Eddie Kirkland is a storied sideman singer-guitarist, just turned 80 and still stomping out funky, idiosyncratic riffs. Known as the "gypsy of the blues", famed for his bandanas and energetic performances, his history is rich and deep. He spent 7+ years playing rhythm guitar behind John Lee Hooker on some of Hookers early (1951 on) and tougher Modern label recordings. Later he moved to Georgia and was Otis Reddings bandleader, working with other soul greats like Ben King, Ruth Brown and Little Johnny Taylor. He had a hit on Stax-Volt ("Hawg") and has recorded several albums for overseas labels.
Recently in Toledo he hooked up with Blue Suit Records, a label founded some 14 years ago by blues enthusiasts John Rockwell & Bob Seeman. Their label has concentrated on lesser-known Detroit and Toledo blues talent and they've released some 15 albums by people like Harmonica Shah and pianist Detroit Junior. They've also been involved in promoting area music festivals (including bringing Koerner Ray & Glover in a few years back to play at a 50th anniversary of the art museum in Toledo) and promoting blues conferences.
This album teams Kirkland and his phase-shifted guitar sound with bassist Fuzzy Samuels (Stephen Stills, Taj Mahal) and jazz drummer Andre Wright. Also added in a rare, mostly supporting role, was folk-blues icon Dave Ray in one of his last sessions, done a month and a half before his death on Thanksgiving day, 2002.
Kirkland plays a muscular guitar, flurries of notes interspersed with longish pauses. It's an aggressive, highly personal style. Raw distortion features on the tough-times plaint "Democrat Blues" Tho much of the material is original, he covers Elmore James "Must Have Done Something Wrong", and Lil Son Jackson's "Rockin' And Rollin" ( BB King & Muddy called it "Rock Me"), as well as incorporating "The Thrill Is Gone" in a medley.
Three of the 10 numbers are solo and/or acoustic: "Ten Commandments" is a muse on religion, while "Good Time Joe" could be read as autobiography. "I' ve Got My Bloodshot Eyes On You" is a cooking acoustic duet with Ray, one of the few where Dave steps out much, offering a bubbling riff that intertwines nicely with Kirkland's line.
In fact for the most part Dave mainly chops out rhythm, being in the rare role of time-keeper to Kirkland's floating sense of rhythm. Ray does take several chorus long solos in "Walk In The Dark", (a mellow, fleet and jazzy ride), and the funky "Slow Driving" but that's about the audible extent of his presence here.
The focus is on Kirkland, who demonstrates a drive throughout. Besides this 10 song recent recording, theres also a 2nd bonus disc, which consists of 6 tracks from 1998 previously heard on a Blue Suit comp HASTINGS STREET GREASE. Kirkland blows harp on a couple of the tracks there, and the sound is more straight-ahead 12 bar barroom blues.
All in all, an interesting look at someone whose still out on the blues highway--and driving hard.
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