GARY CLARK,JR.

A Penny For Your Thoughts. Hobbs’ four
Silver Fox sides are scintillating in their
Southern soul sparkle, while the bulk of
the CD showcases Hobbs’ output for John
Richbourg’s Seventy 7, including some
forays into country-rooted material (Kris
Kristofferson’s “Why Me” and Johnny
Paycheck’s “Mr. Lovemaker”) that contrast
with covers of Isaac Hayes’ “Do Your
Thing” and William Bell’s title track. Hobbs
deserved a higher profile than what fate
had in store.
LP fans are sure to rejoice over Alligator’s
repressing of two of its most popular
early titles on heavy 180-gram vinyl.
Not only was legendary New Orleans
pianist Professor Longhair’s Crawfish
Fiesta by far the best album he made
during his celebrated comeback era
(sadly, it hit the shelves right about the
same time he unexpectedly died in 1980),
the set’s been augmented by a newly
released rehearsal take of Percy Mayfield’s
“River’s Invitation” rendered with
Fess’ usual syncopated flair. Alligator
picked up U.S. rights to Buddy Guy’s
Stone Crazy from the French Isabel label;
cut in 1979 with his rhythm section, it was
one of the first times Guy was allowed to
cut loose on wax with the manic, balls-out
energy that’s become his byword.
Bear Family’s pressing up fresh vinyl
too, repressing bluesman Frank Frost’s
classic ‘62 Phillips International album Hey
Boss Man! on LP with a bonus instrumental,
“Crawlback,” previously out as a single.
Back then, his stalwart Mississippi
compatriots Big Jack Johnson (on lead
guitar) and drummer Sam Carr were billed
as the Night Hawks. This was the last
essential blues release from Sam Phillips’
operation, permeated with juke joint-tested
rhythms and rough-hewn vocals the way
Sun had done it nearly a decade earlier
during its formative years.
The thundering rock and roll piano
of Jerry Lee Lewis has always been an
amalgam of blues and country. Hip-O
Select gathers Jerry Lee’s first four concert
LPs onto a three-CD The Killer Live!
1964-1970, adding a treasure trove of
outtakes to sweeten the deal. “Live” At
The Star Club, Hamburg has been cited
as the wildest live rock and roll album
ever made, Jerry Lee blasting through a
non-stop set with the Nashville Teens
somehow keeping up. Just as exciting
was The Greatest Live Show On Earth,
another ‘64 album done with Lewis’ own
band in Birmingham, Alabama (its ‘66
sequel was no slouch either). 1970’s
Live At The International, Las Vegas
reflected his transition to C&W stardom,
so its repertoire leaned in that direction
yet there was room for “Flip, Flop, And
Fly” and an unreleased “Stagger Lee.”
Before the advent of Texas bluesand-boogie
stalwarts ZZ Top, guitarist
Billy Gibbons fronted a tough band that
got less notice but kicked out some
mean blues-influenced rock. Rock Beat’s
Moving Sidewalks – The Complete
Collection is a neat two-CD box containing
their only album released at the time,
a psychedelic 1968 affair, on one disc and
a slammin’ collection of singles, several of
them mean Lone Star garage rock, on
the other, including their Wand singles
“99th Floor” and “Need Me” and five 1966
rarities by Gibbons’ previous group, the
Coachmen.
BLUES REVUE 69