Chicago’s Delmark Records Re- release Masterpieces From Junior Wells and J.B Hutto
Chicago’s Delmark Records recently revived a couple of gems from their vaults. Junior Wells:Southside Blues Jam was originally released in 1970, with Otis Spann on piano and Buddy Guy on guitar. On “Stop Breaking Down,” Wells‘ vocals sound like he’s being beaten with a barbed wire whip. He was criticized for his sparse use of harp on the record, but when and what he does play is as soulful as anything he ever put down on tape. On Muddy’s “Long Distance Call,” Wells wisely doesn’t try to follow Muddy’s sermonizing on the original, but turns in a soulful performance that retains the spirit without stealing his technique.Wells gets down in the same Muddy puddle for “I Just Want to Make Love to You,”squalling like James Brown while splashing some molasses-thick luuuuuve around.
It‘s great stuff that sounds as raw in the studio as if it had been captured live in an after hours club.
Delmark followed that one with J.B Hutto’s 1968 Hawk Squat, Chicago blues at it’s rawest. Sunnyland Slim sits in on piano for this raucous ride. Hutto gets it said and gets out quickly- most of the 18 original compositions captured here are around three minutes. But there‘s a lot going on in that short time. Hutto’s slide work sounds as rough as Hound Dog Taylor, like he’s working out with a sawed- off kitchen table leg. His vocals are are just as raw, more hollered than sung. You can hear the Elmore James influence in his voice and guitar: strident, mean and evil, bad and nasty. Nephew Lil Ed and his Blues Imperials carry on the tradition learned at Hutto’s feet since childhood,but there’s no substitute for the real thing, Hutto-style.