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Editorial Reviews
Blues Revue, June July 08
Forget those "Viva Viagra" commercials. What you need is whatever these old blues guys take every day to stay so vital. Case in point: Among the friends helping out 94-year-old Pinetop Perkins on his latest album is a guitarist several years his junior. In other words, a guy nearly as old as he is. The duet between the pianist and B.B. King on Perkins' "Down in Mississippi" is a casual meeting between old friends, but these guys are still playing their hearts out, even if their voices have lost some lung power. Perkins pounds the keys as the song opens, and King's guitar fills in the background are graceful and understated. As they trade vocal lines, Perkins and King exude a warmth that comes from the joy of performing. You can't expect a record like "Pinetop Perkins and Friends" to break new ground - many of its selections are among the most popular in the blues songbook - but it's a joy to hear the soulful sound of Perkins at the keyboard, even reprising a warhorse like "Sweet Home Chicago." Sure, the idea of a guy Perkins' age trying to summon the young-blood machismo of "Got My Mojo Working" and "Hoochie Coochie Man" might make you smile. But Perkins pokes fun at himself, alluding to his age in an offhand aside in the former song, all the while sparring with slide guitarist Eric Sardinas. In the latter song, Jimmie Vaughan plays the foil to Perkins as they celebrate his heritage. (Perkins played that Willie Dixon song as a member of Muddy Waters' band.)
There's help from Eric Clapton on guitar and Nora Jean Bruso on vocals for a medley of Leroy Carr's "How Long Blues" and Ray Charles' "Come Back Baby," a slice of latenight midtempo blues. Other guests who show up to play with Perkins include drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and bassist Willie Kent, the latter of whom passed away before this record was released.
Product Description
"Pinetop Perkins and Friends" is set for release just a few weeks before Perkins' 95th birthday on July 7, and is just what the title implies - a giant of blues piano surrounded by more than a dozen high-caliber musicians, many of them legendary in their own right, all of whom hold him in the highest regard. Included on the star-studded guest list are guitarists Eric Clapton, B.B. King and Jimmie Vaughan, bassist Willie Kent (who passed away in March 2008), drummer Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and many more.
The ten-track set includes some of the most familiar and revered songs in the blues, all of them anchored by Perkins on piano and vocals. But don't be fooled by the numbers on this elder statesman's odometer. He remains in top form throughout the set, as evidenced by the spirited musical - and sometimes vocal - repartee between him and his various guest artists.
The well-known 12-bar opener, "Take It Easy Baby," is one of Perkins' numerous contributions to the blues lexicon. This rendition features Perkins on piano and lead vocals, along with Jimmie Vaughan lending an element of grit on lead guitar. The followup track, "Got My Mojo Working," is the call-and-response classic that features Eric Sardinas on slide guitar and backing vocals.
A couple more high-profile guitarists step forward on the next two tracks, as B.B. King burns through the uptempo "Down in Mississippi" (and offers Perkins some vocal give-and-take as well) while Eric Clapton lays down his signature sound - laid back riffs full of soul - for the melancholy medley, "How long Blues"/"Come Back Baby" The medley also features a powerful vocal duet between Perkins and the compelling Nora Jean Bruso.
"Nobody's ever put those two songs together before," says Nelson, who considers the medley one of his favorite tracks on the album. "I asked Pine if he thought it would work and if it would be right to do it. He liked the idea, and it ended up sounding like magic. We're both very proud of that track." "Hoochie Coochie Man," the grinding, testosterone-driven classic by Willie Dixon, derives its churning energy from the combination of Perkins' sleek piano/vocal delivery, augmented by Vaughan's trebly guitar accents and backing vocals.
In the home stretch, Perkins serves up a loose, rollicking version of Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago" with the help of "Little Frank" Krakowski and Paul Diethelm on guitars, along with Brusco and Doug Nelson on backing vocals. The album closes with the slow-grooving "Bad Luck Baby," supported by the rock solid rhythm section of bassist Willie Kent and drummer Leon Smith.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Shuffle Blues Piano Master,
This review is from: Pinetop Perkins (Audio CD)
Pinetop Perkins has been a leading member of the Chicago blues scene for many decades, and his beautiful shuffle-blues piano playing is in fine form here. He is the keeper of the flame for Otis Spann, Sunnyland Slim, Champion Jack Dupree, and other great blues pianists who are now playing in the big Juke Joint in the Sky.
The songs are Chicago blues classics that always sound good, because each interpretation is improvised according to the feeling of the singer or soloist. Sometimes these recordings with a lot a "guest artists" sound homogenized, but the musicians on this recording are all pro blues musicians who know how to lend tasteful and appropriate support. And it sounds like they're having a great time, too. It is easy to overplay twelve-bar blues piano, or boogie-woogie piano, to the point of making the music sound mawkish. Pinetop's clean, tasteful licks and phrases show how it's done the right way. Beautiful stuff, highly recommended, and worth supporting.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sounds lika kid !,
By Stranger "Stranger" (New Jersey USA) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Pinetop Perkins (Audio CD)
Pinetop Perkins is not your avarage 95-year old ! Nor is he your average singer/piano player either. He and his guests do a great job bringing these songs to life. Can't wait 'till his next album !
5.0 out of 5 stars
Music from a legend.,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Pinetop Perkins (Audio CD)
What can I add to Pinetop Perkins Musical abilities.
He is a legend and he is the real McCoy, not a Hatfield or a Martin. Sorry that was funny. Get the Album you will not be unhappy.
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