Artists | Issues | CD Reviews | Interviews | Concert Reviews | DVD/Video Reviews | Book Reviews | Who We Are | Staff | Home
 

Various Artists

Blues Kings of Baton Rouge

Review by Gary Hill

While a lot of attention has been focused over the years on blues scenes in towns like Memphis and Chicago, there was a prominent and vital blues movement in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. This new set collects a number of recordings from 1954-1971 from artists of thaqt scene. The sound quality is generally quite good, and there is a nice variety of music here. I really like this a lot, and the cool packaging with nice booklet adds to the quality of this thing. If you want a quick primer on the blues scene of Baton Rouge, I can't imagine a much better starting point.

Bonus video footage of this release is available at the Music Street Journal Youtube channel here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG_Kx9G3bHY

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) in Music Street Journal: 2020  Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2020.

Track by Track Review
CD One
                   
Slim Harpo - Blues Hang-Over

Harmonica and blues guitar open this and create the basis for the arrangement as it drives forward. The vocals are partly spoken on this thing.

Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas - Who Broke The Lock
There is an extended introduction to this cut that explains the origins of the tune. The cut has a real down-home vibe to it and a question and answer vocal arrangement.
Lightnin’ Slim - Bad Luck
Real old-school, down-home blues is on the menu here. The harmonica lends some magic to the piece.
Lightnin’ Slim - Bugger Bugger Boy
Energetic old-time blues jamming is the order of business here. This has some classic riffs and sound.
Schoolboy Cleve - Strange Letter Blues
I dig the raw blues sound on this thing. The cut features some cool guitar and harmonica.
Clarence Edwards - Smokestack Lightning
There is a real sense of pain in the vocal performance here. The arrangement features a violin for good effect along with the typical guitar. There is a real meaty sound to this. This is precisely the kind of thing that really influenced the rock music of the 1970s.
Robert Pete Williams - Angola Special
The vocals on this are almost spoken at times. The acoustic guitar serves as the backdrop for the piece.
Butch Cage & Willie B. Thomas - Jelly Roll
There is some real country sound to this old school tune. It's down-home hoedown styled blues.
Slim Harpo - I’m A King Bee

This is a blues classic. I love the bass sound on this thing. The sexual innuendos are all over this. This is an entertaining tune.

Lonesome Sundown - My Home Is A Prison

I really like this electric blues tune a lot. It has a cool energy and groove to it.

Lightnin’ Slim - Mean ‘Ol Lonesome Train
With a harmonica leading to a spoken bit, this cut works out to a pretty standard blues jam from there. The tune is energized and classy.
Clarence Edwards - Stack O’ Dollars
There is some bluegrass texture in the mix on this arrangement, but overall it's a full-on old-school blues sound.
Robert Pete Williams - Come Here Baby
A stripped down acoustic blues, this cut works well.
Sally Dotson & Smokey Babe - Your Dice Won’t Pass
I like this acoustic blues song a lot. The duet element is a nice touch.
Lazy Lester - They Call Me Lazy
Another old school blues tune, this is strong.
Jimmy Dotson - Looking For My Baby
I dig the energized soulful groove on this thing. It's a powerhouse tune that works really well.
Raful Neal - Crying Hard
This is another down-home old-school blues tune.
Lazy Lester - I’m A Lover Not A Fighter
With a lot of energy and groove, this is much more of a rock and roller. It feels very much like a lot of the 1950s rock and roll.
Lightnin’ Slim - Lightnin’s Troubles
This stomper is so much fun. It has a rocking blues texture to it and some great harmonica.
Slim Harpo - One More Day

A cool electric blues groove drives this thing with a lot of style.

Lightnin’ Slim - Rooster Blues
I love the jazzy kind of vibe on this number. It has energy and is packed full of "cool."
Lightnin’ Slim & Lazy Lester - Trip To Chicago (alt)
This has such a classic blues sound to it. There is some great conversation built into this, really telling a story. I'd consider this one of the highlights of the set.
Slim Harpo - What A Dream
I love the guitar fills on this tune. The whole tone and mode are classy, too. This is a solid blues number.
Smokey Babe & Clyde Causey - Black Gal
The harmonica brings some magic to the piece. The whole tune grooves with a lot of style.
Smokey Babe & Lazy Lester - Mississippi River So Deep And Wide
This down-home acoustic blues tune works quite well.
Herman E. Johnson - Depression Blues
This is a down-in-the-gutter blues with a lot of desperation built into it.
CD Two
                   
Slim Harpo - Rainin’ In My Heart

There is some definite country music texture to this, along with some old-school rock and roll. I'm not as much a fan of this sound as I am of some of the other stuff here.

Lightnin’ Slim - I’m Tired Waitin’ Baby
We're back into electric blues zones with this powerhouse cut.
Tabby Thomas - Hoodo Party
I dig the classic blues sound on this number.
Lonesome Sundown - My Home Ain’t Here
There is such a killer jazzy blues sound built into this thing. It's a fun number that works so well.
Jimmy Anderson - Naggin’

I like the jazz groove on this tune. The harmonica solo is cool, and the whole cut oozes style and charm.

Silas Hogan - Trouble At Home Blues
There is a down-home angle to this, but it also showcases some electric blues elements. I like the interplay between the guitar and harmonica.
Lightnin’ Slim - Winter Time Blues
More classic blues is on display on this smoking number.
Jimmy Anderson - Going Through the Park
Electric based, this has a bit of a rock and roll element at play. Still, it's all blues at its core.
Lightnin’ Slim - I’m Evil

This electric blues number has a real mean vibe to it. It's energized and so cool. It's a highlight of the set.

The Nitehawks - Boogie Chillun
A raw rocking texture makes up the concept here. This is definitely up-tempo and leans toward rock and roll zones.
Whispering Smith - Mean Woman Blues
This killer blues number works so well. The vocal delivery really emotes. The guitar fills are tasty, too.
Silas Hogan - I’m Goin In The Valley
A pretty mainstream blues rock groove is on hand for this classy tune. It's fun stuff.
Silas Hogan - Dark Clouds Rollin’
This is built on a classic electric blues sound. It's another strong tune.
Lightnin’ Slim - Can’t Live This Life No More
This thing sounds like "Little Red Rooster." It's a classic blues number with some great harmonica blowing on it.
Isaiah Chattman - Cold In Hand
Down-home acoustic blues is the idea here. This is another solid tune.
Slim Harpo - Baby Scratch My Back
There is a playful kind of rock and roll vibe to this. It has some cool harmonica work, and a great mostly spoken vocal delivery. This is a fun tune that's another highlight of the set.
Slim Harpo - I’m Gonna Miss You (Like The Devil)
Blues and rock and roll merge here on this accessible piece.
Silas Hogan - Hoo Doo Blues
This is a live recording. It is a classy blues stomper that works pretty well.
Henry Gray - Showers Of Rain
Piano brings this into being and serves as the backdrop for the vocals. This arrangement brings some real variety to the set.
Arthur Kelley - Number Ten At The Station (And Number 12 Is On The Road)
I dig the stripped back guitar blues sound of this cut.
Arthur Kelley - How Can I Stay (When All I Have Is Gone)
A classy electric blues grind is at the heart of this piece. It's an evocative and vital number.
Moses Smith - Baton Rouge Breakdown
This is a harmonica solo that lends some nice variety and style.
Silas Hogan - Honey Bee Blues
Acoustic blues, I like this piece quite a bit. There is a real down-home texture to it.
Silas Hogan - I Didn’t Tell Her To Leave
A classic old-school electric blues sound makes up the concept of this number.
Slim Harpo - The Music’s Hot

This is a fun blues rocker.

Robert Pete Williams - Goodbye Slim Harpo

This is very much down-home acoustic blues. I love the guitar work on the tune.

Slim Harpo - Talking Blues

Harmonica brings this tune into being, and other instruments join in a bit. This stays fairly understated, but still manages to really ooze the cool. It seems to cut off right in the middle of the song, though.

 
Return to the
Various Artists Artist Page
Artists Directory
 
Google

   Creative Commons License
   This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License.

    © 2024 Music Street Journal                                                                           Site design and programming by Studio Fyra, Inc./Beetcafe.com