New Junior Wells album (long post)

[Tfine@xxxxxxx]

Here's a late weigh-in on Junior Wells' new CD, "Everybody's Gettin' Some" on
Telarc. 

First of all, this is Junior's 2nd work on Telarc, the former high-end
classical label trying over the last few years to broaden its market by
applying its high-end recording and production techniques to jazz and blues.
 As a quick aside, Telarc actually did a very interesting project putting
Itzak Pearlman (sp??) and Oscar Peterson together for a lineup of jazz
standards.  As horendous as that could sound, I find it very appealing.

Anyway, the Junior Wells album is certainly not a showcase of Junior's harp
skills.  He does more singing than blowing and I get the feeling his harp
style was cramped throughout by the producers' penchant for creating
"all-star jams" and showcasing the excellent New Orleans studio band
assembled for the project.  I also wonder if Junior felt out of his element
recording in New Orleans without his road band, which, according to the album
notes, the producers specifically did to create a funkier environment.  One
more overall note:  Junior plays harp acoustically (ie unplugged into a vocal
mic with no effects) throughout.  His Lee Oscar harps sound very full and his
breathing/cupping techniques are very reminiscenet of Rice Miller.  The
"unplugged" playing fits with Telarc's approach.  This company would probably
insist on Little Walter turning down his amps.  Even distorted guitars sound
"clean" (ie bite but no gravel) on this project.

A song-by-song critique follows:

1. Sweet Sixteen -- Fairly spirited rendition of the Al Green tune.  Good
funky harp solo.
2. Everybody's Getting Them Some -- One of the 2 "marquee (sp??) tunes" here
with Bonnie Raitt on backing vox.  It's in the vein of John Lee Hooker's
"all-star guest ego-jams" of late.  Not bad but nothing new or startling
here.
3. I Can't Stand No Signifyin' -- Very funky featuring "The Legendary White
Trash Horns."  Low-key but nice harp work.
4. Get Down -- This is a long-distance jam with Carlos Santana, who
overdubbed his parts in California.  The effect is similar to Eddie Van
Halen's playing on Michael Jackson's "Beat It": it sounds like 2 guys in 2
different cities on 2 different days playing to the same rhythm tracks.
5. Keep On Steppin' -- A country blues with Sonny Landreth on National steel.
 Quite a funky beat to it and Junior sings and plays very well.  But, like
with the rest of this CD, he concentrates on singing more than playing.
6. Shaky Ground -- This goes with Junior's concentration on funk for this CD.
 It's a good funky groove, but of all tunes not to include the "Legendary
White Trash Horns" on, this one is horn-less!  Good if short harp solo.
7. You're Tough Enough -- More funky grooves, this time with horns.
8. Use Me -- Again very funky.  There's a lot of synthesized clavett (sp??)
and wa-wa guitar on this album.  Very retro-70's.
9. Trying To Get Over You -- Back to a more standard blues feel.  The song
more reflects the New Orleans setting (heavy on New Orleans  piano riffs
behind the singing) than Wells' Chicago heritage, but it sounds nice.  Good
solid soloing.
10. Last Hand Of The Night -- Fast funky and wailing with horns and guitar
solos.  Nothing too musically original here but nice to listen to (even if
you've heard it all before).
11. Don't Lie To Me -- Another duet with Sonny Landreth, country feeling.
 Junior again concentrates more on singing (very nice, passionate, expressive
vocals) than harping.
12. That's What Love Will Make You Do -- Finally, on the last track, I
figured out what's missing on the funky tracks:  Buddy Guy!  The guitar
playing on this CD is just plain different from Junior/Buddy funky work.
 Rico McFarland's runs are perfectly nice blues runs, but they're not choppy
and frenetic the way Buddy is when he's on.  This song is a perfectly good
example of all that's good and bad about this album.  It's a nice funky tune
but an experienced Junior Wells listener will probably go away feeling
somewhat empty.  Here's a theory:  it may be that the playing behind Junior
is too precise, too clean, too Telarc for the blues.

By the way, I heartily agree with Keith Graham that the best "Harp Lesson"
Junior's put out is "Alone and Acoustic" with Buddy Guy on Alligator.

Finally, a question.  I am listening to the Denon/Savoy CD "Climbin' Up" by
Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry, specifically to "Sittin' Pretty", song #3.
 This is "Sitting On Top Of The World" by Howlin' Wolf!  McGhee/Terry
recorded theirs 5/3/52 according to the album.  Who came first? I believe
Wolf recorded "Sittin'" later, but did he write it or did McGhee?

tom fine