Fenton Robinson in Post War Blues Forum

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Fenton Robinson

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Jim R

Fenton Robinson

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Posts: 62

Jun 11 07 8:43 PM

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I tried searching for a Fenton Robinson topic here and couldn't find one. Let me know if I missed it.

I don't think Fenton gets mentioned often enough... what a unique sound he had, and what taste. Just a beautiful musician.

I recently found a copy of Fenton's "Nightflight" recording, which is one of the few I never owned nor heard in its entirety. WOW, I love it. I had "Somebody Lone Me A Dime", "I Hear Some Blues Downstairs", and maybe one other on vinyl back in the day, but Nightflight had escaped me. I was blown away by the very first track, "I Found Out Yesterday", where Fenton really gets in some tasty, fresh licks and chords. His vocals on this album were quite inspired as well.

I'll have to listen to my old favorite ("I Hear Some Blues Downstairs") again, but Nightflight might have surpassed it, to my ears.

Any fans out there? Anybody got any favorites?

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blues4sale

#1

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 1066

Jun 11 07 8:47 PM

Hi Jim, Nightflight is mighty fine, it first came out on a small European label as "Blues In Progress" and was licensed to Alligator! My personel favorite is the 1st Alligator

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7844473

#2

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Jun 11 07 9:44 PM

I love the man's music, great guitar playing, soulful singing. He's a star in my book.
There were discussions about him here before, here are two with his name in the topic title :

http://blindman.forumhoster.com/index.php?...fenton+robinson

and

http://blindman.forumhoster.com/index.php?...fenton+robinson

He was also mentionned several times in different threads :

http://blindman.forumhoster.com/index.php?...fenton+robinson

More recently (this link includes this very thread) :

http://blindman.forumhoster.com/index.php?...fenton+robinson

Rene
Paris, France.

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waltersharp

#3

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Posts: 972

Jun 12 07 2:34 AM

Never heard "Nightflight" but I have Somebody Loan Me A Dime and I Hear Some Blues Downstairs... to me "Loan Me A Dime" is superior to anything he made before or after.

I also have a Charley R&B collection of him that is a complete waste of Fenton's talent... whoever the producer on those sessions was was a complete idiot... Fenton's not even playing guitar... the whole thing is a mess.

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Jim R

#4

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Posts: 62

Jun 12 07 7:50 AM

QUOTE (waltersharp @ Jun 11 2007, 06:34 PM)

I also have a Charley R&B collection of him that is a complete waste of Fenton's talent... whoever the producer on those sessions was was a complete idiot... Fenton's not even playing guitar... the whole thing is a mess.

Yeah, I heard that not too long ago. Definitely a disaster.

Rene, thanks for those links. Not sure why they didn't come up in my searches.

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scottcable

#5

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Posts: 876

Jun 12 07 2:48 PM

One of my favorite guys...I think he was just such a great writer, singer, guitar player...Very understated and deep. He like many before and after has never gotten the recognition he deserved. It is a shame how many great artists leave us only to be heralded years too late.

Scott

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Blueswriter

#6

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6748

Jun 12 07 3:30 PM

QUOTE (Jim R @ Jun 12 2007, 02:50 AM)

QUOTE (waltersharp @ Jun 11 2007, 06:34 PM)

I also have a Charley R&B collection of him that is a complete waste of Fenton's talent... whoever the producer on those sessions was was a complete idiot... Fenton's not even playing guitar... the whole thing is a mess.

Yeah, I heard that not too long ago. Definitely a disaster.

Probably the sessions he did for the 77 label - disaster is pretty apt. Dreadful, too.

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kh1958

#7

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 522

Jun 13 07 12:27 AM

Prior to Somebody Loan Me a Dime on Alligator, did he make any good recordings? Including 45s? If so, are they available on CD?

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Blueswriter

#8

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6748

Jun 13 07 12:37 AM

Fenton's material for Duke, USA and Palos is great but I'm not sure what's available on CD. Most of what I have (aside form his Alligator efforts) would be in LP form. Did Angels In Houston make it to CD? That's well worth looking for - even on LP. Fenton's a killer on those Duke sides!

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Muddylives

#9

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 5139

Jun 13 07 5:22 AM

QUOTE (Blueswriter @ Jun 13 2007, 12:37 AM)

Did Angels In Houston make it to CD? That's well worth looking for - even on LP. Fenton's a killer on those Duke sides!

No, and that's really a crime too. Angels in Houston was killer material all the way around, and not only from Fenton. A few of these tracks have shown up on various anthologies. But that is only a drop in the bucket.

There is a danger that the CD era is going to end before the great Duke/Peacock catalog is digitalized. There is so much great blues, R&B, and gospel music that has never been on CD.

Muddy

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bluesjuke

#10

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 944

Jun 13 07 5:38 AM

Aww now ya'll made me pull out "Somebody Loan Me a Dime".

Thanks!!

Brings me the most special feeling I most ever had.

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Blueswriter

#11

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6748

Jun 13 07 11:46 AM

QUOTE (Muddylives @ Jun 13 2007, 12:22 AM)

QUOTE (Blueswriter @ Jun 13 2007, 12:37 AM)

Did Angels In Houston make it to CD? That's well worth looking for - even on LP. Fenton's a killer on those Duke sides!

No, and that's really a crime too. Angels in Houston was killer material all the way around, and not only from Fenton. A few of these tracks have shown up on various anthologies. But that is only a drop in the bucket.

There is a danger that the CD era is going to end before the great Duke/Peacock catalog is digitalized. There is so much great blues, R&B, and gospel music that has never been on CD.

Muddy

You're right, Muddy. The MCA/Universal umbrella is big but it's also limited in some respects. I'd love to see them do the Duke catalog justice before it's too late but it's not looking like the chances are good.

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BJL

#12

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Posts: 658

Jun 13 07 12:07 PM

QUOTE (kh1958 @ Jun 13 2007, 12:27 AM)

Prior to Somebody Loan Me a Dime on Alligator, did he make any good recordings? Including 45s? If so, are they available on CD?

Before his Alligator debut Fenton recorded over fifteen 45s, starting in 1955. Some of these are truly excellent while others (the Seventy-7 ones already mentioned) are less enjoyable. Some tracks have been reissued on compilation CDs but many are only available on 45. One CD to look out for is the Japanese The Mellow Blues Genius - a collection of recordings from 1965-74. It appears that ZYX reissued it (see here) - that might be easier to find.

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7844473

#13

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Jun 13 07 2:14 PM

It's on an LP up for auction at ebay.

Also on ebay, in the "Buy It Now" category : here.

Rene
Paris, France.

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rshurman

#14

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Jun 13 07 2:33 PM

QUOTE (renemalin @ Jun 13 2007, 08:14 AM)

It's on an LP up for auction at ebay.

Also on ebay, in the "Buy It Now" category : here.

There are a lot more tracks on the CD.

Chicagoland

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7844473

#15

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Jun 13 07 3:33 PM

yes Dick, but I Googled it and could only find it on japanese websites, where everything except Fenton's name and the album title was replaced by "?????????"

Rene
Paris, France.

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Blueswriter

#16

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6748

Jun 13 07 3:51 PM

This is what's listed as being on the Japanese P-Vine CD. As I don't have the CD version, maybe Dick (or BJL) can let us know if this has been fleshed out with additional tracks. I have a tip on the ZYX release but am waiting for details on sound before I have it mailed out...

7-11 Blues (1969, Giant unreleased)
I Put My Baby In High Society (1965, Giant)
Farmer's Son (1967, Giant 702)
One Room Country Shack (1974, PM unreleased)
You Don't Know What Love Is (1974, PM unreleased)
Let Me Rock You To Sleep (1967, Giant 702)
Somebody Loan Me A Dime (1967, Palos 1200)
Nothing But A Fool (1974, PM unreleased)
Blue Monday Blues (1974, PM unreleased)
Keep On Groovin' Me Baby (1967, Giant unreleased)
There Goes My Baby (1969, Giant 1122)
You're Cracking Me Up* (1967, Giant)
I Put My Baby In High Society* (1965, Giant 705) (Original 45 version)

* Included on the CD release only

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BJL

#17

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Posts: 658

Jun 13 07 3:59 PM

Those are the 13 tracks on my copy of the P-Vine CD. The LP only had the first 11 tracks.

Good luck with finding the ZYX issue.

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Muddylives

#18

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 5139

Jun 13 07 4:01 PM

QUOTE (renemalin @ Jun 13 2007, 03:33 PM)

yes Dick, but I Googled it and could only find it on japanese websites, where everything except Fenton's name and the album title was replaced by "?????????"

Rene: In addition to French and English, I was sure that you knew ???????

Muddy

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Blueswriter

#19

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 6748

Jun 13 07 4:04 PM

QUOTE (BJL @ Jun 13 2007, 10:59 AM)

Good luck with finding the ZYX issue.

Your wish of luck may have helped as I located it. As mentioned, I'm waiting for a report.

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7844473

#20

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 30580

Jun 13 07 4:12 PM

QUOTE (Muddylives @ Jun 13 2007, 06:01 PM)

QUOTE (renemalin @ Jun 13 2007, 03:33 PM)

yes Dick, but I Googled it and could only find it on japanese websites, where everything except Fenton's name and the album title was replaced by "?????????"

Rene: In addition to French and English, I was sure that you knew ???????

Muddy

Alas no, Muddy, I don't know Japanese. Not even one of them.

No wait, I must correct this : there's this guy, Mar, an Albert King alumni in Paris !
Great guitar player !

Rene
Paris, France.

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