egroj world: Freddie Robinson • The Coming Atlantis

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Freddie Robinson • The Coming Atlantis

Review by Thom Owens

Freddie Robinson's debut album Coming Atlantis is plagued by some late-'60s cliches -- hippie lyrics, spacy instrumental interludes and some blues-rock flourishes -- but there are some strong blues songs and soloing from Robinson that make it worth a listen.

Artist Biography by All About Jazz

In a career spanning 50 years, guitarist Freddy Robinson, played with Ray Charles, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and dozens of lesser-known artists in blues and R&B. Thanks to an early exposure to jazz, he graduated from the ranks of “ear” players to more sophisticated musical company, but he retained an affection for his past and a pride in his early work.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, but raised in Arkansas, Robinson had heard many locally famous bluesmen before he reached his teens, and was inspired by the guitar-playing of Joe Willie Wilkins to take up the instrument himself. In 1956, he moved to Chicago and began working with the harmonica players Birmingham Jones and Little Willie Anderson. In 1958, he was hired by Little Walter, a position that put him in the orbit of seasoned guitarists such as Luther Tucker and Robert Junior Lockwood. While on tour with Walter, he saw a jazz band playing from music charts, and was inspired to develop his own playing at the Chicago School of Music.

He was briefly employed by Howlin' Wolf, who distrusted what he thought were jazz leanings, but had the chance to leave a firm blues stamp on a few of Wolf's recordings, though it would be years before the guitar-playing on “Spoonful,” “Back Door Man” and “Wang Dang Doodle,” was acknowledged as his work.

Throughout the mid-60s, he played with the Chicago-based soul singer Jerry Butler, and later with Syl Johnson. While cutting some singles in his own right, he had met the keyboards player and arranger Monk Higgins, who recommended him to Ray Charles, whereupon Robinson relocated to Los Angeles. He remained with Charles for less than a year and had a minor hit with the instrumental “Black Fox,” which also became a favorite with guitarists at the time.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/freddyrobinson

Artist Biography by Bill Dahl

Blues fans know him as one of harp genius Little Walter's studio accompanists during the latter portion of his tenure at Chess. Jazz aficionados are aware of him for the albums he did for World Pacific. Freddy Robinson has been one versatile guitarist across the decades.

Robinson played both bass and guitar behind Walter at Chess circa 1959-1960. His own recording career commenced in 1962 with a jazz-laced instrumental pairing, "The Buzzard"/"The Hawk," for King's short-lived Queen subsidiary. He gave singing a try in 1966, cutting "Go-Go Girl" for Checker (with Barbara Acklin and Mamie Galore helping out as background vocalists). By 1968, he was recording with pianist Monk Higgins and the Blossoms (Darlene Love's vocal group) in Los Angeles for Cobblestone.

Blues fans may find the material Robinson cut for a Stax LP in 1972 noteworthy; "At the Drive-In" and "Bluesology" are in-the-alley blues efforts that hark back to the guitarist's early days in Chicago. Robinson later recorded for Al Bell's ICA logo.

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/freddy-robinson-mn0000186692/biography

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Reseña de Thom Owens

El álbum debut de Freddie Robinson, Coming Atlantis, está plagado de algunos clichés de finales de los 60, letras hippies, interludios instrumentales espaciados y algunos brotes de blues-rock, pero hay algunas canciones fuertes de blues y solistas de Robinson que hacen que valga la pena escucharlas.

Biografía del artista por All About Jazz

En una carrera de 50 años, el guitarrista Freddy Robinson, tocó con Ray Charles, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter y docenas de artistas menos conocidos en blues y R&B. Gracias a una temprana exposición al jazz, se graduó de las filas de los músicos de "oído" a una compañía musical más sofisticada, pero conservó el afecto por su pasado y el orgullo por su trabajo temprano.

Nacido en Memphis, Tennessee, pero criado en Arkansas, Robinson había escuchado a muchos bluesmen locales famosos antes de llegar a la adolescencia, y se inspiró en el toque de guitarra de Joe Willie Wilkins para aprender a tocar el instrumento él mismo. En 1956, se mudó a Chicago y comenzó a trabajar con los músicos de armónica Birmingham Jones y Little Willie Anderson. En 1958, fue contratado por Little Walter, una posición que lo puso en la órbita de guitarristas experimentados como Luther Tucker y Robert Junior Lockwood. Mientras estaba de gira con Walter, vio a una banda de jazz tocando en las listas de éxitos y se inspiró para desarrollar su propia interpretación en la Escuela de Música de Chicago.

Trabajó brevemente para Howlin' Wolf, que desconfiaba de lo que él creía que eran tendencias de jazz, pero tuvo la oportunidad de dejar un firme sello de blues en algunas de las grabaciones de Wolf, aunque pasaron años antes de que se reconociera como su trabajo tocar la guitarra en "Spoonful", "Back Door Man" y "Wang Dang Doodle".

A mediados de la década de 1960, tocó con el cantante de soul Jerry Butler, con sede en Chicago, y más tarde con Syl Johnson. Mientras cortaba algunos sencillos por derecho propio, había conocido al teclista y arreglista Monk Higgins, quien lo recomendó a Ray Charles, tras lo cual Robinson se trasladó a Los Ángeles. Permaneció con Charles menos de un año y tuvo un éxito menor con el instrumental "Black Fox", que también se convirtió en uno de los favoritos de los guitarristas de la época.

https://musicians.allaboutjazz.com/freddyrobinson

Biografía del artista por Bill Dahl

Los fanáticos del blues lo conocen como uno de los acompañantes del estudio del genio del arpa Little Walter durante la última parte de su mandato en Chess. Los aficionados al jazz lo conocen por los discos que hizo para World Pacific. Freddy Robinson ha sido un guitarrista versátil a lo largo de las décadas.

Robinson tocó el bajo y la guitarra detrás de Walter en Chess alrededor de 1959-1960. Su propia carrera discográfica comenzó en 1962 con una pareja instrumental de jazz, "The Buzzard"/"The Hawk", para la efímera subsidiaria de King's Queen. Intentó cantar en 1966, cortando "Go-Go Girl" para Checker (con Barbara Acklin y Mamie Galore ayudando como vocalistas de fondo). Para 1968, estaba grabando con el pianista Monk Higgins y los Blossoms (el grupo vocal de Darlene Love) en Los Ángeles para Cobblestone.

Los fanáticos del blues pueden encontrar el material que Robinson cortó para un LP de Stax en 1972 digno de mención; "At the Drive-In" y "Bluesology" son esfuerzos de blues en el callejón que evocan los primeros días del guitarrista en Chicago. Robinson más tarde grabó para el logo de la ACI de Al Bell.

https://www.allmusic.com/artist/freddy-robinson-mn0000186692/biography

Tracklist:
A1 - Before Six - 4:25
A2 - The Coming Atlantis - 3:34
A3 - (I'm A) Fool For You - 2:55
A4 - Freddy's Sermon - 6:05
B1 - Black Fox - 5:15
B2 - The Oggum Boogum Song - 3:34
B3 - Rita - 3:39
B4 - Monkin' Around - 4:28

Credits:
    Art Direction, Photography By – Ron Wolin
    Backing Vocals – Adrienne Williams, Alexandra Brown, Difosco Ervin, Mamie Galore, Patricia Dunn
    Bass [Fender & Upright] – Bob West
    Bass Clarinet, Baritone Saxophone – Ernest Williams
    Bongos, Congas – King Errison
    Featuring [Drums], Drums – Paul Humphrey
    Featuring [Piano], Piano – Joe Sample
    Flute – Allen Butler
    Guitar – Fred L. Robinson
    Liner Notes – Bob Hatchett
    Organ, Producer, Arranged By [Orchestra], Conductor [Orchestra] – Monk Higgins
    Percussion, Producer – Dee Ervin
    Strings [Section] – Sid Sharp
    Tenor Saxophone – Plas Johnson
    Trumpet – Allen Brisbois
    Vibraphone – Alan C. Estes