JB Hutto
Stompin' At Mother Blues
(Delmark DE-778)
Joseph Benjamin Hutto was born in Elko, South Carolina on the 26th of
April, 1926. At the age of three his folks moved to Augusta, Georgia. His early influences
came from singing gospel. He moved to Chicago in 1949 and began his foray into the blues,
drumming and singing for Johnny Ferguson's Twisters. During his free time, he practiced
and taught himself how to play blues guitar.
Known for his slide guitar stylings, JB's play showed a debt to Elmore
James who was a major influence. Hutto, however, was never one to copy what he heard. He
put his stamp on anything he did. JB and His Hawks were the nightly house band at Turner's
Blue Lounge. He held his jams there for over ten years. Honing his wild stage act, he
would walk out into the crowd, tearing off solo after solo. His slide guitar whipping the
crowd into a fever pitch.
During 1965, Vanguard recorded JB and The Hawks for their historic
Chicago/The Blues/Today. These cuts paved the way for JB and the Hawks to record for many
labels including: Testament, Wolf, Black & Blue, JSP, Varrick and Delmark.
His discography for Delmark included Hawk Squat a 1967 rip-snorter that
has received four stars in many blues tomes, and Slidewinder 1972. After recording a host
of other European recordings, many of them live, JB succumbed to health issues and passed
on in the year of 1983.
Elmore James was a major influence to both JB Hutto and Hound Dog Taylor, (a good friend)
and many felt their wild, free for all styles were going to be lost forever. JB had
another idea. He started schooling his nephew Lil' Ed Williams (of Lil' Ed & The Blues
Imperials) in the fine art of blues slide madness.
Now, blues slide wannabees and those looking for a prime example of JB's
barely reigned in blues can purchase, JB Hutto Stompin' At Mother Blues. Recently released
on Delmark, it consists of tunes recorded live at Mother Blues before opening for their
day's business (tracks1-12), and the second set during the sessions for 1972's Slidewinder
(tracks 13-19). While neither were in front of a live audience, I dare any listener to
deny the raw energy that permeates these recordings.
I won't try and demean this project by picking out favorites or over
analyzing them. Instead, any blues fan worth their salt should buy this collection and
make it a part of a great drive or put it on their stereo at home.
Kudos go to Delmark for knowing they had a good thing and finally making
these performances available for the first time. From the opening bars of "Evening
Train" to the last strains of "Young Hawk's Crawl", get set for nearly an
hour of the best the blues has to offer. Matter of fact, I'm going to hit the replay
button....see ya later!
- Big Daddy Hal -
Southwest Blues CD Review - April 2005
Current Reviews - 2005 Reviews - available at our store
