Customer Reviews

Black Magic

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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Magic Sam Maghett was a bluesman from the Mississippi Delta first and foremost, but he was also instrumental (so to speak) in introducing an element of soul in his music, which was called "soul blues" or "west side soul".

The soul element is especially prominent when listening to Magic Sam's vocals, which are those of a soul singer rather than a blues singer, but most of the songs are structured and played like blues numbers. It's a bit of shame that Sam's guitar playing isn't more prominent, actually...the tasteful riffing of saxist Eddie Shaw is very enjoyable, but he was such an excellent blues guitarist, exhilarating even, and it would have been nice with a few more really smoking fills and solos.

This album doesn't contain the obvious number 1 (or five star) hit - unlike his previous album, "West Side Soul" - but the quality of the songs is uniformly high, even if they are a little bit unvaried from time to time. "Keep Loving Me Baby" is a souled-up re-recording of one of Sam's early singles from the 50s, and one of his better-known sings. The riff-driven "I Just Want A Little Bit" digs a deep, swinging R&B-groove. "What Have I Done Wrong" is one of Sam's finest, most soulful vocals. The great Lafayette Leake adds wonderful, jazzy piano to the swaggering "I Have The Same Old Blues". And we do get a couple of smouldering solos as well, on "You Belong To Me" and the slow "Stop! You're Hurting Me" in particular.

"Black Magic" is a fine album, made by a contingent of very skilled musicians - Magic Sam himself being one. It's well produced (that is, not over-produced), and it is certainly recommendable to everyone with an interest in both blues and soul. First-time Magic Sam-buyers should start with "West Side Soul", but don't forget to pick this one up either!

Honestly, I'd never actually heard Magic Sam when I bought this album, but a lot of reading on the blues brought me to purchase Magic Sam's "Black Magic." I now own everything Sam-related I can get my hands on. This album is my favorite, and while others may recommend "West Side Soul" over this, "Black Magic" seems to be his most steady and arranged material available. Magic Sam blends Chicago blues sound with a soul inspired voice that is both riviting and relaxing. Everyone I have had listen to this album ends up loving it. "Black Magic" is constantly in my listening rotation, and I would recommend this album highly to anyone who has any taste for soul, R&B, or the blues.

Sam is first rate. If you like Buddy Guy you might like Sam. If you like Otis Rush, you will almost certainly like Sam. If you like good music with soul, rythm and feeling- this is it. Not too much production, not stripped down either. It is a happy medium for most blues fans. There isn't an overboard horn section or interfering keys, or crazy looped guitar tracks. This is pure taste. A piano that plays perfectly to the music [ Sam learned by West side soul to only play with the best. ] and one Tenor Saxaphone for a few tracks to add some layers. Sam plays lead and some extra rythm. He is the only vocalist. There are two tunes that are kinda soul/ r and b. And the rest are solid blues, sometimes funky, sometimes slow. Sam is one of the great blues singers and innovators. This record does have a happy medium in a lot of respects. You got an instrumental. You got guitar playing that is technically respectable and creative but totally tasteful and with a feel for the music. Sam doesn't drill over the music with confused lines that go no where in particular like alot of bluesmen tend to do. He plays with his band. He solos and he shines, but he doesn't ever mess up the sound of the songs. Its got the slow soul, the feel good, the funk, everything. This album and West side soul are Sam at his peek, and the cream of the electric blues players. The man was an all around innovator of blues music, live he played bass, drums, Harmonica, Piano or whatever the band needed, it didn't matter. He Pushed the cool blues ahead. He and Otis Rush changed the game. And Sam has a respect for Otis because he did his songs, like Keep loving me on here and My Love Will Never Die on West side. I tell everybody I know who likes good music- If you don't know this guy, then you are missing a big piece of the puzzle. This is where it's at. His two major studio records and only real studio Lps are two of my favorites out of hundreds of albums. I can't even see how anyone could not like this.

I first heard this album (as vinyl) in 1969. As a guitarist and bass player who lived in Chicago on the South Side at the time, blues was in my BLOOD then - as it still is. I had several opportunities to play with Otis Rush on the West Side, and was going to play with Magic Sam . . . when he died.

This album is sheer beauty. Unlike his other blues counterparts in the city at the time, Magic Sam had a very R&B flavor to his blues - clean, always in tune, using that Fender reverb in ways that Otis, Buddy and others didn't. Yet he had an intensity that truly . . . well, touched me. Magic was a wonderful guitar player - and one hell of a singer. he was a gifted musician.

This guy was, in my opinion, the most gifted blues guitarist to ever walk the earth. He only cut two albums before dying at 32, but West Side Soul is a definitive Chicago Blues album. This particular album has heart-felt deep blues feeling to it. Magic is a slashing type guitarist with incredible range. He's also a great vocalist. I strongly suggest that any serious blues fan buy this album. If you want real Chicago Blues by one of the originals, this is a good place to start.

Magic Sam's Black Magic and West Side Soul are 2 of the greatest blues albums of all time--absolutely essential for any one who loves urban electric blues. The singing is absolutely incredible --one of the most powerful and expressive voices in the history of the blues. His guitar playing, rhythmic drive, and arrangements are also excellent and unique-he died soon after these 2 albums were recorded just as he seemed about to break out into stardom. His slow songs exhibit a soulfulness that is incomparable and the faster songs have a drive and excitement that is also beyond compare. You can't go wrong with these two albums--highest recommendation possible.

I had the pleasure of seeing Magic Sam and his band during the American Folk Blues Tour shortly before his death. He was a wonderful performer and this album captures many of the special qualities that make Magic Sam's music so memorable after all these years. I am a longtime Blues fan and this has been one of my "most played" albums. Sensitively recorded by Delmark, Sam's vocals are beautiful and soulful and always seem to hit me just right. Sit back and enjoy...if you can stay seated, that is!

Magic Sam was a terrific blues guitarist and singer who died all too soon. The albums Black Magic and West Side Soul capture Sam at the top of his game. His R&B style singing would probably have guaranteed him a sold career in the R&B field, but he chose blues, a good thing for those of us who appreciate the form. Also an excellent guitarist, his playing has overtones of BB King and Otis Rush, A Chicago blues player who influenced many of the younger Chicago blues players. Of the two albums, I prefer West Side Soul, but the two work together like bookends. If you have or are building a blues library, these two albums are must-haves.

Black Magic seemed to be another stepping stone to an extremely promising blues career. The young man, having had the stereotypical hard upbringing that seems to be a blues artist's rite of passage, was on his way to stardom based on very successful appearances at several blues festivals.

But Black Magic, instead of being part of his beginning, ended up being his epitaph. Sam Maghett died of a heart attack in December, 1969 at the age of 32, leaving much promise unfulfilled and lots of thoughts of what could have been.

This record was a very good followup to his phenomenal first record, West Side Soul. His playing and vocals were very good on this record, and while overall it is not up to the extraordinarily high accomplishment of West Side Soul, it has its merits, including What Have I Done, Easy,Baby, and a nice cover of Freddie King's classic instrumental San-Ho-Zay.

His third record probably would have been better than both West Side Soul or Black Magic, but we'll never know. At least we have his two studio records and a number of other live and previous unreleased records to listen to and enjoy.

Buy it,Buy it, Buy it if you love the blues. His Voice, his playing are a perfect combo.