I heard blues information sooner than I can bear in mind. My dad had Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee albums, and a household pal had information by Lead Stomach and Jesse Fuller. It was the Folks Increase of the mid/late ’50s, and blues was combined in with business stuff just like the Kingston Trio, so the acoustic, rural selection was termed “folks blues.” That even carried over to electrical blues, just like the American Folks Blues Pageant excursions of Europe within the ’60s and a uncooked, stay Argo album known as Folks Pageant Of The Blues, that includes Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Man, and Sonny Boy Williamson – a far cry from folks.

My introduction to singer/guitarist John Hammond was on the Blues At Newport compilation recorded on the 1963 Newport Folks Pageant in Rhode Island. The liner notes referred to the 20-year-old as a “fair-haired, pink-cheeked collegian,” however shortly credited him with studying his classes properly.

His self-titled debut LP was launched that 12 months, adopted by groundbreaking electric-ensemble albums, that includes Billy Butler, Mike Bloomfield, Charlie Musselwhite, and members of The Band. However he returned to solo efficiency on and off, as on the beforehand unreleased/45-song You’re Doin’ High-quality: Blues on the Boarding Home, June 2 & 3, 1973.

Few performers of any type can summon the ability that Hammond delivers all by himself. Rory Gallagher acquired the thought to make use of a hefty Sears Craftsman socket wrench for slide from him. Taking up Howlin’ Wolf and his band solo isn’t any imply feat, however Hammond holds his personal on “Wang Dang Doodle.” In contrast to the straightforward swing of Muddy Waters’ recording of “I Can’t Be Happy,” Hammond’s herky-jerky take ups the depth. Billy Boy Arnold’s “I Want You Would” seems like an entire band, nevertheless it’s simply Hammond’s voice, guitar, harmonica, and foot.

Son of the well-known document producer of the identical title, the blues singer generally goes by John Paul Hammond or John Hammond, Jr. However with 40 albums underneath his belt, he escaped his dad’s shadow many years in the past.

Courtesy of San Francisco underground stations KMPX and KSAN, I heard the then-unavailable home made 1964 “Typewriter Tapes” of Janis Joplin backed by Jorma Kaukonen together with his then-wife typing within the background – an interesting window into their pre-Large Brother and Airplane days. Much more illuminating, Reno Street consists of Kaukonen’s early makes an attempt on the Gary Davis type he realized from obscure legend Ian Buchanan. Taped by his lifelong bandmate, Jefferson Airplane and Sizzling Tuna bassist Jack Casady, its 23 tracks date to 1960, with 19-year-old Kaukonen exhibiting virtually as a lot facility as later served him because the prototypical psychedelic guitarist.

The repertoire mirrors Davis and contemporaries like Dave Van Ronk and Tom Paley – “Sweet Man,” “Demise Don’t Have No Mercy,” “That’ll By no means Occur No Extra.” Jorma’s singing register might be greater than he can attain now; fortunately, at 84 he’s nonetheless making nice music. Sizzling Tuna’s electrical excursions have been retired, however he and Casady nonetheless hit the highway acoustically. One can now marvel if a tape of their teen instrumental combo, the Triumphs, will floor sometime. In the meantime, Reno Street is an sudden deal with for followers of his varied incarnations.

It’s straightforward to see why Jontavious Willis has acquired reward from Taj Mahal. Following Spectacular Class, produced by Keb’ Mo’ and nominated for a Grammy (Delbert McClinton took residence the trophy), the singer/guitarist rolls on with West Georgia Blues. Its 15 originals display authority and flexibility of the 28-year-old Georgia native. His slide shadowing the vocal on “Too Shut To The Ending Line” remembers Robert Johnson, and guitarist Jon Atkinson company on “A Raise Is All I Want.” “Time Brings About A Change” continues to be and reflective, whereas “Jontavius’ West Georgia Grind” is a raucous instrumental that includes drums, piano, and distorted electrical guitar – the sort of factor certain to get individuals up dancing at a juke joint.

At Austin’s current East Facet Kings Pageant, I caught a set by Harrell “Younger Rell” Davenport. Apart from guitar, harmonica, and vocals, he impressed together with his stage presence. By the point you learn this, his debut album will hopefully be out. New artists like him and Willis present assurance that the blues is in good fingers.

Postscript

The primary time I interviewed John Hammond was in ’79, for Frets journal. He performed a solo present in Santa Cruz, very like the Boarding Home tapes. In tan footwear and a swimsuit the colour of vanilla ice cream, he regarded so cool. We talked within the dressing room after the present till everybody was gone and the road was empty. I watched him stroll to a car parking zone that was empty aside from his rented Cadillac. He put his steel-bodied Nationwide and Gibson flat-top within the trunk and drove off into the evening. It struck me like what Robert Johnson may need completed had he lived lengthy sufficient – the fashionable equal of using the blinds.

© 2024 Dan Forte; all rights reserved by the writer.

This text initially appeared in VG’s February 2025 subject. All copyrights are by the writer and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.