I grew up listening to my dad's old blues and jazz records---most of the artists' records came in plain brown sleeves stamped 'race'. Who knew or even thought about race in my little southern California desert town. We were all in the same boat---the Mexicans, the Negroes, the Caucasians, the 2 Chinese families---we all had to work for a living, go to school, stay out of trouble, go to church on Sunday, and listen to great music. Oh, there was the odd scuffle on the playground, but truly, we didn't think about race the way it was thought of in the South or East.
Howlin' Wolf scared me as a kid. First, the name. Second, the sound---he SOUNDED like a wolf in a trap. Then I saw a picture of him towering over his band. He sounded to my little kid ears like a primal scream, and I suppose it was. My dad called me the week he died to tell me that he'd passed, and I remember thinking I needed to listen again. My dad always knew the back story on these old bluesmen. I suspect that was because there was another aficionado who nurtured my dad's jazz and blues habit, Cal of Cal's Records in Riverside, California. Call'd tell my dad, "Here's one you'll like," and pull the plainly wrapped race record from under the counter.
This dvd has marvelous interviews with Wolf's adopted daughters, bandmates (most passed now) and friends who show what a regular guy Wolf was---like those I grew up with, he worked hard, avoided booze, drugs, and female entanglements, had longtime tight friendships, loved his wife and daughters, nurtured young talent, and just happened to be one of the greatest bluesmen ever.
His life is not only a story of how to follow your passion, but how to keep your wits about you doing it! He lived modestly, never drove a flash car, never had leeches hanging around, had a modest house, and friends all around him. He owned the rights to his songs---unheard of for most musicians, let alone black musicians of a narrow audience. He paid his band on time and a living wage.
This dvd is a wonderful look at a marvelous musician who wasn't nearly as bad as his howl---but, oh! What a wonderful HOWL!!!
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Rob Mitchell
These two musicians forged an original sound that is still that is still amazing in it's power and captivating rythm
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A great DVD with lots of footage of the late
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