Willie Dixon's "I Am the Blues" in The Trading Post Forum

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Willie Dixon's "I Am the Blues"

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jbone

Willie Dixon's "I Am the Blues"

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3147

Jan 2 12 6:05 AM

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my copy of this cd has no personnel listed. I suspect Hubert Sumlin was one guitar, and also Wolf on harp. Am I right? anyone know for sure who was in the studio on this timeless and classic work of Mr. Dixon's?

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Muddylives

#1

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 5139

Jan 2 12 12:57 PM

That is a very good point. The Columbia Roots N' Blues reissue forgets to include this information, despite Pete Weldings' compliments in the liners about the "hand-picked crew of Chicago blues veterans."

They include (I believe)

Big Walter - harp
Sunnyland Slim - p
Johnny Shines - g
Willie Dixon - b
Clifton James - d

"Veterans" indeed!

Myself, I've never been a huge fan of Dixon's vocals, and prefer the original recordings of other singers to these performances. That is not say that they aren't good.

Muddy

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lionmojo

#2

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Posts: 3059

Jan 2 12 2:42 PM

In Memphis years ago, Dixon and Jr Wells came onstage with the Allman Brothers in Blues Brothers style. They were "the blues".

GW

All's Well That Ends Well - W. Shakespeare
Well, Well, Well - R.L. Burnsides
Hill Country Memphisssippi

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Professor Shorthair

#3

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 616

Jan 3 12 2:39 AM

The discography in the back of The Willie Dixon Story by Dixon and Don Snowden lists the personnel as Muddylives listed it, except for "Sunnyland Slim or Lafayette Leake - piano." I don't know whether that means that Sunnyland and Leake alternated or that the identity of the pianist is unknown. I haven't listened to that album for awhile - I'd like to think that I could distinguish between those two guys.

One thing I've always wondered is who the bass player really is. Does anybody really think that it's Dixon? It's an electric bass, and seemingly someone younger than Dixon, at least based on the style of playing.

Unlike Muddylives, I dig Dixon's singing. It has a slightly "strangled" quality which is somehow very appealing - to me, at least.

I need to revisit that great album.

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oddenda

#4

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 1033

Jan 3 12 4:06 AM

Often Dixon's son played Fender bass on gigs with his dad.

pbl

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jbone

#5

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 3147

Jan 5 12 4:29 AM

well even though i was mistaken on personnel- and even though i had forgotten posting this over here and so posted it again someplace else- some of this stuff to me was superior to the other recordings. but mostly i'm with muddylives, Mr. Dixon had a killer voice on a few things but there was no substitute for what Muddy Waters and Wolf did on some of these as well.

the first band i ever worked deeply with- and the first band i sang with- we did "I Can't Quit You", which was just killer.

i'll take Willie's "Back Door Man" over Morrison's any old day.

thanks for the info!!

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Professor Shorthair

#6

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 616

Jan 5 12 4:55 AM

I'm listening right now, and all the piano I've heard so far sounds like Lafayette Leake rather than Sunnyland Slim.

Later edit: Sounds like Sunnyland on the last two tracks, "Little Red Rooster" and "The Same Thing."

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Blue Escorpio

#7

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 2272

Apr 14 12 8:27 PM

Personnel according to the Bruyninckx Jazz Discography:

New York, 1970

-I am the blues- : Willie Dixon (vcl) acc. by the Chicago Blues All Stars: Walter Horton (hca) Lafayette Leake (p) Mighty Joe Young, Johnny Shines (g) Sylvester Boines (el-bass) Clifton James (d)

I listened to a couple of tracks at the 'Grooveshark' site.
Mighty Joe Young plays a brief solo on 'The Same Thing' and Johnny Shines is on slide guitar.
As you all know Sylvester Boines was the bass player in Mighty Joe Young's band.

Marc

Mechelen,Belgium

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57blues

#8

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 780

Apr 16 12 7:59 PM

Damn you guys are on time at this site.
Just had to say that, good work now I am going to go listen to the lp
Thanks for the info and the push to listen to it again.
57

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Professor Shorthair

#9

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Deepest Blue

Posts: 616

Apr 17 12 1:42 AM

QUOTE (Blue Escorpio @ April 14, 2012 08:27 pm)

Personnel according to the Bruyninckx Jazz Discography:

New York, 1970

-I am the blues- : Willie Dixon (vcl) acc. by the Chicago Blues All Stars: Walter Horton (hca) Lafayette Leake (p) Mighty Joe Young, Johnny Shines (g) Sylvester Boines (el-bass) Clifton James (d)

I listened to a couple of tracks at the 'Grooveshark' site.
Mighty Joe Young plays a brief solo on 'The Same Thing' and Johnny Shines is on slide guitar.
As you all know Sylvester Boines was the bass player in Mighty Joe Young's band.

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Willie Dixon's "I Am the Blues"

Willie Dixon's "I Am the Blues"