Willie Dixon & Memphis Slim • Willie's Blues

Review

According to the original liner notes, this 1959 Willie Dixon session was cut during a two hour span in between flights. This certainly explains the relaxed, jam session feel of the recordings. Unfortunately, the songs come out sounding sluggish and stilted at times; this is partly due, no doubt, to the makeshift nature of the date, but also, more surprisingly, because of drummer Gus Johnson's overly slick and formalized playing. On top of this, one has to contend with Dixon's less-then-inspired vocals -- it's Dixon's writing talents and A&R savvy in the blues world that warrant him a place in the pantheon, not his skills at the microphone. That all said, this still is an enjoyable disc to listen to, not least of all because of the quality of Dixon's many originals and the freshness of pianist Memphis Slim's playing. And while the vaudevillian comedy of a song like "Built for Comfort" can be traced to Dixon's earlier pop R&B work with the Big Three Trio, rougher blues standouts like "Go Easy" and "Move Me" lead back to the Chicago blues world Dixon shared with Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Not a first disc for curious listeners, but certainly a pleasant enough addition to the blues lover's collection.

by Stephen Cook

https://www.allmusic.com/album/willies-blues-mw0000193238

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Reseña

De acuerdo con las notas originales, esta sesión de Willie Dixon de 1959 fue cortada durante un lapso de dos horas entre vuelos. Esto ciertamente explica la sensación de relajación y de improvisación de las grabaciones. Por desgracia, las canciones suenan a veces lentas y forzadas; esto se debe en parte, sin duda, a la naturaleza improvisada de la fecha, pero también, lo que es más sorprendente, a la forma excesivamente hábil y formal de tocar del baterista Gus Johnson. Además de esto, uno tiene que lidiar con las voces menos inspiradas de Dixon - es el talento de Dixon para escribir y su habilidad en el mundo del blues lo que le garantiza un lugar en el panteón, no sus habilidades en el micrófono. Dicho esto, este sigue siendo un disco agradable de escuchar, sobre todo por la calidad de los muchos originales de Dixon y la frescura del pianista Memphis Slim. Y mientras que la comedia vodevil de una canción como "Built for Comfort" se remonta a los primeros trabajos de R&B pop de Dixon con el Big Three Trio, las canciones de blues más ásperas como "Go Easy" y "Move Me" llevan al mundo del blues de Chicago que Dixon compartió con Muddy Waters y Howlin' Wolf. No es un primer disco para oyentes curiosos, pero ciertamente una agradable adición a la colección de los amantes del blues.

por Stephen Cook

https://www.allmusic.com/album/willies-blues-mw0000193238

Tracks:
01. Nervous - 3:14
02. Good Understanding - 2:14
03. That's My Baby - 3:21
04. Slim's Thing (Peter Chatman) - 3:23
05. That's All I Want Baby - 2:15
06. Don't You Tell Nobody - 2:04
07. Youth To You - 3:15
08. Sittin' And Cryin' The Blues - 3:17
09. Built For Comfort - 2:30
10. I Got A Razor - 4:09
11. Go Easy (Peter Chatman) - 5:51
12. Move Me - 3:19

Personnel:
- Willie Dixon (William James Dixon) - double bass, vocals
- Memphis Slim (Peter Chatman, John Len Chatman) - piano
- Wally Richardson (Wallace Richardson) - guitar
- Al Ashby - tenor saxophone
- Gus Johnson - drums
  
All songs written by Willie Dixon except where noted.
Originally released in 1960 on Prestige Bluesville BVLP-1003.

Note:
Recorded By – Rudy Van Gelder
Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ; December 3, 1959.

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