The Jukebox Rebel

John Lee continues to experiment with his blues music, this time opting for a real soulful brand of the genre. The set is characterised throughout by a notable presence for an extremely cool (unknown) organist, a phat sax from Hank Cosby and a quartet of Motown female vocalists including Marlene Barrow, Louvain Demps and Jackie Hicks (all from The Andantes) and (soon to be international superstar with the Supremes) Mary Wilson. The band is very fine indeed – this is effortlessly cool stuff, and it seems to me the front man knows it – the evidence is there with every intonation; man’s EXPRESSIN’. I register a slight disappointment at the needless rereading of motifs such as “Boom Boom” in “She Shot Me Down” – this does the man a dis-service. Press on John, don’t look back I can’t help but think to myself. “I Love Her” is a rare miss-step on the album – far too poppy, we don’t need that on a JLH set thank you very much. “Good Rockin’ Mama” sees John Lee continue with his rework policy, although it’s a fresh and vital uptempo treatment that’s handed out to his 1952 single “Rock Me Mama” (Modern 862). “Onions” is another side 2 highlight, flirting outrageously with Booker T’s mega-tune, despite the writing credits been wholly claimed by John Lee. “No One Told Me” goes against popular wisdom by finishing the album with filler, but overall this experimental set has worked out well.

The Jukebox Rebel
16–Jun–2012

A1	[02:46] John Lee Hooker - Frisco Blues [1962 version] (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A2	[02:49] John Lee Hooker - Take A Look At Yourself (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A3	[02:25] John Lee Hooker - Send Me Your Pillow [1962 version] (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A4	[02:52] John Lee Hooker - She Shot Me Down (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A5	[02:14] John Lee Hooker - I Love Her (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A6	[02:22] John Lee Hooker - Old Time Shimmy (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B1	[01:57] John Lee Hooker - You Know I Love You (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B2	[02:10] John Lee Hooker - Big Soul (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B3	[02:29] John Lee Hooker - Good Rockin’ Mama (John Lee Hooker, Bernard Besman) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B4	[02:11] John Lee Hooker - Onions (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B5	[02:12] John Lee Hooker - No One Told Me (John Lee Hooker) Blues / Rhythm n Blues

ratings by TJR