I just had the opportunity to review a Terrific release by John Lee Hooker, Boom Boom recorded in 1989. John Lee Hooker has been on of my favorite blues guys since I was a kid so to have the good fortunate to review this release on vinyl is really special. The release explodes with Boom Boom right out of the gate featuring Hooker on guitar a vocal, Jimmie Vaughn on guitar, Richard Cousins on bass, Kevin Hayes on drums and Jim Pugh on keys. Unlike some of the more contemporary releases by Hooker, this band stays out of Hookers way with his eccentric timing and vocal style, Jimmie Vaughn fitting right in the slot under Hookers trademark vocals, Pugh adds just the right amount of organ and Hayes kicking the drums tight to make this track an exceptional opener. Hooker also plays a solo take on his classic I’m Bad Like Jesse James. This recording is not just clean but alive with plenty of air around Hooker with his vocals sounding immediate and present and his guitar seeming to fall behind him with just the right amount of environment to place him in my room. Excellent! Robert Cray joins Hooker on Same Old Blues Again with soulful guitar riffs. Richard Cousins on bass keeps his work steady and lively, stepping back giving Hooker plenty of room to work his vocal style and guitar riffs at his own pace. Stinging solo guitar work by Cray adds nicely to the track, augmented with warm organ by Pugh. Another solo effort is Sugar Mama with Hooker singing in essential Hooker style over his own, heavily worked guitar accompaniment. This is crisp and beautiful. Trick Bag (Shoppin’ For My Tombstone) features Hooker up front on vocal and his own scatter style playing joined by Mitch Woods on piano, Rich Kirch on guitar, Deacon Jones on organ, Jim Guyett on bass and Bowen Brown on drums. It’ so refreshing to hear the liveliness of Hooker on vinyl again with all of the spark of original recordings and the cleanliness of a modern recording. Side two starts off with Boogie At Russian Hill pumped up by Albert Collins on guitar, and Deacon Jones on organ. Hooker rides high on vocal and guitar joined by Mike Osborn and Rich Kirch on guitars, Jim Guyett on bass and Bowen Brown on drums…. Boogie! A strong addition on the release is Hittin’ The Bottle Again featuring Hooker on National Steel Guitar and vocal. In rural blues style, Hooker sings a folk tune outright with uncompromised National Steel Guitar strumming. A cool, rare look at raw Hooker. Bottle Up And Go is another of my favorites on the release with Hooker driving the boogie. With the backing of master John Hammond on authentic harmonica and guitar, Steve Ehrmann on bass and Scott Matthews on drums this track is a gem. Hooker teams up with the great Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica for Thought I Heard. Hookers soulful vocals and rudimentary guitar riffs are paired nicely with the urgent sounds of Musselwhite making this another of the most essential tracks on the release. Excellent! Wrapping the release is I Ain’t Gonna Suffer No More with Hooker leading the way on slow blues, his vocals impeccable and his guitar riffs captured in their full regalia, backed by Osborne and Kirch on guitars, Guyett on bass, Brown on drums and Jones on organ. It really is a pleasure to hear solid recordings of Hooker without all of the modernized attempts to make him pop and fall into a rigid, unnatural playing coupled with the liveliness of vinyl. Definitely super release.
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