 Buddy Guy- The Jeff Golub Band featuring Henry Butler- Jackie Johnson
Buddy Guy Buddy and the Juniors Hip-O Select/Verve Buddy Guy can really make sparks fly from his electric guitar but this reissue of a recording from 1970 finds him wielding an acoustic and being accompanied only by harpoon man Junior Wells and pianist Junior Mance. Guy and Wells begin the album trading licks and improvised verses on "Talkin' 'Bout Women Obviously," laughing as they sing about no-good women before launching into the harmonica jam instrumental "Riffin' (a.k.a. A Motif is Just a Riff)." The session takes on a little more structure when Mance joins in for "Buddy's Blues," a cover of Willie Dixon's "Hoochie Coochie Man" and an exceptional take on "Five Long Years." It's back to just Guy and Wells for "Rock Me Mama" but Mance returns with some fine boogie-woogie playing on set-closer "Ain't No Need." Buddy and the Juniors isn't essential listening but the "unplugged" session has such warmth about it that those who dig it will dig it a lot. The Jeff Golub Band featuring Henry Butler This tribute to Albert, B.B. and Freddie King starts off appropriately enough with Butler belting out "Let The Good Times Roll" and that's exactly what the band does as they roll through a set of songs associated with the three Kings, lots of which like "Born Under a Bad Sign" and "The Thrill is Gone" will be familiar to even the most casual of blues fans. Obviously a tribute to three guitar playing legends has to feature lots of guitar and axe man Golub doesn't disappoint, playing fluidly throughout and hosting a couple of famous players. Golub's own "In Plain Sight," with slide guitar by Sonny Landreth, is a funky blues that would not be out of place on a Little Feat album; meanwhile guest guitarist Robben Ford points the band towards Chicago for a fun take on Freddie's "Side Tracked." Butler shines on his other vocal numbers like "Have You Ever Loved a Woman" and the self-penned "Three Kings," another tune performed in a style that's very familiar to Little Feat fans. This album doesn't feature any rock'n'roll but rock fans may know Golub's prior work; he's a vet of dozens of albums and world tours with the likes of Rod Stewart and Billy Squier. Jackie Johnson This debut from Memphis-based soul and blues singer Jackie Johnson features some familiar covers like a take on Smokey Robinson's "Tears of a Clown" and Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" but Johnson is actually at her best a little off the pop beat, soaring on the gospel-informed "It Should Have Been Me," a tune made famous by Gladys Knight, and dealing silky smooth seduction on ballads like "Rain." Johnny McGhee, guitarist for LTD, and Rod Stewart guitarist Lance Keltner guest, as does singer Johnny Rawls who duets with Johnson on the simmering blues number "Love You Still." [an error occurred while processing this directive]
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