John Lee Hooker, Jr. has set a September 18 release date for his new album, All Hooked Up. The new CD was produced by renowned writer/producer Larry Batiste, recorded at Pajama Recording Studios in Oakland, California, and features special guests Lucky Peterson on guitar and "The Cleanup Woman" herself, Betty Wright, who duets with John Lee on the sizzling and soulful track, "I Surrender."
The All Hooked Up album package also features a special bonus DVD, rated PG, of an animated film noir video for John Lee's song, "Dear John." The video was created by French production studio Callicore, under the dynamic creative team of Laurent Mercier and Xavier Semen.
All Hooked Up is John Lee's fifth album and showcases the amazing versatility of the singer on an even-dozen original songs that demonstrate his roots in the blues, as well as soul, gospel, funk, rock and even a touch of jazz. On the new CD, he's backed by a tight, in-the-pocket band that kicks with a solid groove and includes a host of Bay Area all-star musicians who totally bring the funk to all the proceedings. And while he is his father's son, John Lee Hooker, Jr. is definitely his own man with his own sound.
Highlights on the new CD are many, starting with the lead-off track, "Tired of Being a Housewife," a gritty, urban blues about a neglected wife breaking the bonds of her not-so-holy-matrimony and sowing some wild oats of her own; "You Be My Hero, " John Lee's salute to all the men and women in the U.S. military featuring some electrifying guitar by the great Lucky Peterson; the funky "Listen to the Music," complete with a New Orleans second-line beat; the duet with Betty Wright on "I Surrender," which sounds like something from a Curtis Mayfield session during the classic days of soul; and the title track, an autobiographical song of Hooker's trials and tribulations growing up the son of an iconic bluesman, presented with an uplifting spirit and based in a solid funky dance groove that goes through the ceiling. On "Hard Times" and "Let Me Be," he's in classic blues form, accented by some blistering guitar and harmonica on the former, and shouting horns on the latter; and on "Pay the Rent," Hooker shows his versatility with a jazzy vocal that recalls Lou Rawls in style and timbre.
