Customer Reviews

Stompin' at Mother Blues

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This 2004 CD brings together two sessions recorded by J.B. Hutto in 1966 and 1972 respectively (and only the first one is taped at "Mother Blues", a now-defunct Chicago blues club).
It is not a live album, despite the title; rather it is an interesting collection of mostly unreleased material. Only "Hawk Squat" and "Love Retirement" have been available before the release of this album, but "Stompin' at Mother Blues" is not a bunch of third-rate scrapings from the bottom of the barrel...there are several fine moments here, and Hutto's ragged, explosive slide runs are as gritty as ever.

"Stompin'" mixes up-tempo rockers with slow, smouldering blues, and the highlights include "Evening Train", the mid-tempo grind of "Ain't It A Cryin' Shame", a driving "When I Get Drunk", and the ragged, gut-bucket "Alchohol Blues". And "Hip Shakin'", of course, but we already know that one.
The tough, syncopated instrumental "Stompin' At Mother Blues" is about as subtle as anything Hutto ever recorded, and you can actually understand what he is singing on the shuffling "Lonely Heartaches"!
This album is not as essential as "Hawk Squat" or "Masters Of Modern Blues", but fans of J.B. Hutto will definitely want to pick it up.
3 1/2 stars. Nice.

Delmark records releases a session on a closed night at Mother Blues on Wells street in 1967. Taught by the legendary Elmore James, J.B. Hutto learned to play the guitar when he was an adult, and his fiery vocal response was his distinguishing characteristic. As the strongest of the Second-Generation Chicago blues singers, Hutto's trained voice wails over his simple slide, favoring blitz-line wails up to the 12th fret. As a bandleader, he often shared the stage with Hound Dog Taylor, and the two traded solos between hands of poker. The sessions visited here feature JB with his band in prime form, split between Mothers and Turner's in 1966 and 1972. As many more of these closed club sessions are becoming available to the public, they open a door to the younger generation to gain appreciation for what would have been an average Wednesday night in 1967.