Almanac Music: Not Quite Bob – in fact not really Bob at all but, you know … Guitar
Image: commons.wikimedia.org
A diversion this week, somewhat at the bidding of a fellow traveller. That would be you ajc. What follows is an ode to the guitar, an anthem for the axe if you will. A small sample of my favourites with hundreds left out but no correspondence, etc etc
Not much by way of biog for each, the tracks will tell the story. Most old (or Post Old), some new, all pretty fine.
A Nod To Bob From My First Album Purchase
First album paid for with my own money – Second Winter by Johnny Winter. Three sides of vinyl with a blank 4th. The albino from Texas on ‘Highway 61 Revisited’.
Your Best Friends Favorite That No-one Knows
Kenny Wayne Shepherd
Doesn’t sing, can sure as hell play. ‘Voodoo Child’. What more could you want?
A Not Usual Guitarist
Steve Winwood –’Dear Mr Fantasy’
Chicago
Luther Allison –’It Hurts Me Too’
Oddly, more famous in Europe, born in Arkansas but raised in Chicago.
Buddy Guy – ‘Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues’
Taste, finesse, style, power. The master.
Otis Rush – ‘All Your Lovin’
Eric Clapton has been great at acknowledging his influences and he’s done this song on his own but it’s great to hear him as a guest at an Otis Rush gig. The album it’s from is a pearler too.
Texas
Freddie King – ‘Goin’ Down’
The original Texas Cannonball. There are live versions of this by Freddie and others all over YouTube but you just can’t beat this. No better example of slow burn R’nB anywhere.
Stevie Ray Vaughan – ‘Change It’
Not the track requested and SRV is everywhere on the Tube but this track just doesn’t mess about in getting into the groove and this is a great performance of it.
When Your Crazy Old Uncle Likes To Play With The Cool Kids
Neil Young and Pearl Jam – ‘Rockin’ In The Free World’
Not so much a craftsman, more a vibe kind of guitarist but Neil sure can rock it up with the best of them. Here in Toronto in 2011.
Women Can Play Too
Joanne Shaw Taylor – ‘Diamonds In The Dirt’
English. Sings like Beth Hart, plays like Joe Bonamassa. Bonus. New album out called The Blues Album. Get it. Here, live a few years ago.
Samantha Fish – ‘I Put A Spell On You’
American, Kansas City. Sings and plays like Samantha Fish. Albums OK-ish, best live. Saw her at Byron back when you could. Dynamic.
Deborah Coleman
Less flashy than some of the other women, Deborah was more in the BB King mould with tasty licks. In researching this I learnt she’d died in 2018 at 60 and a bit which is too soon. We saw her at Wangaratta not long before that and she played like this.
And Speaking of Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa – ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’
Guest Spot Par Excellence
Boz Scaggs – Loan Me A Dime feat. Duane Allman
Boz pinched this from Fenton Robinson, then invited Duane Allman into the recording session. Legend has it that Duane took a long lead into the bathroom (American for dunny), donned headphones to be able to hear the band and played the slide outro there. I’m not at all concerned about the complete unlikelihood of this story and choose to believe it.
Pedigree, Influence, Heritage
Derek Trucks
Nephew of Allman Brothers drummer Butch, it’s impossible to imagine Derek wasn’t struck by Duane’s playing when he delved into his Uncle’s records. Here he is at 13 playing the outro to ‘Layla’.
And then all growed up with his wife Susan Tedeschi and their band. Fantastic live, catch them next time they tour. Lots of full concerts available on YouTube but here on Blind Faith’s ‘Had To Cry Today’.
Gone Too Soon
Sad biogs, great players. There are dozens in this heavily oversubscribed category. Audio only because the clips around are mostly a bit ordinary.
Roy Buchanan – ‘After Hours’
Danny Gatton – ‘Harlem Nocturne’
Michael Bloomfield – ‘Don’t Throw Your Love On Me So Bad’
And finally … the GOAT
Jimi Hendrix – ‘Red House’, Live at the Royal Albert Hall
One of the commenters on this clip remarked about how unique it was to have someone come along who you felt had come from the future. I couldn’t argue with that proposition. 50+ years after this performance, it still feels that way. He was that good. Given that I had to wrap this up somewhere, why not with Jimi?
With apologies to your favourites that aren’t here. I like ‘em too.
You can read more from Trevor Blainey HERE.
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Another cracker Trevor. I’ve seen a few of them perform live, (KWS, Steve Winwood, Buddy Guy, Neil Young, Beth Hart, Bob Scaggs, Derek Trucks) but the standout for me was Steve Winwood at JazzFest in New Orleans a few years ago performing a cracking ‘Dear Mr Fantasy’. I bought the Traffic album not long after it came out. A firm favourite! Just love Michael Bloomfield, he could have been anything. On another NO tour we were fortunate to visit the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis established by Willie Mitchell. His son Boo gave the group a guided tour of the studio, Bob Scaggs had just finished recording a blues album there and his guitar was still leaning up against the wall. My friend Tony was absolutely rapt to hold the guitar. Many a legend recorded in those studios.
Yep, I’ve done a tour through my own guitarist Hall of Fame. Seen all those you mentioned except Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Left out plenty of course but it’s a long list already. Alligator put out stacks of great albums featuring Albert Collins, Albert King, Son Seals, Fenton Robinson, Johnny Copeland and Robert Cray none of whom cracked a mention on this. I’d best fire up the turntable. Didn’t visit the Royal Studios in Memphis but it sounds like I should have.
Roy Buchanan was one of many who influenced Robbie Robertson. He’s my favourite, especially in that savage era from 65-68. His understated work on The BAnd album is a nice counterpoint, tho.
Australians… Ed Kuepper is serially underrated.
Thanks TB, there are some fine players in that mix. And PW, I agree re Ed.
I saw Albert Lee with the Everly Brothers in the 80s and was blown away. Likewise Joe Satriani filling in for Keef on Mick Jagger’s 80s tour. There are so many and some of my faves are James Burton, Grady Martin, Hank Garland, Bonnie Raitt, Chuck Berry, Prince, Jeff Beck and of course Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Cheers
Peter, Players like Ed Kuepper don’t often get included in lists like this and they should. Have you heard the album he’s just done called Asteroid Ekosystem? It’s terrific and his own solo work makes your point.
And Rick, you’ve named a bunch there who would make any similar list but also included two I don’t know in Grady Martin and Hank Garland so I’ll look ’em up.
Some great choices Trevor.
I really like the Fenton Robinson original of Loan Me A Dime. And the Boz and Duane version is brilliant. Somewhere I read a critique that said Duane Allman’s playing moves “from country rock to urban rhythm and blues and back again.” He is also masterful on Waiting For A Train from the same album.
And Col is correct re Mike Bloomfield. From the lyrical touches on Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited to the PBBB album and East West to the Super Sessions with Al Kooper. Some of his solo work was a little uneven but his masterful touches were always evident.
I would also submit Roy Harper’s The Same Old Rock where Roy and Jimmy Page head off into the stratosphere.
All great, Trev.
Love Beth and Joe’s version of I’d Rather Go Blind. The one she did at the Kennedy Centre for Buddy Guy was great too.
But here’s a bit of blasphemy for you… SRV was better than Hendrix. Not as revolutionary/groundbreaking because Hendrix had no peer when it comes to new territory. But if you listen to many of the versions of SRV doing Texas Flood live, well,” ineffable” is a word a try to steer away from as a cop out, but… it’s ineffable.
Okay, I know that will be debunked and debased, but there it is.
Also, Steve Hunter on the intro to Sweet Jane on Rock N Roll Animal.
Neil on Cortez The Killer on Weld.