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Junior Wells- Hoodoo Man Blues

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Tom 1960

Junior Wells- Hoodoo Man Blues

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6152

Oct 30 06 4:37 PM

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This is another release that would top most blues lovers desert island discs collections. I own this one also. I probably purchased this one at the same time as the Magic Sam release 'West Side Soul'. I remember reading back in the 80's in Living Blues magazine, how many people raved about this album which prompted the purchase. Along the same lines as the Magic Sam thread, how did you come about purchasing this album? A review spark your interest, heard a particular song on the radio which made an immediate connection, word of mouth? Let's hear your thoughts on this classic.

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tanta07

#1

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 9133

Oct 30 06 5:37 PM

Once again, it was the good 'ol BBF that turned me on to this one. When I first ventured into listening to a lot of blues, I stuck mainly to guitar players, so I was buying a lot of Lightnin' Hopkins, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, stuff like that. I hadn't really branched into harmonica players yet at that point. However, I kept hearing Hoodoo Man Blues popping up again and again when it came to great blues albums. When I learned that Buddy Guy was a key musician on the album, I was sold, and I picked it up. Man, what a great one! It really turned me on to Junior Wells as a force in blues music, and I picked up a lot more of his recordings as a result.

This is one I still listen to frequently. I have an Ipod loaded with several blues albums that I listen to in my car. While I change most of the albums frequently, Hoodoo Man Blues is one that has stayed in the Ipod for several months now. I can't get enough of it.

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john4y

#2

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 11465

Oct 30 06 5:55 PM

Thanks, Tom. I'm listening to that whole album this very second as I type. Man, that's some superb Chicago stuff. Right around the time I met Junior (1967) this is the sort of very music he was doing, and Buddy Guy was with him. See, there's no mistaking some of influence James Brown was having on Junior back then. Anyway, as I listen, I can't help but admire the soul this man puts into his singing.

Oh, Tom, Junior was smokin' like this when I saw him at the Boston Garden in 1968. Yeah, man, Dick was his manager. I gotta laugh because Juniour is sounding sexy on "Good Morning Little School".

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tanta07

#3

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Deepest Blue

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Oct 30 06 6:10 PM

QUOTE (john4y @ Oct 30 2006, 05:55 PM)

Oh, Tom, Junior was smokin' like this when I saw him at the Boston Garden in 1968. Yeah, man, Dick was his manager. I gotta laugh because Juniour is sounding sexy on "Good Morning Little School".

I think you nailed it, Fred. What strikes me most about Hoodoo Man Blues (and most other Junior Wells recordings) is his impassioned and emotional singing. Every note he sings seems to be gut-wrenching. Oddly enough, he doesn't play a boatload of harmonica on that record - it's his fiery vocals that are on display.

The Buzz Brothers Band

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FishFeathersMacTeeth

#4

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3374

Oct 30 06 9:38 PM

QUOTE (tanta07 @ Oct 30 2006, 06:10 PM)

QUOTE (john4y @ Oct 30 2006, 05:55 PM)

Oh, Tom, Junior was smokin' like this when I saw him at the Boston Garden in 1968. Yeah, man, Dick was his manager. I gotta laugh because Juniour is sounding sexy on "Good Morning Little School".

I think you nailed it, Fred. What strikes me most about Hoodoo Man Blues (and most other Junior Wells recordings) is his impassioned and emotional singing. Every note he sings seems to be gut-wrenching. Oddly enough, he doesn't play a boatload of harmonica on that record - it's his fiery vocals that are on display.

...yeah...a great record...but I too think of Junior as every bit as much a singer as a Harp player....

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Muddylives

#5

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Deepest Blue

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Oct 31 06 1:43 PM

Buddy Guy's guitar is also very much on display.

I am surprised that the funky and (still by today's standards) highly danceable opening track, "Snatch it Back and Hold it," isn't covered more often. I play it and sing it quite often, myself, and it always gets a good response.

OK, the lyrics are a bit improvized and shallow. But I take liberties with them.... like "if you don't help me baby, I'm gonna have to snatch me up some snatch from somebody else."

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Dan Gould

#6

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Posts: 495

Oct 31 06 2:00 PM

Oh great, another must have.

Dan

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Tom Rushen

#7

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 4476

Oct 31 06 2:04 PM

There's no denying the performances on this album are great. It's been in my collection since the late 60s.

Still, I have to admit that I never cared for the production on this album, and as a result, I don't listen to it much. It's a very thin sound, lacking the thick, bottom-heavy sound that I like blues records to have. It's almost as if the producer was afraid of a little bit of distortion, so everything was very clean and neat and prim and proper.

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rshurman

#8

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Oct 31 06 2:57 PM

QUOTE (Muddylives @ Oct 31 2006, 07:43 AM)

Buddy Guy's guitar is also very much on display.

I am surprised that the funky and (still by today's standards) highly danceable opening track, "Snatch it Back and Hold it," isn't covered more often. I play it and sing it quite often, myself, and it always gets a good response.

OK, the lyrics are a bit improvized and shallow. But I take liberties with them.... like "if you don't help me baby, I'm gonna have to snatch me up some snatch from somebody else."

Cafe R & B (among other bands) does a nice version; it's on their recent double live CD.

Chicagoland

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bluescliff

#9

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2336

Oct 31 06 3:23 PM

I'll be playing Junior and Buddy's version of Hoodoo Man Blues from the Last Time Around, Live At Legends CD on tonight's show -- a Halloween special.

Cliff

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Muddylives

#10

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 5139

Oct 31 06 5:09 PM

QUOTE (rshurman @ Oct 31 2006, 02:57 PM)

QUOTE (Muddylives @ Oct 31 2006, 07:43 AM)

Buddy Guy's guitar is also very much on display.

I am surprised that the funky and (still by today's standards) highly danceable opening track, "Snatch it Back and Hold it," isn't covered more often. I play it and sing it quite often, myself, and it always gets a good response.

OK, the lyrics are a bit improvized and shallow. But I take liberties with them.... like "if you don't help me baby, I'm gonna have to snatch me up some snatch from somebody else."

Cafe R & B (among other bands) does a nice version; it's on their recent double live CD.

Thanks. I'll have to check that out.

Muddy

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LoneWolf

#11

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Posts: 2407

Oct 31 06 5:18 PM

This is one of the absolute best videos on Youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CXTJkOwtNuk

Even better than Muddy's version..

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WorldB3

#12

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Posts: 353

Nov 1 06 8:56 PM

That�s my favorite Blues record of all time right there. I had just started getting into the Blues and from the reviews I read about it, it seemed like a good place to start. No review could have prepared me for the impact that record had on me when I first heard it. Later that week I went to my local record store and picked up Blues Hit Big Town. The look and response of �are you kidding me, please�.. the owner gave me when I asked him if it was any good was classic.

My favorite playing by Buddy Guy is on that along with Muddy�s Real Folk Blues.

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TelecasterSteve

#13

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Posts: 308

Nov 1 06 10:23 PM

It's in my long list of albums to buy.

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Nap

#14

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 1343

Nov 1 06 10:56 PM

QUOTE

My favorite playing by Buddy Guy is on that along with Muddy�s Real Folk Blues

Are you talking about the album "Folk Singer" where they're playing acoustic along with Willie Dixon on upright bass? That one's a real gem! It's beautifully recorded with great playing throughout. Buddy really knows how to play sideman and it shows on this one. I just wish they added a harp player to the mix. My favorite moment on that one though is "Feels Like Going Home"- just Muddy and his guitar. That's as good as anything ever recorded by anyone.

Nap

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WorldB3

#15

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Posts: 353

Nov 2 06 12:19 AM

QUOTE (Nap @ Nov 1 2006, 10:56 PM)

QUOTE

My favorite playing by Buddy Guy is on that along with Muddy�s Real Folk Blues

Are you talking about the album "Folk Singer" where they're playing acoustic along with Willie Dixon on upright bass? That one's a real gem! It's beautifully recorded with great playing throughout. Buddy really knows how to play sideman and it shows on this one. I just wish they added a harp player to the mix. My favorite moment on that one though is "Feels Like Going Home"- just Muddy and his guitar. That's as good as anything ever recorded by anyone.

Nap

ooops meant "Folk Singer". and for the reasons you listed. However it goes without saying that nobody's Muddy collection would be complete with out The Real Folk Blues.

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backalleyblues

#16

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 590

Nov 2 06 4:27 AM

I bought this record back in the mid 80's from this dealer who said to me "This is the BEST blues album you'll ever hear" (I think I also got West Side Soul from the same dealer). Still one of my favorites, and we play several songs off this (SnatchIt Back, and Early In the Morning) gotta kick Joe in the kiester to learn "Chitlins Con Carne"... just pure magic...

Franc Robert
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waltersharp

#17

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Posts: 972

Nov 2 06 9:13 PM

QUOTE (LoneWolf @ Oct 31 2006, 05:18 PM)

This is one of the absolute best videos on Youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CXTJkOwtNuk

Even better than Muddy's version..

This is a kick-ass video and Buddy and Junior are brilliant as usual.....but....whoever that guy is playing that "fruity" slide guitar for rythme should taken out and beaten. Strong words....yes I know...but come on, I mean was that guy on acid or something?

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LoneWolf

#18

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Posts: 2407

Nov 2 06 10:08 PM

QUOTE (waltersharp @ Nov 2 2006, 09:13 PM)

QUOTE (LoneWolf @ Oct 31 2006, 05:18 PM)

This is one of the absolute best videos on Youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=CXTJkOwtNuk

Even better than Muddy's version..

This is a kick-ass video and Buddy and Junior are brilliant as usual.....but....whoever that guy is playing that "fruity" slide guitar for rythme should taken out and beaten. Strong words....yes I know...but come on, I mean was that guy on acid or something?

I don't think he was THAT bad...