About Them Shoes

Hubert Sumlin | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Tone Cool
• ASIN: B0006UEVPY
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,630 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #48 in Music > Blues > Chicago Blues
  • #73 in Music > Blues > Modern Blues

Track Listings

1. I'm Ready

2. Still a Fool

3. She's into Something

4. Iodine in My Coffee

5. Look What You've Done

6. Come Home Baby

7. Evil

8. Long Distance Call

9. The Same Thing

10. Don't Go No Further

11. I Love the Life I Live, I Live the Life I Love

12. Walkin' Thru the Park

13. This Is the End, Little Girl

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Hubert Sumlin's famed for the shimmying riffs he laid all over classic Howlin' Wolf songs like "Killing Floor" and "Shake for Me," yet this excellent disc--which teams the 73-year-old firebrand with pals Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, James Cotton, Bob Margolin, and a host of other veterans--is a rocking, soulful tribute to another of his employers, Muddy Waters. Clapton bites into the licks and lyrics of Waters's "I'm Ready" and "Long-Distance Call," joining Sumlin in a passionate séance that raises the great spirits of '50s Chicago blues. Richards and Sumlin have an insouciant rapport that makes the stark "Still a Fool" and "Little Girl, This Is the End" sound like late-night conversations between lost, lonely hearts. But the real star is Sumlin, whose string sliding, deep tone, dizzy vibrato, acrobatic note bending, and tense, wily phrasing still sound as entirely original and vigorous as they did nearly a half-century ago. Buy this album--now. --Ted Drozdowski

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Way To Start the New Year!, February 8, 2005

By 

deepbluereview "deepbluereview" (SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: About Them Shoes (Audio CD)

Hubert Sumlin is a star in his own rights having shared the spotlight as Howlin' Wolf's lead guitarist from 1956 to 1976. Sumlin's flashy guitar work has been credited with influencing the work of Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Well along in years, some of the stars that he influenced return to help produce a great release to kick of 2005. The guests include Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and harpist Paul Oscher. The band also benefits from Muddy Waters guitarist Bob Margolin and David Maxwell on piano. The tunes are covers of songs written by Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon. Everything about the CD is first rate.

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars On your feet., January 27, 2005

By 

R. N. Owen (FERNDALE, MID GLAMORGAN United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: About Them Shoes (Audio CD)

This sounds like a long-lost Chess treasure from about '62. Hubert calls in some favours from people who took (and ran with)what he laid down working with The Wolf and Muddy all those years ago. Some of the other 'originals' from that era shine here too but it's Keith Richards for me who shows the spirit of Chicago is still alive and well - albeit with an English accent that's more Southend than Southside. The producers of this CD (great sound!) should now get Hubert and Keith back in the studio with just two acoustic guitars and a stand-up bass player. These are good times for septugenarians; see John Mayall's recent offering, also featuring Eric Clapton. So buy this CD and read Moanin' at Midnight (James Segrest, Mark Hoffman) as you listen - you'll find out how Hubert learned to play.

25 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice - but nothing particularly special, January 27, 2005

By 

Tod C. Armstrong (Rohnert Park, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: About Them Shoes (Audio CD)

THE highlight of the disc is the final track and the only one featuring Hubert on vocals - he does a wonderful acoustic guitar interplay with Keith on a self-penned tune. Interesting that this is the highlight - as the theme of the (rest of the) album is Muddy Waters tunes.

The only problem, per se, with the rest of the album is that it only makes you (at least, me) wanna play the originals....none of these even sniff the greatness of the Muddy originals. In that respect, it reminds me alot of Jimmy Rogers' final album, Blues Blues Blues...a fine album (and one that also features Keith -- and Mick -- on 3 tracks)...but nothing ground-breaking. Both nice listens.

Keith turns in a serviceable vocal on Still a Fool (but, really he's not much of a blues singer). Clapton probably comes off the best among the vocal performers (aside from Hubert). Other nice vocal contributions by Blondie Chaplin, David Johansen and others.

Hubert's leads steal the show, here, though. If you're expecting some wicked guitar from Keith, you'll be disappointed. He's here as a sideman on three tracks - nice, but nothing special.