Hot Foot Powder [Import]

Peter Green, Nigel Watson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 2, 2000)
• Original Release Date: May 2, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Artisan UK
• ASIN: B00004S2UU
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #39,109 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #13 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Blues Rock
  • #58 in Music > Imports > Blues

Track Listings

1. I'm A Steady Rollin' Man

2. From Four Until Late

3. Dead Shrimp Blues

4. Little Queen Of Spades

5. They're Red Hot

6. Preachin' Blues

7. Hell Hound On My Trail

8. Traveling Riverside Blues

9. Malted Milk

10. Milkcow's Calf Blues

11. Drunken Hearted Man

12. Cross Roads Blues

13. Come On In My Kitchen

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Following his superb 1998 Robert Johnson Songbook collaboration with Nigel Watson, Peter Green's inspired comeback ensues with this sequel of Johnson classics. From "I'm a Steady Rolling Man" on, it is delightfully clear that the Fleetwood Mac founder's soulful guitar virtuosity is wedded to a voice, beaten into majesty, that's well suited for these haunting Delta jewels. With partner Watson providing skilled support, such untouchables as "Come On in My Kitchen" and "Hellhound on My Trail" eerily echo the originals in their new arrangements, while bearing Green's stamp. As if the soloists and their fine Splinter Group weren't enough, Green & Co. are joined by special guests Dr. John (the lilting piano on "From Four Till Late"), Buddy Guy (guitar on "Cross Road Blues"), Hubert Sumlin (guitar on "Dead Shrimp Blues"), and David "Honeyboy" Edwards, who accompanied Robert Johnson on the night of his fatal poisoning (guitar on "Traveling Riverside Blues"). --Alan Greenberg

Product Description

Reissue of this 2000 album from the British Blues legend and former Fleetwood Mac leader. Hot Foot Powder contains 13 of Green's interpretations of Robert Johnson songs. The 29 songs that Robert Johnson recorded in various Texas hotel rooms in 1936 and 1937 are amongst the most significant and influential works in the history of Blues music. It was thus very appropriate that it was to these landmark songs that Peter Green turned to when recording the two albums that re-launched his career: 1998's The Robert Johnson Songbook and this album. Hot Foot Powder saw his Splinter Group joined by such Blues legends as Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Dr. John, Hubert Sumlin and Joe Louis Walker. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Green does Johnson again, May 17, 2000

By 

Polysyllabite "RBlythe" (Birmingham, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Hot Foot Powder (Audio CD)

As much as I want it, looks like I'll hear no more of those searing, soulful guitar solos I listened to with awe during Peter Green's heyday as a blues/rock star. These days, Green apparently prefers that bandmate and buddy Nigel Watson take up the lead slack while Green concentrates on singing, delta-style picking, and harmonica work. Unfortunately, though no slouch himself as as guitarist and vocalist (Watson sings perhaps a third of these tunes), Watson is not Peter Green. For that matter, thirty years on, Green himself is not the firebrand he once was. He does strike me, however, as a deserving heir to Johnson's bedeviled-bluesman legacy, and in that sense this recording is a success. Green's over-fifty voice has a raspy poignancy that fits renditions of "From Four Until Late," "Dead Shrimp Blues," "Drunken Hearted Man," and "Come On In My Kitchen" perfectly. The fine Splinter Group is joined this outing by luminaries Buddy Guy, Honeyboy Edwards, Dr. John, Otis Rush, Joe Louis Walker, and Hubert Sumlin.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Robert, is that you?, May 19, 2000

By 

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

This review is from: Hot Foot Powder (Audio CD)

Peter Green and long time friend Nigel Watson have assembled an all star cast on this second, and final tribute to Robert Johnson. If you enjoyed Green's 1998 "Robert Johnson Songbook", you will love this sequel. Both CD's are probably the closest and best rendition of Robert Johnson you are likely to hear. No fancey fret work or screeming vocals, just down home style delta blues. Fans of older green material should seek out the 1998 "SOHO Sessions" album, rare but well worth the search. In either case you won't be disappointed.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful updating of Johnson's classic songs, November 20, 2003

By 

Docendo Discimus (Vita scholae) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hot Foot Powder (Audio CD)

"Hot Foot Powder" is a bit tougher than its companion volume, "The Robert Johnson Songbook", with the drums and guitars being somewhat more prominent, but it still sticks pretty close to Robert Johnson's original recordings of these 13 classic blues tunes.

1998's "The Robert Johnson Songbook" contained Peter Green's versions of about half of Johnson's songs, and "Hot Foot Powder" contains the other half, most notably a powerful rendition of "Crossroad Blues", a sublime slide guitar-driven "Traveling Riverside Blues", and a great, swinging take on "From Four Until Late" with excellent blues piano playing by R&B veteran Dr John.

But it's all great, really. Green's vocals may not be powerful, excactly, but they are soulful and he has an excellent sense of rhythm and timing.
And "Hot Foot Powder" really serves to remind the listener how great Robert Leroy Johnson actually was, and how many contemporary rock and blues artists are influenced by him (and thus indirectly by Mississippi blues greats Son House and Charley Patton).
The up-tempo "They're Red Hot" swings like a Dixieland jazz tune, while "Malted Milk" and "Come On In My Kitchen" are played as traditional country blues. And the different arrangements make this album a delightfully varied listening experience, thus accentuating the strength of Johnson's songs...if Green had chosen to cut every song with just an acoustic guitar backing him up, it wouldn't have been as much fun!

There are guest stars a plenty here, but none of them overdo their part or overwhelm the songs, and their contributions fit in very well with the overall mellow tone:
Howlin' Wolf's phenomenal lead guitarist Hubert Sumlin plays on "Dead Shrimp Blues", the slashing slide guitars on "Traveling Riverside Blues" are courtesy of Joe Louis Walker and David "Honeyboy" Edwards, and Otis Rush and Buddy Guy pop up as well.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable album, highly recommended to any and all blues lovers. A fresh, yet faithful look at Robert Johnson's classic 30s singles, and one of my favorite "latter-day" blues CDs.