Live at the Checkerboard Lounge, Chicago 1979
or
Info
|
Label |
JSP |
|
Released |
September 20, 1995 (left) and June 15, 1993 (right) |
|
Original year of release |
1979 |
|
Recorded |
1979 |
|
Total playing time |
58:49 |
|
Engineer |
Ken Rasek |
|
|
|
Buddy Guy |
Guitar, Vocals |
|
Ray Allison |
Drums |
|
Little Phil Smith |
Guitar |
|
L.C. Thurston |
Vocals |
|
J.W. Williams |
Bass |
Tracks
written by |
playing time |
||
| 1. |
Buddy Guy |
4:08 |
|
| 2. |
Buddy Guy/Arlen/Mercer |
9:10 |
|
| 3. |
Buddy Guy |
9:27 |
|
| 4. |
? |
4:16 |
|
| 5. |
Eddie "Guitar Slim" Jones |
3:24 |
|
| 6. |
Buddy Guy |
3:22 |
|
| 7. |
Buddy Guy |
6:40 |
|
| 8. |
Buddy Guy |
4:02 |
|
| 9. |
James Johnson |
7:34 |
|
| 10. |
Buddy Guy |
7:40 |
Reviews
Living Blues (1-2/96)
....a fascinating document of a great blues artist responding to
the standards and expectations of the audience that nurtured postwar
Chicago blues for over 30 years."
Extra Info
Original liner notes by John Stedman:
1979. JSP Records was a fledgling label with a mere
handful of releases and, alongside the touring and concert activity
of the period, looking for a direction. This was our first U.S. recorded
album, the first of many. How was it done? Simple, we went to Chicago,
spoke to Buddy Guy and offered him a deal. Anyone could have done it
but of course, "He who dares wins". I remember speaking to
a U.S. record executive a couple of years later and he said "Yeah,
Buddy's great but I don't think he shifts units". Wrong! There
was a strong market for blues then, it just wasn't fashionable.
Also, in a creative sense, the music was paralysed. The few active labels
were not taking chances, the new generation of younger bluesmen were
still learning their craft in bars and the music had lost in 1968, 1969
and 1970 the four artists who might just have made a huge difference
if they had not died young - the colossal talents of J.B. Lenoir, Magic
Sam, Earl Hooker and Otis Spann. Their loss still leaves a gap in the
Blues scene to this day in my opinion.
Well, no such lack of creativity with Buddy Guy
though as this disc proves. Playing storming guitar, singing passionately,
featuring some great new material (why don't we hear more Buddy Guy
songs/ on his current recordings?) and not afraid to experiment and take
changes. Recorded at Buddy's own club on the Southside of Chicago before
his home crowd this extremely well recorded album (properly recorded
on multi track equipment) stands as a testament on the enduring spirit
of an artist who knew the music business would one day take him
up again. This was the start of a relationship between Buddy Guy and
JSP Records that would produce three albums. I promised Buddy that I
would not license these recordings to a U.S. label without his permission
to avoid damaging the possibility of a "Big Deal". A moral
obligation to the artist's wishes. Somebody in France was not so honourable
and an album came out on a label that Buddy had refused to record for.
He was royally pissed off if I remember correctly.
This album would not have been possible without
the huge generosity of spirit of Bob Koester of Delmark Records in connecting
me up with Ken Rasek who did such a great job recording this album.
If more people realised like Bob, that the people in the blues business
are not in competition with each other - but with the purveyours
of Ersatz Blues who get the big promotion, take the gigs, whose CD's
Hog the shelf space in the CD stores with their crappy releases - then
we would all get a little further forward.
This album is a veritable time capsule, a unique
and classic recording. Buddy Guy in the 1990's is still truly amazing
and at the top of his game but I rather think that the evening in 1979
captured here was one of his very best.