Well, summer is unofficially over. BlueNotes is putting away his white outfits, and digging out the sartorial earth tones of fall. The Golden Monkey will play less often, and the rich, dark beers of winter will raise their potent heads. Blithering Idiot, Blasphemy, Raisin d'Etre -- just a few of the fine beers that inspire these works.
Meanwhile, vacations are about over, the summer blues festivals are winding down, and it's time to reacquaint yourself with your favorite local blues club.
And of course there are always new CDs to consider. BlueNotes is way behind on the new release front, no doubt a result of his busy summer personal appearance schedule. We did manage to crank out something on B.B. King's latest last week, and still think it's one of his best ever.
Today, about a week late, it's time to look at a new CD by Lil' Ed Williams and the Blues Imperials -- another Chicago stalwart. It's another of a long series of what Ed has been doing with relentless passion and abandon for 20 years. best: whip the blues, and us, into a frenzy with his ferocious slide guitar attack.
His regular four-piece band (Ed on guitar with Michael Garrett on guitar, James "Pookie" Young on bas and drummer Kelly Littleton) is always than up to Ed's scorched-earth blues policy. But this time he's added some keyboards and a couple of saxmen here and there for solid emphasis. The saxy extra can be heard punching up "Housekeeping Job," adding a ripping raunchy sax break in the middle. Great honk!
On "Don't Call Me," Ed starts out running with a wicked slide intro and never slows down, with hints of Chuck Berry and a pounding piano. The slide and piano pair off midway, and if this isn't enough music to make your feet move, see a podiatrist immediately. This is followed by the slow torchy slide of "Checking My Baby's Oil," in which Ed seems to have created a mini-series worth of double-entendre into one song.
There's even a philosophical "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," if philosophy can be said to have a rock-steady backbeat. Or maybe that's the only kind of philosophy worth having. The piano solo alone may contain the meaning of life.
On "Life Got in the Way," there's some slow-burning fuel for any lost-love blues, as Ed displays some rich shouting backed by an almost-sedate guitar. Almost is the key word there. Even at half-speed, Ed smokes.
This album, and Li' Ed, are a remnant of furious Chicago slide blues style (J.B. Hutto was his uncle) that's getting a little harder to find. Get it while you can.
Posted
Sep 02 2008, 01:00 AM
by
Jim White