Bman's Blues Report

  I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Blues Legend , by Junior Wells , and it's terrific. This is a compilation of vintage singles from the 50's and 60's and includes the entire gamut. Opening with Cut That Out , Junior Wells trademark harp sound is front and center with his vocal, joined by Johnny Jones on piano, Louis Myers on guitar, Dave Myers on bass and Odie Payne on drums. Excellent! Well's most notable track, Hodo Man (HooDoo Man) is on deck with Wells paired with Elmore James on his infamous slide guitar. Early In the Morning features the great Otis Spann on piano pushing Wells to the limit with Muddy Waters on guitar, Willie Dixon on bass  and Odie Payne on drums... What a lineup! On Lawdy! Lawdy! Wells harp seems to float on air, Spann on piano is excellent and of course the entire band really rocks. Syl Johnson adds guitar flair to Two Headed Woman over an active bass line by Dave Myers.  Slow blues, I Could Cry is a really gre...

I just received the newest release, Black Magic , from Magic Sam Blues Band and it's nothing short of great! Magic Sam passed only days before the original release of Black Magic back in 1969 and this shows Sam with his allstar studded band and a few additional/alternate tracks. Opening with Roscoe Gordon's, I Just Want A little Bit , Sam leads the way on guitar and vocal for a snappy blues rocker. The great Eddie Shaw is right there blowing a great sax solo and Sam handles guitar with Mighty Joe Young. What Have I Done Wrong has a cool R&B underpinning supported by Lafayette Leake on piano, Mac Thompson on bass, and Odie Payne on drums. Willie Dixion's classic, Easy Baby has a super soul feel with strong horn work from Shaw. With it's Boogaloo style, Sam has this track hopping. Slick guitar work and rolling rhythm gives this track extra spark. Lowell Fulsom's, It's All Your Fault Baby has a great unique take showcasing Sam's vocal styling and tid...

Odie Payne (August 27, 1926 – March 1, 1989) was an American Chicago blues drummer. Over his long career Payne worked with a range of musicians including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Little Johnny Jones, Tampa Red, Otis Rush, Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Little Brother Montgomery, Memphis Minnie, Magic Sam, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Guy He was born Odie Payne Jr. in Chicago, Illinois. Payne was interested in music from an early age, and did not restrict himself to a narrow musical genre. He studied music in high school and later drafted into the Army, but upon his discharge, Payne graduated from the Roy C. Knapp School of Percussion. By 1949 Payne was playing along with the pianist Little Johnny Jones, before meeting Tampa Red and enlisting into his band. The association lasted for around three years before, in 1952, Payne and Jones joined Elmore James's band, the Broomdusters. Payne played with the Broomdusters for another three years, althou...

With HUBERT SUMLIN, EDDIE TAYLOR, BOB STROGER AND ODIE PAYNEWillie Mabon (October 24, 1925 – April 19, 1985) was an American R&B singer, songwriter and pianist.Born Willie James Mabon, and brought up in Hollywood, Memphis, Tennessee, he had become known as a singer and pianist by the time he moved to Chicago in 1942. He formed a group, the Blues Rockers, and in 1949 began recording for the Aristocrat label. Mabon's debut solo release was made for the Apollo label on 28 August 1949 (Bogey Man/It Keeps Raining) and then Chess. His style contrasted with many Chess artistes – it was cool and jazzy, emphasising piano and saxophone rather than guitar and harmonica. His biggest success came in 1952 when his debut solo release, "I Don't Know",originally recorded for Al Benson's Parrot label 1050 and later the same year released on Chess with whom it had the hit topped the Billboard R&B chart for eight weeks. He picked it up from the older boogie-woogie pianist, ...

Odie Payne (vocal & drums) Robert Jr Lockwood (guitar) Gene Schwartz (bass) and Sumito Ariyoshi (piano) Odie Payne (August 27, 1926 – March 1, 1989) was an American Chicago blues drummer. Over his long career Payne worked with a range of musicians including Sonny Boy Williamson II, Muddy Waters, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Little Johnny Jones, Tampa Red, Otis Rush, Yank Rachell, Sleepy John Estes, Little Brother Montgomery, Memphis Minnie, Magic Sam, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Guy. He was born Odie Payne Jr. in Chicago, Illinois. Payne was interested in music from an early age, and did not restrict himself to a narrow musical genre. He studied music in high school and later drafted into the Army, but upon his discharge, Payne graduated from the Roy C. Knapp School of Percussion. By 1949 Payne was playing along with the pianist Little Johnny Jones, before meeting Tampa Red and enlisting into his band. The association lasted for around three years before, in 1952, Payne and Jones joined ...