Henry Gray & Rudi Richard • Louisiana Swamp Blues

Review by Steve Leggett

Dedicated to Slim Harpo, this brief album, recorded in Baton Rouge, LA, in 1990, is a split affair, with blues pianist Henry Gray alternating tracks with guitarist (and accordion player) Rudi Richard in a nifty little swamp blues collection. Although one wishes the two musicians had done some of these songs together, their approach to the blues (different as they are) complement each other well, and the sequence doesn't suffer for this split format. Gray, in particular, has an intriguing sound, adding a certain intangible bayou sensibility to his Chicago piano style, and his rough, everyman vocals on sides like "Talkin' About You" and the self-penned "Gold Chills" carry a degree of authenticity, particularly with Slim Harpo's drummer, Jess Kenchin, pounding away. Richard is less distinctive as a vocalist, but as Harpo's longtime guitarist (he put the guitar sting in "I'm a Kingbee," and if you've heard the song, you know about the sting), he, too, has an authentic claim to this material, and while his version of the bayou chestnut "Tee Ni Nee Na Nu" essentially seems to be by the numbers, his sleek, angular version of "Good for the Goose" is a solid delight. Again, it would have been nice if Gray, Richard, and Kenchin had all worked together on a few of these tracks, but even without that, this set still functions pretty well as a simple and unassuming introduction to Louisiana swamp blues.

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Reseña de Steve Leggett

Dedicado a Slim Harpo, este breve álbum, grabado en Baton Rouge, LA, en 1990, es un asunto dividido, con el pianista de blues Henry Gray alternando temas con el guitarrista (y acordeonista) Rudi Richard en una pequeña colección de blues del pantano. Aunque uno desearía que los dos músicos hubiesen hecho algunas de estas canciones juntos, su acercamiento al blues (por muy diferentes que sean) se complementan bien, y la secuencia no sufre por este formato dividido. Gray, en particular, tiene un sonido intrigante, añadiendo una cierta sensibilidad bayou intangible a su estilo de piano de Chicago, y sus voces ásperas y cotidianas en lados como "Talkin' About You" y el autoimpreso "Gold Chills" llevan un grado de autenticidad, particularmente con el baterista de Slim Harpo, Jess Kenchin, golpeando. Richard es menos distintivo como vocalista, pero como guitarrista de Harpo desde hace mucho tiempo (puso el aguijón de la guitarra en "I'm a Kingbee", y si has oído la canción, sabes lo del aguijón), él también tiene una auténtica reivindicación de este material, y aunque su versión del castaño del pantano "Tee Ni Nee Na Nu" parece ser esencialmente por los números, su versión elegante y angular de "Good for the Goose" es una sólida delicia. De nuevo, hubiera sido bueno que Gray, Richard y Kenchin trabajaran juntos en algunos de estos temas, pero incluso sin eso, este conjunto todavía funciona bastante bien como una simple y modesta introducción al Louisiana swamp blues.

 

 

 

Tracks:
01. Big Mamou (2:26)
02. Blues Won’t Let Me Rest (4:01)
03. King Bee (5:30)
04. Gold Chills (4:13)
05. Talkin’ About You (2:51)
06. Bad Luck & Trouble (4:38)
07. Tee Ni Nee Na Nu (3:14)
08. When My First Wife (4:29)
09. Come On Here (2:41)
10. Good For The Goose (3:09)
11. HonkyTonk (3:57)

2015 | Wolf Records International GmbH | Blues

 

 

 

 

 

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