Biography by Bill Dahl
An amazingly prolific artist who brought a brisk air of urban sophistication to his frequently stunning presentation, John "Peter" Chatman -- better known as Memphis Slim -- assuredly ranks with the greatest blues pianists of all time. He was smart enough to take Big Bill Broonzy's early advice about developing a style to call his own to heart, instead of imitating that of his idol, Roosevelt Sykes. Soon enough, other 88s pounders were copying Slim rather than the other way around; his thundering ivories attack set him apart from most of his contemporaries, while his deeply burnished voice possessed a commanding authority.
As befits his stage name, John "Peter" Chatman was born and raised in Memphis; a great place to commit to a career as a bluesman. Sometime in the late '30s, he resettled in Chicago and began recording as a leader in 1939 for OKeh, then switched over to Bluebird the next year. Around the same time, Slim joined forces with Broonzy, then the dominant force on the local blues scene. After serving as Broonzy's invaluable accompanist for a few years, Slim emerged as his own man in 1944.
After the close of World War II, Slim joined Hy-Tone Records, cutting eight tracks that were later picked up by King. Lee Egalnick's Miracle label reeled in the pianist in 1947; backed by his jumping band, the House Rockers (its members usually included saxists Alex Atkins and Ernest Cotton), Slim recorded his classic "Lend Me Your Love" and "Rockin' the House." The next year brought the landmark "Nobody Loves Me" (better known via subsequent covers by Lowell Fulson, Joe Williams, and B.B. King as "Everyday I Have the Blues") and the heartbroken "Messin' Around (With the Blues)."
The pianist kept on label-hopping, moving from Miracle to Peacock to Premium (where he waxed the first version of his uncommonly wise down-tempo blues "Mother Earth") to Chess to Mercury before staying put at Chicago's United Records from 1952 to 1954. This was a particularly fertile period for the pianist; he recruited his first permanent guitarist, the estimable Matt Murphy, who added some serious fret fire to "The Come Back," "Sassy Mae," and "Memphis Slim U.S.A."
Before the decade was through, the pianist landed at Vee-Jay Records, where he cut definitive versions of his best-known songs with Murphy and a stellar combo in gorgeously sympathetic support (Murphy was nothing short of spectacular throughout).
Slim exhibited his perpetually independent mindset by leaving the country for good in 1962. A tour of Europe in partnership with bassist Willie Dixon a couple of years earlier had so intrigued the pianist that he permanently moved to Paris, where recording and touring possibilities seemed limitless and the veteran pianist was treated with the respect too often denied even African-American blues stars at home back then. He remained there until his 1988 death, enjoying his stature as expatriate blues royalty.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/memphis-slim-mn0000421122/biography
An amazingly prolific artist who brought a brisk air of urban sophistication to his frequently stunning presentation, John "Peter" Chatman -- better known as Memphis Slim -- assuredly ranks with the greatest blues pianists of all time. He was smart enough to take Big Bill Broonzy's early advice about developing a style to call his own to heart, instead of imitating that of his idol, Roosevelt Sykes. Soon enough, other 88s pounders were copying Slim rather than the other way around; his thundering ivories attack set him apart from most of his contemporaries, while his deeply burnished voice possessed a commanding authority.
As befits his stage name, John "Peter" Chatman was born and raised in Memphis; a great place to commit to a career as a bluesman. Sometime in the late '30s, he resettled in Chicago and began recording as a leader in 1939 for OKeh, then switched over to Bluebird the next year. Around the same time, Slim joined forces with Broonzy, then the dominant force on the local blues scene. After serving as Broonzy's invaluable accompanist for a few years, Slim emerged as his own man in 1944.
After the close of World War II, Slim joined Hy-Tone Records, cutting eight tracks that were later picked up by King. Lee Egalnick's Miracle label reeled in the pianist in 1947; backed by his jumping band, the House Rockers (its members usually included saxists Alex Atkins and Ernest Cotton), Slim recorded his classic "Lend Me Your Love" and "Rockin' the House." The next year brought the landmark "Nobody Loves Me" (better known via subsequent covers by Lowell Fulson, Joe Williams, and B.B. King as "Everyday I Have the Blues") and the heartbroken "Messin' Around (With the Blues)."
The pianist kept on label-hopping, moving from Miracle to Peacock to Premium (where he waxed the first version of his uncommonly wise down-tempo blues "Mother Earth") to Chess to Mercury before staying put at Chicago's United Records from 1952 to 1954. This was a particularly fertile period for the pianist; he recruited his first permanent guitarist, the estimable Matt Murphy, who added some serious fret fire to "The Come Back," "Sassy Mae," and "Memphis Slim U.S.A."
Before the decade was through, the pianist landed at Vee-Jay Records, where he cut definitive versions of his best-known songs with Murphy and a stellar combo in gorgeously sympathetic support (Murphy was nothing short of spectacular throughout).
Slim exhibited his perpetually independent mindset by leaving the country for good in 1962. A tour of Europe in partnership with bassist Willie Dixon a couple of years earlier had so intrigued the pianist that he permanently moved to Paris, where recording and touring possibilities seemed limitless and the veteran pianist was treated with the respect too often denied even African-American blues stars at home back then. He remained there until his 1988 death, enjoying his stature as expatriate blues royalty.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/memphis-slim-mn0000421122/biography
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Biografía de Bill Dahl
Un artista increíblemente prolífico que trajo un aire de sofisticación urbana a su presentación frecuentemente impresionante, John "Peter" Chatman -más conocido como Memphis Slim- seguramente se encuentra entre los mejores pianistas de blues de todos los tiempos. Fue lo suficientemente inteligente como para seguir los primeros consejos de Big Bill Broonzy sobre el desarrollo de un estilo para llamar a los suyos propios, en lugar de imitar al de su ídolo, Roosevelt Sykes. Muy pronto, otros de 88 libras copiaron a Slim en lugar de hacerlo al revés; su estruendoso ataque de marfiles lo separó de la mayoría de sus contemporáneos, mientras que su voz profundamente bruñida poseía una autoridad dominante.
Como corresponde a su nombre artístico, John "Peter" Chatman nació y creció en Memphis; un gran lugar para comprometerse a una carrera como bluesista. A finales de los años 30, se reubicó en Chicago y comenzó a grabar como líder en 1939 para OKeh, para luego cambiar a Bluebird al año siguiente. Más o menos al mismo tiempo, Slim unió fuerzas con Broonzy, que entonces era la fuerza dominante en la escena blues local. Después de servir como el inestimable acompañante de Broonzy durante unos años, Slim emergió como su propio hombre en 1944.
Después del final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, Slim se unió a Hy-Tone Records, cortando ocho temas que luego fueron recogidos por King. El sello Milagro de Lee Egalnick se hizo con el sello del pianista en 1947; respaldado por su banda de saltos, The House Rockers (entre sus miembros se encontraban los saxos Alex Atkins y Ernest Cotton), Slim grabó sus clásicos "Lend Me Your Love" y "Rockin' the House". El año siguiente trajo el hito "Nobody Loves Me" (más conocido por las siguientes portadas de Lowell Fulson, Joe Williams y B.B. King como "Everyday I Have the Blues") y el desolado "Messin' Around (With the Blues)" (Messin' Around (With the Blues)).
El pianista se mantuvo en la etiqueta-hopping, pasando de Miracle a Peacock a Premium (donde enceró la primera versión de su inusualmente sabia blues de down-tempo "Mother Earth") a Chess to Mercury antes de quedarse en el Chicago's United Records desde 1952 hasta 1954. Este fue un período particularmente fértil para el pianista; reclutó a su primer guitarrista permanente, el estimable Matt Murphy, quien agregó un poco de grave preocupación a "The Come Back", "Sassy Mae" y "Memphis Slim U.S.A.".
Antes de que terminara la década, el pianista llegó a Vee-Jay Records, donde cortó versiones definitivas de sus canciones más conocidas con Murphy y un combo estelar con un magnífico apoyo simpático (Murphy fue nada menos que espectacular en todo momento).
Slim exhibió su mentalidad perpetuamente independiente al dejar el país para siempre en 1962. Una gira por Europa en asociación con el bajista Willie Dixon un par de años antes había intrigado tanto al pianista que se mudó permanentemente a París, donde las posibilidades de grabación y gira parecían ilimitadas y el veterano pianista fue tratado con el respeto que se le negaba con demasiada frecuencia, incluso a las estrellas del blues afroestadounidense en casa en ese entonces. Permaneció allí hasta su muerte en 1988, disfrutando de su estatura como expatriado de la realeza del blues.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/memphis-slim-mn0000421122/biography
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