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| Ten Thousand Motels |
A Lifetime of the Blues
Blues guitar great Hubert Sumlin, now in his 70's, has been playing for his whole life.
By Allison Bennett
The Savannah Music Festival might have been the only chance to hear blues guitar great Hubert Sumlin play. That is, unless fans can afford to catch up with him in Australia, Sweden and Denmark this spring. Or at the Chicago Blues Festival this summer.
Best known for his guitar work with Blues greats Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters, Hubert Sumlin, takes the microphone for a rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Killin' Floor" with The Nighthawks backing him up during a performance at Orleans Hall Friday. Scott Bryant
Either way the man isn't returning to the South for a good, long time.
But for two nights in Savannah, blues enthusiasts got to see Sumlin perform with the Nighthawks at Orleans Hall during the Savannah Music Festival's "Blues in the Afternoon" sessions.
An art gallery, owned by Savannah College of Art and Design, the venue provided ample room, ambiance and amazing acoustics for the blues concert.
Skip Jennings, a music festival volunteer and emcee for the night, introduced the Nighthawks to the stage.
The band, consisting of singer Mark Wenner on harmonica, Peter Ragusa on drums, Paul Bell on lead guitar, Bob Margolin on slide guitar and Tom Brill on bass, jumped right into the show with a song called "Red Hot Mama."
Wenner, dressed in a faded black Muddy Waters T-shirt, commented that it seemed too bright and too early to be playing music like the blues. But the audience didn't seem to mind. With the first few notes, the diverse crowd was tapping their toes and fingers and bobbing their heads along with the beat.
Nighthawks harmonica player Mark Wenner blows some blues harp and bassist Tom Brill keeps rhythm while playing a set before introducing blues great Hubert Sumlin. Scott Bryant
During one number, Wenner jumped off the stage and serenaded the audience with his harmonica.
"A big Savannah, Georgia welcome to Mr. Hubert Sumlin!" Wenner announced as the audience cheered.
Sumlin walked onto the stage dressed to the nines in a white hat, a suit and tie. He cradled his bright red electric guitar and jumped into the song.
The set included tunes from both Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, both of whom Sumlin once accompanied on stage.
Sumlin's fingers slid about his guitar as smooth as butter as he moved his head along with the music and gave the occasional grin to the audience.
Though Sumlin recently had one of his lungs removed, he was up for singing and playing for the last song, called "Killin' Floor."
After the last note, he gave a deep bow and beamed as the audience gave him and the Nighthawks a standing ovation.
Wenner thought the Savannah audiences were great.
He reiterated about how hard it was to play blues that early in the day. But, he explained, in Chicago's blues heyday, the music was played 24 hours a day. The men in the city worked in three shifts around the clock, so whenever they got off work from one shift, there was always someplace open with the blues playing.
Sumlin and the Nighthawks were also scheduled to play at Apres nightclub at midnight.
Though this is the first year the Savannah Music Festival has offered "Blues in the Afternoon," Jennings said the "response has been spectacular."
All of the afternoon concerts have been sold out. The Blues in the Afternoon concerts continue next week with Little Freddie King at 5:30 p.m. Monday in Orleans Hall.
And as for Sumlin fans, they'll just have to keep waiting for the album he recorded four years ago to be released.
The album was produced by Keith Richards, guitar player for the Rolling Stones, who wanted to play with Sumlin.
The album includes top musicians, such as Mudcat Ward on bass, Paul Oscher on harp, David Maxwell on piano and Levon Helm on drums.
And for people who aren't too familiar with blues, Eric Clapton sings and plays on two tracks.
Hubert Sumlin facts:
� Named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time
� Born on Nov. 16, 1931, he was one of 13 children
� He got his first guitar at 8 after his mother spent a week's pay to buy the $8 instrument. He kept it for 12 years.
� When he was 10, he sneaked to the local music club, pulled up crates to the window to peak at legendary blues man Howlin' Wolf. Sumlin was so enamored by the music he fell through the window and landed on stage. Instead of getting tossed out, Wolf had Sumlin sit on stage and listen. Wolf eventually became Sumlin's mentor and musical coach.
� Sumlin influenced guitar legends, such as Jimi Hendrix, who called Sumlin "my favorite guitarist." Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Jimmy Page, Bob Dylan and Carlos Santana are also fans.
� Stevie Ray Vaughan once said: "Hubert is the heaviest, most original guitar player
I've ever heard in my life and that's the truth."
[Edited by Ten Thousand Motels] |
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| Nellcote |
Great review. Another music festival to make in the future.
WTF, where is "Them Shoes"?
Here's a review of it I've been squirreling away from All Music Guide. Makes you crazy why this is not out by now.
Keith, GET THIS PUT OUT!!!!
AMG REVIEW: Hubert Sumlin's About Them Shoes is a refreshingly pure blues recording which comes at a time when others are distorting the genre with various "contemporary" elements. The songs are from the repertoire of Muddy Waters � seven tunes written by Waters (McKinley Morganfield), four by Willie Dixon, one from Carl C. Wright, and a beauty by Sumlin to close things out. Dixon's "I'm Ready" starts things off with Eric Clapton on lead guitar and vocals, the drums of Levon Helm, and Paul Oscher's oozing harmonica filling in nicely with David Maxwell's piano. It's bouncy and shows a side of Clapton not often present on his own albums. Sumlin's lead is tasty, giving way to Oscher's equally gritty wail. Waters' own "Still a Fool" has Keith Richards on lead vocals and sharing the guitar chores with Sumlin. It's got that Rolling Stones-ish ragged edge that producer Rob Fraboni knows so well; Fraboni's guiding hand never gets in the way of the musical process that flows across the CD. James Cotton's harp comes in to spice up "She's Into Something," which features percussionist George Recile on lead vocals and Helm back on the skins. Helm plays drums on eight of the 13 tracks, Recile on four, with the final number, Hubert Sumlin's only original, "Little Girl, This Is the End," closing the set without percussion. "Little Girl" features a charming interplay between Keith Richards and Sumlin's guitars, while Paul Nowinski adds a full-bottom bass to round things out. It's Sumlin's only
vocal contribution to the disc, and that voice swims in Fraboni's mix of upfront guitars. This particular song was premiered on Holly Harris' Blues on Sunday program on December 15, 2002, a few months before the album's release, and played next to the remastered "Love in Vain" from Let It Bleed, one could see why the distinctive Richards style is such an important component of the Rolling Stones' success. The two Keith Richards tracks as well as the two contributions from Clapton will get immediate attention, and they do not disappoint, but Blondie Chaplin's vocal on "Look What You've Done" as well as Paul Oscher's on "Come Home Baby" deserve to not get lost in the shuffle. Nathaniel Peterson and George Recile also get to take the mic (with David Johansen about to add some vocals at press time), but none of the changing voices disrupt the vibe or take away from the fun. These blues aren't sad, they are charging, energetic performances from musicians who catch the groove and drive it for all it's worth. Maxwell's piano on Waters' "Come Home Baby" adds frills behind the guitars of Sumlin and Bob Margolin, while Oscher's harmonica just screams. It's a stunning blend of tension and dynamite, and one of the disc's highlights. About Them Shoes could have taken the marquee talent and gone for a glitzy platform to bring Hubert Sumlin into the mainstream. Instead, they dive headfirst into what this music is all about, and in doing so have come up with a mini-masterpiece. It's one of those records that can run endlessly in the CD player and keep entertaining. Hopefully it will expand the audience of this deserving virtuoso. � Joe Viglione
[Edited by Nellcote] |
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| Martha |
Ok, I just got word we're off to ASheville, (we're coming to see YOU Nasty) for the Dylan show at the Orange Peel on the 9th. My happiness knows no bounds. :-)
Then I see this thread about Hubert Sumlin....and guess what?!? Hubert is playing a show on the 3rd at Jorma Kaukonen's Furpeace Ranch outside of Athens, OH. Now, (after counting at least 3 undisputable reasons why) I realize I MUST go see this show as well. Thanks for keeping me focused on the light and the love!
This damn message board ROCKS!
Here's info including the link for tickets to the show April 3rd:
http://www.furpeacestation.com/
Saturday, April 3: Legendary Chicago Blues men
Bob Margolin and Hubert Sumlin
Time: 8 p.m. (Gates open at 7:00 p.m.)
$22.00 Advance $25.00 Admission.
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
quote:
Nellcote wrote:
Great review. Another music festival to make in the future.
WTF, where is "Them Shoes"?
Here's a review of it I've been squirreling away from All Music Guide. Makes you crazy why this is not out by now.
Keith, GET THIS PUT OUT!!!!
Wow...Nellcote, thanks for posting that. Why would they sit on it for so long? |
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| polksalad69 |
quote:
Ten Thousand Motels wrote:
Wow...Nellcote, thanks for posting that. Why would they sit on it for so long?
I dunno, legal stuff prolly. Either dat or they don't think blues will sell.
Saw Hubert last summer w/Margolin, Carey Bell, and Willie Big Eyes. My camera took a dump but got one semi-decent shot.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/36739099/94396593PWRaUi
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| glencar |
Blues probably sell more than classical music at this point. That Scorcese series fueled some popularity for the blues again. |
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| polksalad69 |
quote:
glencar wrote:
Blues probably sell more than classical music at this point. That Scorcese series fueled some popularity for the blues again.
Hopefully it can keep selling. |
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| Ten Thousand Motels |
Sounds like a great record to me. And I wasn't quite aware as to how much Keith Richards was involved with it when I posted it. So thanks again Nelcotte for posting that review. When I was reading that, my mind kept going back to the "Kid Rock" posts...new sheriff on the block and all that. No wonder his quote struck me so funny. It was so absurd. Maybe that's why they call him "kid" rock. Keith is THE man. Just a minor spanking for Kid Rock. LOL. |
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| Rewster |
polk,,, thats the Nighthawks I was tellin ya about
check them out if you ever get the chance
been follwing them for over 25 years now
they just recently switched bass and guitar
have not seen this new lineup yet |
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| T&A |
was a bigtime fan of the Nighthawks (they and GT & the Delaware Destroyers were competitors for best bluesrock band in the DC area for years in the 70's) until Thackery (one of my favorite guitarists of all-time) left them over a decade ago. Now I hear Jan Zukowski has left? Shame. It was a great great road band for a couple of decades. Wenner's okay - but Thackery was the main man for me. |
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| polksalad69 |
quote:
Rewster wrote:
polk,,, thats the Nighthawks I was tellin ya about
check them out if you ever get the chance
been follwing them for over 25 years now
they just recently switched bass and guitar
have not seen this new lineup yet
Hey Rewster, good to see you over here too. I thought about you when I saw that. Will definately check 'em out. |
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