DVD Review
DON'T START ME TALKING
The Junior Wells Story
(Legacy JVD55754)
by Tony Glover
Review date: April 2004
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"Keeping the Blues Alive Award"
Achievement for Blues on the Internet
Presented by The Blues Foundation
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This 83 minute documentary covers the life of Amos Blakemore, better known
as Junior Wells, sideman to Muddy Waters, partner to Buddy Guy and mentor to
Mick Jagger. He was also the harp player who seemed the most likely
candidate to fill Little Walters shoes after Walter's early death in 1968.
(In fact, he and Walter swapped bands following Walter's 1952 juke box hit
"Juke"-Wells taking over his old slot with Muddy, Walter going on tour with
the 3 Deuces, Wells band with the Myers brothers.)
Director Andre Peraza concentrates mostly on interviews, with only a few
longish performance clips interspersed. Wells is introduced via a duet with
Dan Ackroyd (?!?). Other notable endorsers include Dr John, Bruce Willis
(another performing duet-what is it with white actors with harp fetishes?),
Jimmy Vaughan, Steve Miller, Carlos Santana and Charlie Musselwhite. John
Lee Hooker, Koko Taylor and Luther Allison also do drive-by quotes. A panel
which includes Delmark Records head Bob Koester and former booker Dick
Waterman also testifies and tells stories about recording sessions and
African touring.
Wells mother, sister and daughter are briefly seen, but the bulk of the
story is told by Wells himself. Many of his tales are his standard
oft-repeated interview pieces. They include a childhood "lesson" with a
cantankerous harp-master Sonny Boy Williamson II, a juvenile court judge
paying the balance due on a harp the 13 year old stole from a pawn shop
after hearing Wells play before the bench, and how Walter took "Juke" from
the Deuces set-ending break tune (not true). However much verifiable
veracity is on tap, Wells is a literate and interesting talker and he
accounts for himself well.
Long-time partner Buddy Guy shows up, both in interview and performing
segments, and its easy to see how their competition/camaraderie could be
misconstrued for animosity. (In sum, it seems more like two massive egos
rubbing upside each other than any real acrimony.) Wells is seen onstage
with his 8 piece band (adding keys and 3 horns to your standard combo),
doing portions of tunes like "Messing With The Kid" (inspired by his
daughter), and "Hoodoo Man", title track from his break-through Delmark 1966
album. There's also a brief clip of a PBS all-star tribute to Muddy Waters,
Wells harps on "Got My Mojo Working" with his old boss.
There's also footage of a "Super Harps" combo with Billy Boy Arnold and
Billy Branch playing with Wells, and presentation of a Handy award. The
piece ends appropriately with Wells doing a solo acoustic version of SBW II'
s "In My Younger Days", and a closing title card is the only mentions of
Wells January 1998 death from cancer.
Nothing fancy here, no behind-the-scenes extras, just a workman-like narrative of the life of one of the premier Chicago harpmen.
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