Customer Reviews

Delta Crossroads

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Robert Lockwood, Jr., remains a national blues treasure who still sounds as fresh and vital today as he did decades ago. Telarc has issued a new cd, Delta Crossroads, which is surprising in being a solo acoustic album. Robert is heard on fine performances of a number of blues associated with his stepfather, Robert Johnson's songs, several other blues standards and his own originals.This is not his first acoustic blues album. He recorded for a French label, Plays Robert & Robert which has been reissued in the US on Evidence. And he has included tracks on prior albums in a similar vein. Robert has recorded most of the songs heard here in the past, although perhaps under different titles. For example, his This Little Girl of Mine was recorded with his band as Hold Everything on his first Trix album. This writer is familiar with other renditions of most of the Robert Johnson songs. Johnson's 32-20 Blues that opens this album may be the one song I have not heard him on record do before. Lockwood, in fact, recorded Dust My Broom prior to Elmore James, although it was issued later, and he did Rambling on My Mind on his Steady Rolling Man album on Delmark. He plays with his usual skill and sings straightforwardly and without any artifice. Its nice to hear renditions of performances of blues classics he regularly performs including C.C. Rider and Leroy Carr's Mean Mistreater and In the Evening, which is juxtaposed with a rendition of Love In Vain, which uses the latter tune's melody. This is beautifully recorded and produced by Joe Harley and is a worthy addition to his growing body of recordings. Hopefully we will get a new album of Robert with his band real soon.

Delta Crossroads, Robert Lockwood Jr. Telarc CD-83509

"Who'd guess that Robert Lockwood Jr. - an MVP guitarist since the days when blues began turning electric, the surrogate stepson of Robert Johnson, a member of the original King Biscuit Boys, a jazz inclined six-string innovator and author of such classics as `That's Alright' [Yes, the Jimmie Rogers classic] and `Black Spider Blues' [yes, Muddy Waters' "Mean Red Spider"] - would make one of the best albums of his career at age 85?" asks Ted Drozdowski in Tower Records' August 2000 PULSE magazine

Well, Ted, I would. Working on his upcoming biography {They Call Me MISTER. Lockwood) with him, I have gotten to know this enigmatic, wise, no-nonsense, and, yes, humorous gentleman. I have had the privilege of seeing him play in several settings including singing "Sweet Home Chicago" on the street in Helena Arkansas where Robert Johnson taught it to him. His son Hamer remembers Robert Jr. singing this song to him as a lullaby before he would go on the road with Sonny Boy back in 1942.

Robert Jr. is no spring chicken but as a man who does 80 push-ups each day to keep in shape, leads an 8-piece band that I can only describe as "the best band playing today the music of 1950 (R&B. blues & Bebop)," and takes the risk of playing a 12-string electric with the band and a 12-string acoustic on this solo (just him and his guitar) album, Robert Jr. is playing as well as he played in the mid-thirties, maybe the best in his career.

Don't miss this special album. This is no reissue of past successes, no rediscovered bluesman's memories of how he "used" to play, no simple rehash of Robert Johnson song and no sell-out to pop markets; this is the finest expression of the blues of a man who is writing and playing personal, confident new and original blues with his still-unique sound and vision today. You will hear the life of Robert Jr. [Call him "Mr. Lockwood"] played with professionalism, soul, passion and style. No one else comes close to him at his best and this is one of his VERY best.

Robert Johnson would be proud to call this man "my son and the heir to my musical vision." Wherever he is, he is smiling and tapping his foot and saying "Damn, I wish I had played that lick when I recorded that song."

An updated but authentic blues recording. If you love the blues and are sometimes frustrated by the quality of the old recordings, you'll love this disc. Robert Lockwood, Jr. is a blues master who shows it's possible to reinterpret old standards while remaining true to the blues form. I can't recommend this disc highly enough!

How inspiring is it that Mr. Lockwood is touring and playing kick-a** blues at age 90? Ninety? Are you kidding? This is a great record, it is like hearing a great from the '20s or 30's play his stuff on modern recording equipment. I am very glad that I stumbled on this record and this artist. Blues on, Young Man!

Fantastic -- recorded in 1999. Just Mr. Lockwood and an acoustic guitar. He learned from Robert Johson in the 1930's, worked with some of the top musicians in Chicago in the 1950's, and had his own band for many years. Robert Lockwood was still playing a lively 12-string guitar, and still in fine voice at the age of 84. Sadly, he passed away a few years ago, in 2006. He left us with this album: put it on and prepare to rock out.

This cd is an essential Lockwood album. It includes all the great guitar singles and no-one plays a Twelve string Better than Robert Lockwood Jr.

If you enjoy the real roots of blues music you will want to purchase this cd. Robert is a founder of blues music and influenced many. This cd will show you why. Also check out I Got to find me a woman for a band backing Robert up.

The KING OF BLUES

This is as close to a modern Robert Johnson recording as one will get unless Robert's deal with the devil included coming back from the dead at some point in the future! Robert Lockwood Jr. knew Robert Johnson and it shows. He covers no less than seven Johnson compositions including a previously unknown song "Mr. Downchild". The exquisite accoustic guitar playing and Mr, Lockwood's worne out yet warm voice will get into your ears, go down in your gut and come out through your heart. Pour yourself a mint julep and hang on to your bible belt. A beauty.

along with johnny shines,robert lockwood are the two blues artists who knew of the late great robert johnson first hand. playing shows in the deep south with robert johnson his music and spirit are alive in this new recording of his songs. if you love acoustic blues this cd is for you. every song is played the way robert would play.