SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Keep It To Ourselves
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Artist:
With his unerring slur and direct wit, Sonny Boy II, born Rice Miller circa 1897 and dead some 68 years later, is Chicago's third W: his great Chess albums stand with Wolf or Muddy. These 1963 recordings, culled from two much sparer purist LPs on a Danish label, are late-night visits to the Delta where he saw the light and kicked the bucket, and what they show off above all is his sexy, long-suffering harmonica cry. Where fools like his star pupil James Cotton strain against the dynamic limitations of that little piece of steel, Sonny Boy plays it like he sings it like he talks it--slyly, lethally, whispering complaints, secrets, existential questions, and promises made to be broken to anyone who ventures within earshot. Guitarist Matt Murphy on most cuts and pianist-vocalist Memphis Slim on a few are all the friends he needs. Robert Christgau
An intimate 1963 collection of Sonny Boy Williamson in solo and duet (with guitarist Matt Murphy) formats; on three tracks, pianist Memphis Slim hops aboard. This delightful addendum to Williamson's electric output of the same era was cut in Denmark and first issued on Storyville. ~ Bill Dahl, All Music Guide
Musician (1/91, p.94) - "...The spry acoustic guitar of Matt Murphy and the rolling cool of Memphis Slim flesh out the music, but the focus throughout is on Sonny Boy's rap and roll--surely amoung our greatest storytellers...."
Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Personnel: Sonny Boy Williamson (vocals, harmonica); Matt "Guitar" Murphy (guitar); Memphis Slim (piano); Bill Stephney (drums).
Tracks:
1. The Sky Is Crying
2. Slowly Walk Close to Me
3. Once Upon a Time
4. Don't Let Your Right Hand Know
5. Movin' Out
6. Coming Home to You Baby
7. I Can't Understand
8. Same Girl
9. Gettin' Together
10. Why Are You Cryin?
11. Girl Friends
12. When the Lights Went Out
Details
.. Year: 1963 CD 2001
.. Label: Storyville Records
.. Country: Denmark
.. Bitrate: 192 kbps
.. Home-Page: http://www.sonnyboy.com/
.. MySpace: N/A
.. Last.fm: www.last.fm/music/Sonny Boy Williamson
.. Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Boy_Williamson_II
.. BUY ME 1: http://www.storyvillerecords.com/
.. BUY ME 2: CD Universe
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