"...I Don’t Know Why She Treats Me So Bad…I’ve Been So Sweet And Kind…"
A follow up to his 1972 debut LP "Bad News Is Coming" – Luther
Allison's second album "Luther's Blues" was also released on Motown's
Gordy label imprint in the USA - July 1974 on Gordy G 967V1 in this case.
The music is a bit of everything. "Luther's Blues" is a
hard-hitting Blues album one moment ala Albert King - then funky as James
Brown's DNA the next. And like its even grittier predecessor - because it was
on a label the public associated more with Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye -
its 9-track mixed bag got somehow lost in the chart stew and remains largely
forgotten about today. Which is a damn shame really given the cross-the-genres
musical quality on offer here (this CD is part of Universal’s superb
"Blues Classics - Remastered & Revisited" CD Series). Let’s get
to the details…
USA released in April 2001 – "Luther's Blues" by LUTHER ALLISON on
Universal/Motown 440 013 409-2 (Barcode 044001340925) is a Reissue CD of the 1974 album supplemented with
three bonus tracks and breaks down as follows (70:32 minutes):
1. Luther's Blues [Luther Allison song]
2. Someday Pretty Baby [co-write between Berry Gordy and James Woodley,
a Singin' Sam Ward cover]
3. Easy Baby [written by Willie Dixon, a Magic Sam cover]
4. Part Time Love [co-write between Janie Bradford and Richard Wylie, a
Singin' Sam Ward cover]
5. Now You Got It [co-write between Luther Allison, Gene Block, Gary
Beam and Kenneth Miles]
6. K.T. [co-write between Luther Allison, Joseph Peraino and Benny
Emerson]
7. Let's Have A Little Talk [Luther Allison song]
8. Driving Wheel [Roosevelt Sykes cover]
9. Into My Life [Luther Allison song]
BONUS:
10. San-Ho-Zay [Previously Unreleased Freddie King cover]
11. Bloomington Closing - Early Version [Previously Unreleased]
12. Medley: I'm Gonna Miss My Baby/Bad News/The Thrill Is Gone (Live)
"San-Ho-Zay" and "Bloomington Closing" are
previously unreleased outtakes from the sessions while the three-track live
medley was recorded at the Arbor Blues Festival in 1973 (also Previously
Unreleased).
The Band for the Sessions was:
LUTHER ALLISON - Lead Vocals, Harmonica, Stratocaster & Slide
Guitars
BOB GOODMAN and GENE BLOCK - Rhythm Guitars
PAUL WHITE - Piano and Organ [TOM CURRY on "Easy Baby" only]
BOB BABETTE and GARY BEAM - Bass Guitars
K.J. KNIGHT and ANDREW SMITH - Drums
SUHA GUR – one of Universal’s top engineers - has given the remaster a
fantastic quality with audio clarity on all of the tracks pumping, muscular and
superbly clear.
Half of the songs are straight up blues like "Let's Have A Little
Talk" where Allison lets rip his attacking licks and gritty voice in a
seven-minute tour-de-force - but then there are very soulful tunes too - like
"Now You Got It" and the ultra-funky "K.T.". His guitar
work on the chugging Roosevelt Sykes cover of "Driving Wheel" is
fabulous - screeching notes out of his plank that few other Blues men get. And
like so many of these great guitarists of the genre - his power, prowess and
presence is never more evident than when he's slaying the audience on that
incredible 19-minute live medley.
Very tasty indeed - “Luther’s Blues” is a hard-to-find vinyl album for
Motown collectors and a real discovery for Blues enthusiasts on CD (and it's
cheap too). Recommended like grits and groceries...
Titles in Universal's 'Blues Classics- Remastered &
Revisited' CD Reissue Series:
1. Bad News Is Coming - LUTHER ALLISON
(1972 Gordy LP, 2001 Remaster + Four Previously Unreleased Bonus Tracks)
- Universal 440 013 407-2 (Barcode 044001340727)
2. Luther’s Blues - LUTHER ALLISON
(1974 USA 9-track LP with 3 Previously Unreleased bonuses, 70:28
minutes)
Universal 440 013 409-2 (Barcode 044001340925)
3. Two Steps From The Blues - BOBBY BLAND (1961 USA 12-track Mono Debut
LP on Duke Records with 2 Bonus Single Sides, 35:12 minutes)
Released 27 Feb 2011 on MCA 088 112 516-2 (Barcode 008811251628)
4. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - JOHN LEE HOOKER
(October 1966 and September 1991 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 79:44
minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 821-2 (Barcode 008811282127)
5. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - HOWLIN' WOLF
(January 1966 on Chess and January 1967 on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 66:45
minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 820-2 (Barcode 008811282028)
6. Tell Mama: The Complete Muscle Shoals Sessions - ETTA JAMES)
(January 1968 US 12-Track LP on Cadet - 13-22 being bonuses, 57:11
minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 518-2 (Barcode 008811251826)
7. Live At San Quentin - B.B. KING
(1990 13-Track Compilation on MCA, no extras, 64:11 minutes)
MCA America 088 112 517-2 (Barcode 008811251727)
8. Muddy Waters At Newport 1960 - MUDDY WATERS
(1960 US 9-Track LP on Chess with 10-13 being 4 Mono Studio Tracks from
June 1960 as bonus tracks, 44:43 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 515-2 (Barcode 008811251529)
9. Fathers & Sons - MUDDY WATERS & Friends
(Tracks 1-10 and 15-20 is the August 1969 2LP set on Chess in Full with
Tracks 11, 12, 13 being previously unreleased - and 14 previously unreleased in
the USA). (77:38 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 648-2 (Barcode 008811264826)
10. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - MUDDY WATERS
MCA/Chess 088 112 822-2 (Barcode 008811282226)
11. The Real Folk Blues/More Real Folk Blues - SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON
(January 1966 and January 1967 LPs on Chess, 2LPs on 1CD, 65:28 minutes)
MCA/Chess 088 112 823-2 (Barcode 008811282325)
1 and 2 remastered by Suha Gur - 3 to 11 by Erick Labson
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