Deep South Blues is an album containing some unissued tracks and issued tracks from the rural deep south, featuring some of the artists featured in the film "Deep Blues." The album features fourteen tracks from ten artists and was recorded between 1979 and 1985.
This is a intriguing release from HMG featuring one of my favorite artists Jessie Mae Hill on one track. Jessie is featured almost solo except for drummer Joe Hicks on "Brokenhearted Blues" which was written by Jessie and was recorded way back in 1980 but unused though this song was re-record and used on her "Feelin' Good" CD. Jessie manages to create a great down home feel with her guitar riff which she plays to great effect.
Junior Kimbrough and the Soul Blues Boys start the album off with a couple of songs. "Tomorrow Night" is an unissued song from 1982 and it sets the feel for this album with it's laid-back riff fueled guitar work from Junior. Hammie Nixon impressed me with his version of "Bottle up and go" and is one of the best versions I ever heard of this song with some good harmonica playing, to accompany to his deep singing voice. R.L. Burnside is the best known of the artists on this CD and R.L does the longest song on this album with "Bad Luck City" which is an alternative version to a 45 he recorded back in 1979. R.L.'s band consists of his two sons, Joseph and Daniel with his son-in-law Calvin Jackson on this half sung half spoken workout.
Waynell Jones who has two songs on this CD, were both sides of a 45 issued back in 1985. "The Chicken Song" and "Jaybird Boogie" both feature Waynell singing over a nice picking style guitar playing. Lillie Hill/Raymond Hill both have one track each with their band. Lillie's "Cotton Fields - Boss Man" is a great little number featuring a sax solo from Raymond. Raymond does "Going Down" which is a laid back number featuring his sax playing. Raymond originally played on Jackie Brenston's "Rocket 88," regarded by many to be the first Rock & Roll song recorded. Raymond was a member of Ike Turner's Rhythm Kings through the fifties until he fell out with Ike over his girlfriend and mother of Raymond's son, soon to be Ike's wife a certain Tina Turner.
Ranie Burnette has two tracks as does Uncle Ben and His Nephews. Hezekiah and the House Rockers make up the rest of this CD, with three songs, featuring Leon "Peewee" Whittaker on of all things a trombone. Uncle Ben's two tracks on this CD were actually recorded live, "Mama Look At Sis" was recorded live in the patio of the "One Minute Café," Memphis. "Mean Woman Blues" being a good finale to this CD was recorded live in "Handy Park" Memphis and has some excellent distorted guitar work from Ben.
The CD is a very good overview of the rural deep south blues with a sound that is not polished by record companies and is like the real sound that is played still to this day, in some of the remote deep south juke joints.
High Tone Records www.hightone.com
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