Customer Reviews

I Do Not Play No Rock 'N' Roll: The Complete Sessions

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Two discs. 44 min. each approximately. Remastered sound. First off this is not the complete session as claimed. Three tracks are not included,which are on the single disc release with the same title. They are: You Got To Move (done by The Rolling Stones),The Train I Ride,and You Ain't Gonna Worry My Life Anymore. If these tracks were throw-aways it might not matter,however,these tracks are as good as anything on the album. Aside from this,it's nice to have more McDowell to listen to.

Well-known as a country acoustic bottleneck guitarist,here McDowell plays an electric guitar with the inclusion of a bass and drums rhythm section. At the time,during the blues "rediscovery" period,it was thought that a rock rhythm section would be more in keeping with the era's listening habits. It was also decided that McDowell would play an electric instrument. Happily the rhythm section is mixed a bit below McDowell and isn't intrusive,and McDowell takes to the electric guitar like he had been playing it all his life. Interestingly,this is one reason McDowell spoke about amplified instruments,and that he did not play rock and roll,hence,the title. The music itself is immediate and vital sounding. McDowell's voice,as always, is an instrument in itself. The themes and the songs themselves may sound familiar,but McDowell makes them his own. Included is some between tracks asides and thoughts from McDowell. These are used sparingly and give the listener the feel of being in the studio along side McDowell.

The booklet is informative and the packaging is done nicely. If you are new to "Mississippi" Fred McDowell,seek out his earlier recordings on labels such as Arhoolie and Testament Records. From there it's a short jump into some good elecric bottleneck blues from a man who was a farm laborer all his life-but gave us some great music.

A friend had this album back in about '69. I never went to the record shop and bought me a copy. Then when I decided to buy it, no one had it. At Christmas, while talking to my granddaughter she said "I bet you could find it at Amazon", so we did. Now I've finally got the album but my good friend that introduced me to Missisippi Fred's music passed away several years ago.

Mississippi Fred Mcdowell is one of the greatest blues musicians that ever picked up the guitar. His slide guitar style sings to the ears in a way that cannot be described, and his raspy delta vocals flow along with the music, making his guitar sing the deepest blues a man could ever feel. This is a must buy album for any blues listener.

"I Do Not Play No Rock 'n' Roll" by bluesman Mississippi Fred McDowell is the real deal. Especially delightful in the 2 CD package is McDowell's spoken word introduction to his music. When he begins to play his guitar ("with a beef bone on ma riiing finger, ya unnerstand?")the music will stir everyone born with a mortal soul. This is genuine, authentic blues.

I remember walking backstage at the Philadelphia Folk Festival out in the country and encountering Mississippi Fred McDowell teaching Bonnie Raitt and up and coming young folkie a few licks. If I remember Maria Muldaur was with her soaking up the soul on that sunny day.

I still hear Fred when I listen to Bonnie's slide guitar licks. I still think of Bonnie when I listen to this, one of the finest contemporary blues albums from the 1960s. Mississippi John Hurt, Son House, Lightnin' Hopkins and Sip James were the real deal but Fred was still a younger man who had just recently been discovered.

Listen and learn.

If you are a blues fan and have never heard Mississippi Fred McDowell, you are missing something great.

Although it can't be counted as among the classic ones this CD gives glimpse of what and who McDowell is.