I'm In The Mood

I have to admit that I am not very firm with blues and most of the nowadays artists are boring me. But the old black artists that made the blueprint of rhythm 'n' blues in the 60's are a place I come back from time to time. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker are the names I play at my place sometimes when I am in the mood for it. John Lee Hooker released in 1989 an album filled with his kind of blues collaborated with artists like Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Gerorge Thorogood that stamped the sound of a short summer. With these musicians, he has created a small masterpiece that is undoubtedly timeless, integrating different styles into his very own sound. A special look back at an extraordinary album that has lost hardly any of its fascination. 

John Lee Hooker - I'm In The Mood

John Lee Hooker - Sally Mae

John Lee Hooker - The Healer

The Healer

 

I have to admit that I am not a fan of blues music. Of course I know the heroes of long time gone by but I saw a several blues musicians live during the last decades but none made me feel to see them once again. Don't know why but maybe because the music was too calculable and the lyrics are too similar to others. But back in 1989 John Lee Hooker returned at the age of at the age of 73 with The Healer and he got rightly much critical acclaim. Not only with his collaborations with Carlos Santana, who was there a shadow of himself but his collaborations with Bonnie Raitt and Gerorge Thorogood were fantastic and still worth to be played after all these years. If you want to listen to blues music try this album and you'll enjoy.

The Healer

John Lee Hooker appeared at the last days of his career with The Healer back in 1989 with a groundbreaking album that brought back classical Mississippi delta blues to a lot of people who forgot where many of popular music got its influence from. An album full with collaborations with a lot of different popular musicians made this album one of the best and well known records of this year. I didn't listen to this records for ages but it is still a record you ought to listen to from time to time even if you are not deeply into blues. The way he plays his guitar with a few licks is simply unbelievable and none could do it better than the master himself. What Hooker did in the late days of his musical career was that important for generations who didn't knew where many of the music came from.

John Lee Hooker - Rockin' Chair
John Lee Hooker with Bonnie Raitt - I'm In The Mood
John Lee Hooker with George Thorogood - Sally Mae

Does Anyone Remember Terry Reid?

It was decades back when Terry Reid appeared on the scene as a fantastic guitar player. He started his career at the age of 14 and impressed many popular musicians in the early 60's. Jimmy Page wanted him as a guitar player and singer after he left The Yardbirds to form another band. Sadly he denied this offer and Robert Plant got the job singing for Led Zeppelin. It was not the only fault in his career. He also signed a contract with Mickie Most who wanted to make him a balladeer. He didn't got out of his contract and had to earn his money as a side musician for many artists like Jackson Browne, UFO or Bonnie Raitt. Sadly his name is forgotten because many other artist that made hit records while he was trying to find his own way in music. I remembered him while I was sorting my albums during the last weeks and it is great to listen to him once again. One more forgotten giant of blues influenced rock music.

Terry Reid - Stay With Me Baby
Terry Reid - Seasons Of The Witch
Terry Reid - Bang Bang

And as a bonus 11 minutes of playing live in German TV back in 1969

Not The Only One

Paul Brady, known as an Irish singer-songwriter, took over a well known Dublin venue for a month to play more than 20 concerts. He can  look back on a big career playing the traditional music with Planxty and collaborations with Richard Thompson and Bonnie Raitt. These days the first of series of these concerts in Vicar St. appeared. I like this record because it is just the man with his voice, backed with a good band presenting just the music he is. This one is a duet with the fabulous Bonnie Raitt.

Enjoy on Easter Monday

Paul Brady - Not the only one (feat. Bonnie Raitt)