Wells, Junior: Blues Brothers

Iconic Blues performer/vocalist/harmonica player Junior Wells was born in Memphis in 1937. After moving to Chicago at the age of 12 he pursued his passion �" The Blues. He performed/recorded with some of the greats including Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy and Earl Hooker. A legend was lost in 1998 when Wells died of a heart attack undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

As a tribute to the artist, a group of excellent guitar players play on thirteen choice Wells’ tracks with the original vocals of Wells kept intact. What is really cool is how well these new versions work and how seamless these guitarists work there way into the original material. This is as professional as it gets.

The disc begins with “Blues Hit Big Town� featuring the distinctive blues licks of Canadian guitarist Colin James, who I have always considered to be vastly underrated. He is not flashy and that is precisely why this works so well. On “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl� an urgent tempo with harmonica and guitar trading licks, courtesy of James Montgomery and Pat Travers, makes this another sure fire winner. Tyler Bryant adds his fine playing to Wells’ gritty vocals in the feel good Blues of “Messin’ With The Kid� and in “Baby, Scratch My Back� a stomping rhythm, fiery harmonica and searing lead guitar from Albert Castiglia makes for a near perfect trifecta. The album ends with the slow burning Blues classic “Hoodoo Man Blues� featuring the great Joe Louis Walker. His clean licks are in perfect time with Wells’ soul wrenching vocals. Man, this is some tasty lead guitar that is not to be missed.

Blues Brothers is an album to cherish, a slightly new way to enjoy Junior Wells’ iconic music. I recommend it without hesitation.

Track Listing:
1. Blues Hit Big Town (feat. Colin James)
2. Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (feat. Pat Travers)
3. Messin’ With The Kid (feat. Tyler Bryant)
4. Baby, Scratch My Back (feat. Albert Castiglia)
5. Worried Life Blues (feat. Mike Zito & James Montgomery)
6. When The Cat’s Gone The Mice Play (feat. Harvey Mandel)
7. Lovey Dovey Lovey One (feat. Eric Gales)
8. You Gotta Love Her With A Feeling (feat. Kirk Fletcher)
9. Two-Headed Woman (feat. Guitar Shorty)
10. Snatch It Back And Hold It (feat. Joe Louis Walker)
11. You Don’t Care (feat. Popa Chubby)
12. It’s A Man Down There (feat. Bernard Allison)
13. Hoodoo Man Blues (feat. Joe Louis Walker)

Added: April 3rd 2021
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Label's Official Site
Hits: 824
Language: english

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