"Blues With A Feeling: A Tribute To Little Walter" by GEORGE SMITH and THE CHICAGO BLUES BAND – February 1969 US Debut Studio LP on World Pacific Records in Stereo (March 1969 UK on Liberty Records in Stereo) featuring Muddy Waters on Guitar, Otis Spann on Piano, SP Leary on Drums with Luther Johnson and Marshall Hooks also on Guitars (July 2022 UK Beat Goes On Reissue (delayed from May 2021 due to Covid-19) – 1LP onto 1CD with 3 Bonus Tracks, One Including Lucille Spann on Vocals – Andrew Thompson Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

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"...Key To The Highway..."

 

What you have here is a reissue of a reissue of a reissue.

 

England's Beat Goes on (BGO) initially put out this CD as far back as late March 2012 (launched again in late January 2013). 

 

This variant is a July 2022 re-release using the same catalogue number and barcode (itself delayed from 2021 because of Covid-19). This time around you get upgraded to Card Slipcase packaging, a see-through CD tray, other album advert inlay beneath and a 2022 Copyright Date to differentiate issues. This 2022 re-release is NOT a new remaster - the February 2012 liner notes are the same as is the 2012 Remaster – no change.

 

The other album... 

July 2022 also saw BGO remaster his 2^nd studio album from mid 1969 called "...Of The Blues" accredited to GEORGE "Harmonica" SMITH and his BLUES BAND. 

Beat Goes On BGOCD1448 (Barcode 5017261214485) is the first official CD Reissue of that lost Blues-Rock blast – see separate review.

 

Lots to talk about here though and most of it great – to the details...

 

UK released July 2022 (delayed from May 2021 due to Covid-19) -  "Blues With A Feeling: A Tribute To Little Walter" by GEORGE SMITH and THE CHICAGO BLUES BAND on Beat Goes On BGOCD1035 (Barcode 5017261210357) is a CD Reissue and Remaster of his debut studio album from 1969 plus three Bonus Tracks that plays out as follows (44:57 minutes):

 

1. Mellow Down Easy [Side 1]

2. Can't Hold On Much Longer

3. My Babe

4. Juke

5. West Helena Woman

6. Tell Me Mama [Side 2]

7. Last Night

8. You Better Watch Yourself

9. Key To The Highway

10. Everything Gonna Be Alright

11. Too Late

Tracks 1 to 11 are his debut studio album "Blues With A Feeling: A Tribute To Little Walter" - released February 1969 in the USA on World Pacific Records WPS-21887 in Stereo – March 1969 UK on Liberty Records LBS 83218E in Stereo. Recorded across three days in October 1968 (2^nd, rd and 4^th), the album is mostly cover versions of his Chess Records Harmonica hero – Little Walter. Produced by STEVE LaVERE and PETE WELDING in Los Angeles - guest musicians include Muddy Waters, Marshall Hooks and Luther Johnson on Guitars, Otis Spann on Piano, Lawrence "Little Willie" Wimberley on Bass with S.P. Leary on Drums.

 

BONUS TRACKS:

12. Goin' Down Slow

13. Just A Feelin'

14. Love With A Feelin'

All three tracks were cut at the October 1968 sessions. Both 12 and 14 feature Muddy Waters and Luther Johnson on Guitars with "Goin' Down Slow" featuring a Rare Muddy slide-guitar solo. Although not stated definitively – Track 13 probably contains the core band listed above also. "Love With A Feelin'" features Lucille Spann – the then 29-year-old wife of Otis Spann – on Lead Vocals and was first issued March 2012 on the original BGO reissue.

 

The outer Card Slipcase is new but the 8-page booklet and TONY RUSSELL liner notes are the same as the original March 2012 version – track list too. The 2012 ANDREW THOMPSON Remaster needs no improvement and absolutely Rocks – reminding me of those Taj Mahal 360 Sound CD Remasters that Legacy put out. The music is Blues with a Rock lean – sort of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band fronted by George’s great voice and his deep chromatic Harmonica warbles. To the tunes...

You can hear the band filling out both your speakers in the opening "Mellow Down Easy" (a Willie Dixon song Little Walter made famous) - Smith's voice way better than you'd expect - a sort of warm-toned crooner feel. Whilst both Muddy Waters and Luther Johnson are on the opener, it's background rather than flash. And then it comes in - that huge Harmonica. Smith's second is the can't sleep at night/cat-nap all day Slow Blues of "Can't Hold On Much Longer". "Gonna have to cut you loose now woman..." and then that warbling harp blasting out around the room. Also impressive is Otis Spann - tinkling cool in the background. 

"My Babe" has to be almost everyone's fave-rave Chess Classic when it comes to Little Walter - British R&B combos like Cyril Davies, Alexis Korner and Georgie Fame and The Blue Flames practically combusting on the spot in the Sixties. Here Smith gives it fantastic Mojo - so R&B sweaty nightclub - and gorgeous full audio too. Northern Soul dancers and Modernists will dig the Harmonica R&B shuffle of the instrumental "Juke" - all party - all night long. Smith ends Side 1 on what is surely an LP highlight - a lowdown gutsy Slow Blues in "West Helena Woman". Mean and ballsy - the lyrics are boisterous Saturday Night - going out and having a Natural Ball - our George loving this woman best of all. The two guitars (Muddy and Luther) get to weep and moan too in this superb side-finisher. 

 

Side 2 opens with a bopper "Tell Me Mama" - our George suspicious about a chap leaving his home at an unbecoming hour. Way better is the misery-loves-company that is "Last Night" - a 2 a.m. Blues moaner that features superb guitar/piano/harp battles throughout - impressive stuff. "Last Night" contains the band's best mind meld - a true Blues With A Feeling. Belting harp opens "You Better Watch Yourself" - a typically menacing Little Walter blame game - his beady eyes on his gal's possibly shifty behavior. It romps home with "Key To The Highway", "Everything Gonna Be Alright" and "Too Late" - fun R&B boppers any one of which could have been a single. 

The three Bonuses are just that - "Goin' Down Slow" featuring Muddy on Slide Guitar with Otis plinkering away in the Slow Blues background. It's great stuff but was probably left off because it was one mooch too many. "Just A Feelin'" has two guitarists - gotta be Muddy and Johnson - and is excellent - equal to tunes on the LP. And we end with Otis Spann's wife Lucille taking Lead Vocals for the mid-tempo "Love With A Feelin'" - coming on like a Big Mama Thornton. She gives it some gusto, but the vocal is a little too low in the mix and therefore doesn't come across with the upfront power the tune demands. But the guitar playing is great.

 

A very cool little CD reissue/remaster of a hip but largely unknown debut album from 1969 - George Smith and his Band of Blues Brothers remembered with style and mucho Audio punch. "Harmonica" Smith would go on to do two albums with England's Blues Rock combo BACON FAT featuring Rod Piazza under the watchful eye of the label's producer Mike Vernon (see my separate review for "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions" 2CD set). 

 

But as a starter for ten, his debut LP "Blues With A Feeling..." was indeed the Keys To The Highway. Dig in and enjoy...