version of "Old Black Mattie" on this record. Just real stuff about poverty, racism, reparations, and America. And it's all funky as hell. I'm not gonna tell ya again...go buy this damn record!

MARIA MULDAUR "Richland Woman Blues" Stony Plain

Inspired by a visit to Memphis Minnie's grave, Muldaur has create the best record of her life, full of heartfelt emotion and beautiful singing. Plenty of guests help out on the duets, but it's Muldaur's vision and passion that rule. This is sweet acoustic country blues done as right as a contemporary artist can do it.

VARIOUS ARTISTS "Train Don't Leave Me: Sacred Steel Live!" Arhoolie

Bless the folks at Arhoolie, who keep putting out these Sacred Steel records (there's another one just out of Sacred Steel "On Tour"). If you STILL ain't heard this stuff, go right out and BUY this thing right now! Pedal Steel guitars drive intensely performed gospel music of all tempos and fervors, but it ain't got nothing to do with Nashville. This stuff cooks, whether its slow, soulful testimony or rousing, foot-stomping grooves. You just can't stay in your seat when Aubrey Ghent starts his twelve-minute workout on the title cut, and that's just the start. Whew!

BUDDY GUY "Sweet Tea" Silvertone

An interesting idea: a bluesman leaving Chicago for the Delta. It's be easy to dismiss this thing as Buddy Guy hopping on the Fat Possum train, but dagnabbit, the guy is one HELL of a guitar player, and his voice just wails and growls, and who knew it would fit in so well with the low-rez, gut-bucket sound he's got going here. Sounds right nasty, it does, and that's the way a lot of folks like it these days, and I'm one of 'em. The most interesting thing about this record is to think about what Guy will do next: head on back to Chicago, or stay around for awhile and count the money.

CORA MAE BRYANT "Born With The Blues" Music Maker

The daughter of legendary Georgia bluesman Curley Weaver steps out with this fine collection of country blues, much of it original material. This record has a very simple, living-room feel to it, and that makes for a rich, intimate experience. Bryant's voice has the rough, real warmth that can only come with experience and this album is a fine way to spend your time. IN addition, Music Maker sends a good chunk of its proceeds to a relief fund to help blues musicians down on their luck. Everybody wins when you pick this record up.

CHRIS CAIN "Cain Does King" Blue Rockit

Anyone familiar with Cain can hear B.B. King in his singing. It ain't affected, just a nice coincidence, and those same folks know that Cain is a helluva guitar player and songwriter in his own right. That he chose to put out this group of royal covers is a gutsy move, and he pulls it off. You walk away reminded of how great those old B.B. tunes were, and how great (and underappreciated) Cain is right now.

IKE TURNER & THE KINGS OF RHYTHM "Here And Now" Blue Rockit

Regardless of how you feel about Turner as a human being, it's hard to deny his importance to R & B. If this "comeback" record weren't so damn good, you could just send him on over to the "too bad" bin, and tsk-tsk him into oblivion. The performances are hot, with Turner quite naturally sounding like he's got everything to prove and nothing to lose. On guitar or piano, he wails. His voice has fit into the role of the time-mellowed blues singer that may have taken him this long to realize. Hell of a record, man.

Other fine releases (with details coming soon):

BLUE EYED DEVILS "Hard Luck Town" Some young Bay Area cats who manage to pull off the damn near impossible: acoustic country blues done with chops, respect and the guts to try to make it their own. An impresive independent release.

VARIOUS ARTISTS: "Blues Harp Meltdown" Lead by Mark Hummel, this 2-cd set of live performances by some of the best west coast harp players is a blast.

REISSUES & COLLECTIONS

"DON'T FREEZE ON ME: Independent Women's Blues" El Cerrito

Certainly the most interesting collection of the year, this collection of 50's and 60's rarities from West Coast women singers features some amazing sides. Most of these ladies are being backed up by Johnny Heartsman's band, and while its nice to hear Big Mama Thorton and Sugarpie Desanto prove again just how great they are, it the lesser known artists that make for the treats (and ain't that the way it always is?). Olive Brown's unreleased demo "Roll Like A Wheel" isa hi-octane treat, same with Marie Adams' "Old Feeling", and amazing vocal performances by an alleged prostitute named Delilah are just a few of the many standouts on this great great record. Its available from Bluebeat Records (and tell 'em Smitty sent cha).

LUTHER ALLISON "Luther's Blues" and "Bad News Is Coming" Motown

These reissues of Allison's first two Motown releases are powerful arguments for how great the late singer/guitarist was, and how sad his passing continues to be. It's hard to think of Motown as a blues label, especially in the early 70's when they put out these two albums, but Allison didn't give a rat's ass. He just played! Get 'em both, and see.

JOHNNIE TAYLOR "Lifetime" Stax

Hard to beat this terrific 3-cd set of Taylor's work on Stax. Spanning some 25 years, from gospel to doo-wop to soul to blues, JT had a string of hits, well beyond "Who's Makin' Love" and "Disco Lady". You'll find some amazing performances in every genre, and whether you're a major fan or a novice, you won't get bored. His sometimes troubled career is sketched out nicely in Lee Hildebrand's liner notes, and that makes for a fine experience all around. This is real soul music, in all its permutations from one of the best singers who ever lived.

JOHN MAYALL "Back To The Roots" Polydor

Never been a big John Mayall fan, but this reissue of a reissue has got some pretty wonderful hippie blues. Brilliant violin by Sugarcane Harris adds to the atmosphere and a lot of the songs deal with issues that resonate to this day: television, suicide, drug abuse, environmentalism. I was pleasantly surprised by this, and maybe you will be, too.

HOWARD TATE "Howard Tate" Koch

This is certainly the funkiest record I've heard all year, and no wonder. It's a re-issue of Tate's 1972 release on Atlantic, and it's the laid-back nature of the record that makes it so fly. Certainly calmer than Tate's classic "Get It While You Can", this one still has some mighty fine singing and some deeply soulful arrangements. All of KZSU's "Soul Heaven" boys just cannot get enought of this thing. And that's saying something.

VARIOUS ARTISTS "Blues Review Of The 20th Century" TopCat

Muddy, Big Mama, Big Joe Turner, J.B. Hutto and more on this standout recording of a gorup of shows from the 1970's recorded at various locations in the Pacific Northwest.