Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins revisited in The Blindman's Blues Reviews Forum

0 Points

Add Reply New Topic New Poll

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins revisited

Author

Comment

7845448

Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins revisited

Lead

[-]

Posts: 1046

Jan 2 06 3:59 AM

Tags : None

I thought i'd revisit Jimmy Dawkins and his music. What's your favorite
release by Jimmy?

This release on Delmark featuring his stuff from the original LP is pure
Jimmy Dawkins with Eddie Shaw on sax, Lafayette Leake on keys, Mighty Joe
Young on guitar, among others

Revisited-------I am much more appreciative of Jimmy Dawkins than I was
when these tunes were first released.

For myself, in 1968 and 1969----Jimmy was listened to, but relegated to the
second tier of Blues Artists-----that I regularly put on the turntables.

Revisited----a little bit older now----I hold Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins in
much higher regard. In fact, Great.

Your Favorite Jimmy Dawkins?

Here's mine.

--------------------
Click here to view the attachment

Rockin' Ralph
Blues Rocket Music

Reply Quote

7845448

#1

[-]

Posts: 1046

Jan 2 06 3:59 AM

Back of CD Cover for Jimmy Dawkins on Delmark.
--------------------
Click here to view the attachment

Rockin' Ralph
Blues Rocket Music

Reply Quote

tanta07

#2

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 9133

Jan 2 06 5:39 AM

I've got that one - great record! I've also got an Otis Spann album called "The Blues Never Dies!" that also has a few tracks featuring Dawkins on guitar.

I agree that he can be overlooked at first, but when you get into his stuff, you tend to appreciate him for the great talent he is.

The Buzz Brothers Band

Reply Quote

jaycee

#3

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 5165

Jan 2 06 11:17 AM

i hope jimmy's records, are better than he is live, harpdog & i saw him at colne and walked out after half an hour, he was totally uninspiring, so that night i didnt buy any of his recordings, i probably would go see him again out of curiosity, to see if it was just a bad night i caught him on.

work is the curse of the drinking classes

www.myspace.com/earlybluesman

human beings have two terminal conditions hope and death

www.twitter.com@birstallblue

Reply Quote

Jungleland

#4

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 228

Jan 2 06 12:58 PM

I have only two records of Jimmy Dawkins but I think theses records are better than the few others I have heard :

Fast Fingers (1969)
American Roots : Blues - Jimmy Dawkins (2002)

a good website about Jimmy Dawkins : http://hem.fyristorg.com/bukka/dawhem.html

Reply Quote

Tom 1960

#5

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 6152

Jan 2 06 4:02 PM

I really have to make a point of purchasing Fast Fingers sometime soon. I've ready so many positive reviews on this one on the forum. The only Dawkins album I presently own is this:
user posted image

It also features Otis Rush backing Jimmy and it's a great one.

Reply Quote

Taff

#6

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 4578

Jan 2 06 4:15 PM

I have "Me my Guitar and the Blues" some tasty stuff on there! and "Feel the Blues" it's in my "not played often" pile. "Fast Fingers" has been on my "must get" list for ages!

One of these mornings baby, an' it won't be long, I'm gonna catch the first thing smokin' and down the road I'm goin'

Reply Quote

rshurman

#7

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Jan 2 06 4:55 PM

QUOTE (tanta07 @ Jan 1 2006, 11:39 PM)

I've got that one - great record! I've also got an Otis Spann album called "The Blues Never Dies!" that also has a few tracks featuring Dawkins on guitar.

I agree that he can be overlooked at first, but when you get into his stuff, you tend to appreciate him for the great talent he is.

It's Pee Wee Madison on the Spann album, not Dawkins.

Chicagoland

Reply Quote

Greg Nagy

#8

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 5575

Jan 2 06 6:03 PM

Just bought Fast Fingers. OK, you guys are gonna get me thrown out of my house.

g

"...Nagy has the stuff to get noticed beyond the Midwest. There's psychological depth and narrative momentum to his singing, and his blues guitar playing rings true in a personal way, even when in the spirit of Albert King or Jimmy Johnson. In addition, Nagy's songwriting is studded with winning connections to blues, r&b, soul, gospel, jazz, rock, country. The pan-stylistic title track is richer than a creme de cacao..."
Frank-John Hadley
DOWNBEAT
Jan 2010

gregnagy.com

Reply Quote

tanta07

#9

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 9133

Jan 2 06 8:28 PM

QUOTE (rshurman @ Jan 2 2006, 04:55 PM)

QUOTE (tanta07 @ Jan 1 2006, 11:39 PM)

I've got that one - great record! I've also got an Otis Spann album called "The Blues Never Dies!" that also has a few tracks featuring Dawkins on guitar.

I agree that he can be overlooked at first, but when you get into his stuff, you tend to appreciate him for the great talent he is.

It's Pee Wee Madison on the Spann album, not Dawkins.

Oops! Thanks for the tip, Dick! I was reading up on Carey Bell's album "Carey Bell's Blues Harp," and THAT features Dawkins on a few of the songs, and I mixed them up in my mind. Mea culpa.

BTW - Carey Bell's Blues Harp does contain some good Dawkins guitar work. And as a sidenote, Spann's album is good, too. LOL

The Buzz Brothers Band

Reply Quote

rshurman

#10

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Jan 2 06 8:40 PM

QUOTE (tanta07 @ Jan 2 2006, 02:28 PM)

QUOTE (rshurman @ Jan 2 2006, 04:55 PM)

QUOTE (tanta07 @ Jan 1 2006, 11:39 PM)

I've got that one - great record! I've also got an Otis Spann album called "The Blues Never Dies!" that also has a few tracks featuring Dawkins on guitar.

I agree that he can be overlooked at first, but when you get into his stuff, you tend to appreciate him for the great talent he is.

It's Pee Wee Madison on the Spann album, not Dawkins.

Oops! Thanks for the tip, Dick! I was reading up on Carey Bell's album "Carey Bell's Blues Harp," and THAT features Dawkins on a few of the songs, and I mixed them up in my mind. Mea culpa.

BTW - Carey Bell's Blues Harp does contain some good Dawkins guitar work. And as a sidenote, Spann's album is good, too. LOL

That Spann album is great, for Cotton as much as Spann; "Lightnin'" is one of Cotton's best recordings.

I think Jimmy is best suited for the studio in a lot of ways. He just doesn't really have the makeup for a consistently excellent live presentation. Even in the studio, he doesn't want to go in with too much of a plan. But in that environment he can focus on creativity rather than entertainment, and his thoughtful nature leads to some very individual albums.

When he recorded his debut "Fast Fingers" for Delmark even a lot of his peers were shocked that he sang like that; I think I remember Bob Koester telling me he didn't know Jimmy sang at all until the session. I've always listened to that one the most and like "All For Business" for the excellent Otis Rush. I also especially like "Tribute To Orange" (and wrote notes for the Evidence reissue) from the early '70s; he was in a good mood and still spreading his musical wings. The Earwig "Kant Sheck Dese Bluz" (or whatever) has a nice band on it. He's never cut a real dog, though.

Chicagoland

Reply Quote

goodfelladh

#11

[-]

Posts: 148

Jan 2 06 9:02 PM

I've got two Dawkins albums, "Fast Fingers" and "All For Business." I absolutely fell in love with Fast Fingers when I downloaded it on a whim from eMusic. Probably among my favorite 4-5 blues albums that I own. Because of how much I liked Fast Fingers, I just recently downloaded All For Business, and how can you go wrong with Dawkins and Otis Rush together on guitars? Answer: you can't. While it's not as strong as Fast Fingers, it has its moments... playing on Born in Poverty is outstanding. I'll also second what Tanta said about Dawkins' playing on Cary Bell's Blues Harp, he absolutely smokes. That album was another eMusic special, and I'm glad I decided to get it.

As I've been saying lately, Jimmy might be my favorite blues guitarist at the moment (of course that changes a lot, but still). Not that this has anything to do with his music, but the only negative I've come across regarding Dawkins is I remember somebody saying on the board months back how he would openly/loudly make clear having a dislike for using any white musicians. Not cool, but still his music speaks for itself.

Reply Quote

rshurman

#12

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 3244

Jan 3 06 2:23 AM

QUOTE (goodfelladh @ Jan 2 2006, 03:02 PM)

Not that this has anything to do with his music, but the only negative I've come across regarding Dawkins is I remember somebody saying on the board months back how he would openly/loudly make clear having a dislike for using any white musicians. Not cool, but still his music speaks for itself.

I can't remember Jimmy NOT using at least one white sideman since guitarist Rich Kirch became a fixture with him in the late '70s. He often uses Billy Flynn on guitar and/or Jim Schutte on drums too, among others. That's been true in the studio too.

Chicagoland

Reply Quote

goodfelladh

#13

[-]

Posts: 148

Jan 3 06 3:57 AM

QUOTE (rshurman @ Jan 3 2006, 02:23 AM)

QUOTE (goodfelladh @ Jan 2 2006, 03:02 PM)

Not that this has anything to do with his music, but the only negative I've come across regarding Dawkins is I remember somebody saying on the board months back how he would openly/loudly make clear having a dislike for using any white musicians. Not cool, but still his music speaks for itself.

I can't remember Jimmy NOT using at least one white sideman since guitarist Rich Kirch became a fixture with him in the late '70s. He often uses Billy Flynn on guitar and/or Jim Schutte on drums too, among others. That's been true in the studio too.

Great to hear that... now I can file that in the "misinformation" category and never think of it again!

Like I said, it didn't affect the quality of his music, but it was just sad to hear something like that. Glad it was not true.

Reply Quote

Red Rooster

#14

[-]

Posts: 483

Jan 6 06 11:55 PM

I also like "Blisterstring." Some "rough and tumble " intensity there.

Reply Quote

kh1958

#15

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 522

Jan 7 06 5:32 PM

QUOTE (jaycee @ Jan 2 2006, 11:17 AM)

i hope jimmy's records, are better than he is live, harpdog & i saw him at colne and walked out after half an hour, he was totally uninspiring, so that night i didnt buy any of his recordings, i probably would go see him again out of curiosity, to see if it was just a bad night i caught him on.

I saw Lightning Hopkins once--he was terrible. Nobody's great all the time.

Reply Quote

kh1958

#16

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 522

Jan 7 06 5:35 PM

I like all of these:

Fast Fingers
West Side Guitar
Kant Sheck Dese Blues
Tribute to Orange
All For Business

Reply Quote

Packinmn

#17

[-]

Posts: 1

Jan 13 06 9:01 PM

QUOTE (goodfelladh @ Jan 2 2006, 09:02 PM)

... regarding Dawkins is I remember somebody saying on the board months back how he would openly/loudly make clear having a dislike for using any white musicians...

Confirming this as misinformation, I have specific recollection of hearing an interview with Jimmy Dawkins from maybe the early-to-mid 80's where he says "... I don't care if he's green or purple..." referring to the color of the skin of people he hires for his band. In fact, I can still pretty clearly remember it as he said purple pronounced roughly like "poyple". Great interview!

Reply Quote

Greg Nagy

#18

[-]

Deepest Blue

Posts: 5575

Jan 14 06 2:08 AM

They must have been thinking of Dizzy.

g

"...Nagy has the stuff to get noticed beyond the Midwest. There's psychological depth and narrative momentum to his singing, and his blues guitar playing rings true in a personal way, even when in the spirit of Albert King or Jimmy Johnson. In addition, Nagy's songwriting is studded with winning connections to blues, r&b, soul, gospel, jazz, rock, country. The pan-stylistic title track is richer than a creme de cacao..."
Frank-John Hadley
DOWNBEAT
Jan 2010

gregnagy.com

Reply Quote

<< Previous Topic Next Topic >>

Add Reply

Yuku free message boards

Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins revisited

Jimmy "Fast Fingers" Dawkins revisited