Saturday, October 24, 2009

R.L. BURNSIDE, Ranie BURNETTE and Johnny WOODS - Going Down South 1998


R.L. BURNSIDE, Ranie BURNETTE and Johnny WOODS - Going Down South  1998

Blues

One of the greatest of the "delta" bluesmen, Burnside has been my favorite since I first heard the Arhoolie acoustic record. R.L. "Rural" Burnside was born on November 21, 1926 in Oxford, Mississippi. He died on September 1, 2005. Like Fred McDowell, he was from the northern Mississippi hill country, rather than the actual delta. Burnside learned some guitar from McDowell as well as from Son Hibbler, Ranie Burnette, Willie Thomas, and Jessie Vortis, who were all neighbors of his. He was also influenced by John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins and Muddy Waters. He lived in Chicago and Memphis before settling in Mississippi in 1959. He opened a small bar where he played his music and sold homemade whiskey. After his first recordings in 1967, he did not tour or record until 1979. Like most of the Delta bluesmen, he did a lot of hard work, including picking cotton and plowing fields. He did not really receive much attention until his Fat Possum records were released in the mid-nineties. The Fat Possum label has been single-handedly responsible for a recent revolution in awareness of and access to modern Delta blues music (or more accurately North Mississippi Hill Country blues music). Burnside is the most well-known of all the Fat Possum artists. He toured into his last years, with Kenny Brown on second guitar and his grandson, Cedric Burnside, on drums. He came to VZD's in OKC on September 5, 1997 for two shows. I went to both shows, which were both awesome. I got to meet him and talk with him. When shaking hands he said "Proud to meet you", which I think is what he usually says to everyone he meets. I got to see him again when he came to Tulsa for the Blues Festival in May, 1999. Still cookin'. The First Recordings record is some of the best acoustic blues guitar ever recorded and my top favorite record of all time. I would also recommend picking up Too Bad Jim and Come On In for starters. Wish I was in Heaven Sitting Down, is also cool. Be sure to check out the Fat Posssum documentary DVD, You See Me Laughin', which covers Burnside and the rest of the gang. Burnside rocks and grooves.

From the Red Lick Catalog;
"This is pure, undiluted Mississippi Hill Country blues recorded in the early 80s. RL. Burnside's here - not with the juke joint stompin' blues he does at Fat Possum but with five beautifully crafted solo country blues played with feeling.
The first track is one of the finest, most moving performances I've ever heard him play - just a rolling little acoustic rhythm that sounds like a mix between John Hurt and Skip James with RL gently working on the words in a resigned, drawl. It's highly effective both musically and lyrically - four minute masterpiece in my opinion. For Going Away Blues" he plays on his electric guitar for a choogle with Curtis Salgado on harp - it's a bustling little number performed in a manner that reminds me of Jessie Mae Hemphill's blues.
RL then slips on the slide for an evocative run-in with Muddy's "Can't Be Satisfied" - a raw-boned, rattling rendition with lots of exhuberant slide work and it's a nice tribute to one of his heroes. Salgado sits in again on an unexpurgated "Stackolee" which features RL clanging out the riff on electric guitar. Then it's back to acoustic slide for quiet reflective version of "Walking Blues" - it's backporch stuff sung with real feeling and reverance.
When you hear Burnside playing like this, you realise just how important he is - authentic Mississippi bluesmen of his calibre are a rarity.
Ranie Burnette, as you'll hear, is a singer and guitarist in the Mississippi Fred McDowell mould. Although not as aggressive in the rhythm department, he makes that guitar swing and his tough little rasping vocals compliment his playing style perfectly. It's no surprise that Burnette used to be Fred's most serious rival at the local dances. You can just imagine him playing "One String Blues" at a Saturday night juke with Abe young working like crazy on harp - and there's no denying the McDowell influence on "Hungry Spell" where Raney uses the guitar as a rhythmic percussive instrument.
Burnette plays five songs on this CD including two intense, pure Mississippi blues - the driving "Coal Black Mattie" with it's drone like guitar rhythm and the slow emotional "Lonesome Moon Blues" with it's ominous churchbell tone on the bass strings and the mysteriously sad lyrics. Beautiful music.
Harmonica player Johnny Woods is Fred McDowell's old sparring partner and on this album he plays solo harp and sings on three numbers as well as working as a duo on two tracks with RL Burnside. They tear the juke joint down with the uptempo "My Jack Don't Drink No Water" and then on "Suzanna" RL pumps out the tune Big Joe Williams style while Johnny lets rip with some typical high-powered harp interplay.
Almost as exciting is "Going Up The Country" where he really gets stuck in - stompin' his foot, playing that harp like a man posessed and hollering out the song like the real authentic Mississippi bluesman he is. These are three great country bluesmen with one of those albums that discerning blues fans will treasure."
**
(# 1, 4, 5, 10 and 11 by R.L. Burnside, vocals and guitar. Curtis Salgado, harmonica on # 4 and 10. Recorded in New Orleans, February 6, 1986.
# 2, 7, 12 and 14 by Ranie Burnette, vocals and guitar. Recorded November 1980 in Groningen, The Netherlands.
# 3 and 13 by Johnny Woods, vocal and harmonica. Recorded on August 19, 1981 at R.L. Burnside's house near Coldwater, Mississippi.
# 6 by Ranie Burnette, vocals and guitar. Abe 'Keg' Young, harmonica. Recorded on August 22, 1981 in Senatobia, Mississippi.
# 8, 9 and 15 by Johnny Woods, vocals and harmonica. R. L. Burnside, guitar on # 9 and 15. No harmonica on # 9. Recorded November 1984 in Groningen, The Netherlands. 1980, 1981 and 1984 sessions recorded by Leo Bruin.)
**
01. Going down south    4.20
02. Miss Maybelle    5.03
03. So many cold mornings (Johnny Woods)    3.24
04. Going away blues    3.33
05. Can't be satisfied    3.29
06. One string baby    2.40
07. Hungry spell    4.02
08. Going up the country    (Johnny Woods)    2.04
09. My Jack don't drink no water (Johnny Woods)    5.34
10. Stack O'Lee and Billy Lyons    4.57
11. Walking Blues    3.16
12. Coal black Mattie    4.40
13. She's loving another man (Johnny Woods)    2.47
14. Lonesome moon Blues    3.58
15. Suzanna Blues (Johnny Woods)    4.31
**
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