Blues
Admittedly, this may not be of the same caliber as Junior Wells albums like "Hoodoo Man Blues" or "Calling All Blues." Nonetheless, this album is more than deserving of its five star rating because it is simply a joy to listen to.
Performing at Buddy Guy's famous "Legend's" club, Junior Wells comes alive on stage in a way rarely captured in the studio. Wells seems to be inspired by the presence and he demonstrates his enthusiam for his fans with some excellent audience interaction as well as a level of passion which vastly exceeds that demonstrated on his recent studio albums. The songs here, though a bit on the funky side, are all highly enjoyable. "Broke and Hungry" and "Messin'with the Kid" kick the set off in funky style before Junior gets down to business with a fine version of "Hoodoo Man" and a haunting rendition of "Sweet Sixteen." One of the highlights is Junior's take on the Sonny Boy Williamson classic, "Help Me." With only the organ backing him, Junior brings an eerie ambience to the song not soon forgotten.
The harp is here, though like a lot of later day Wells material, it seems to take the back seat to his vocals a little too often. In good form, Wells is capable playing on the level of Little Walter, so it's a shame to hear his harp so often regulated to the background. Still, when he does pick it up, Wells reminds us that he is still one of the undisputed masters of the craft with very well played solos.
For any fan of Junior Wells, or blues, this is a highly reccomended album. The energy and passion Junior brings to the stage make this a must have live blues set.
By Alex "Harpskier".
**
01. Broke And Hungary 6.35
02. Messin' With The Kid 4.39
03. Hoodoo Man 4.29
04. Little By Little 4.31
05. The Train 5.09
06. Sweet Sixteen 5.04
07. What My Momma Done Told Me 5.04
08. Got My Mojo Working 3.44
09. Love Her With A Feeling 5.40
10. Help Me 5.55
11. Today I Started Loving You Again 7.18
**
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