Memphis Slim • The Sonet Blues Story

Review by Steve Leggett

Like many of the black blues and jazz musicians of his generation, Memphis Slim found both an audience and a home in Europe for the last 20-plus years of his life, basing himself in Paris beginning in 1962 and remaining there until his death in 1988. In that span he recorded an astounding 50 or so albums, not including the various recordings of his live performances that still continue to surface. While it could be argued that his peak years were in the '40s and '50s, the recordings he made in the last third of his life were incredibly intimate and frank, and he didn't shy away from addressing racial and social injustice in the later songs, even while he kept his blues performances smooth and accessible. This fine set, recorded in New York in 1967 on one of his U.S. tours, is a case in point. Slim sounds warm, assured, and often pointedly poignant on songs like the majestic "Freedom" and the direct and honest "I Am the Blues." He blasts loose at the piano for the barrelhouse "Broadway Boogie," then coasts warmly through the bubbling "A Long Time Gone." On the marvelous "Ballin' the Jack" he hits a light, swinging groove that isn't so much blues or jazz but a simple, elegant mixture of the two, given atmosphere by Eddie Chamblee's tenor sax and Billy Butler's sleek guitar. Slim recorded so much that it is difficult to say exactly when he was at his best, since he was always professional and solid, but this set is undeniably special, featuring Slim doing his thing backed by a fine band, and listeners will definitely get a feel here for the measure of the man.

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Reseña de Steve Leggett
Como muchos de los músicos de blues negro y jazz de su generación, Memphis Slim encontró un público y un hogar en Europa durante los últimos 20 años de su vida, radicándose en París a partir de 1962 y permaneciendo allí hasta su muerte en 1988. En ese lapso grabó unos 50 álbumes, sin incluir las varias grabaciones de sus actuaciones en vivo que todavía siguen a la superficie. Aunque se podría decir que sus años pico fueron en los'40s y'50s, las grabaciones que hizo en el último tercio de su vida fueron increíblemente íntimas y francas, y no dudó en abordar la injusticia racial y social en las canciones posteriores, a pesar de que mantuvo sus actuaciones de blues suaves y accesibles. Este buen set, grabado en Nueva York en 1967 en una de sus giras por Estados Unidos, es un buen ejemplo de ello. Slim suena cálido, seguro y a menudo conmovedor en canciones como la majestuosa "Freedom" y la directa y honesta "I Am the Blues". Se lanza al piano para el barrelhouse "Broadway Boogie", y luego se desliza a través de la burbuja "A Long Time Gone". En el maravilloso "Ballin' the Jack" toca un ritmo ligero y balanceado que no es tanto blues o jazz, sino una mezcla simple y elegante de los dos, dada la atmósfera del saxo tenor de Eddie Chamblee y la elegante guitarra de Billy Butler. Slim grabó tanto que es difícil decir exactamente cuándo estaba en su mejor momento, ya que siempre fue profesional y sólido, pero este set es innegablemente especial, con Slim haciendo lo suyo respaldado por una buena banda, y los oyentes definitivamente se sentirán aquí para la medida del hombre.

Tracklist
1 Every Day I Have The Blues 2:56
2 I Am The Blues 2:48
3A Long Time Gone 2:35
4 Ballin' The Jack 2:26
5 Let's Get With It 2:25
6 Only Fools Have Fun 2:49
7 Broadway Boogie 3:04
8 Gambler's Blues 4:05
9 Freedom 5:54
10 Sassy Mae 2:40

Credits
Bass – Lloyd Trotman (2)
Drums – Herb Laveile
Guitar – Billy Butler (3)
Tenor Saxophone – Eddie Chamblee
Piano, Vocals – Memphis Slim

Label: Sonet ‎– 0602498692530
Series: The Sonet Blues Story –
Released: 2005
Genre: Blues
Style: Piano Blues
1967




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