Buddy Guy ‘Aint Done With The Blues’
Buddy Guy
Ain’t Done With The Blues
After announcing his retirement from the road at 87 years old no one would have expected Buddy Guy to release new music, but as the title implies, he “Ain’t Done With The Blues.” The legendary guitarist sounds as strong as ever on a set of equally strong new material that speaks to the power of Blues music: still driving him at 89 years young. The 18 new tracks were produced and recorded by a superb team under the leadership of Tom Hambridge and the Damm Right Blues Band, along with a slew of special guests including Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh, Joe Bonamassa, Christone “Kingfish “ Ingram, and the Blind Boys of Alabama who assist Buddy on his continuing mission to “keep the blues alive.” One could talk for hours about all of buddy’s achievements and acolades, but he lives in the here and now, let us then talk about the music.
The first of two acoustic vignettes, “Hooker Thing,” opens the set as a musical interview with Buddy revealing that a John Lee Hooker styled boogie is one of the first things he learned to play. The narrative continues with “Been There Done That,” one of a dozen songs written by Hambridge that speaks to where Buddy has been and where he’s going: the blazing track features his signature Stratocaster howl and some greasy Hammond B3 from Chuck Leavell. Nashville studio aces Rob McNelley and Kevin McKendree handle the rhythm guitar and honky tonk piano on the inspirational Chicago shuffle “Blues Chase The Blues Away.” Kingfish joins Buddy for the fresh and funky tour around the crescent city “Where U At?” name checking some of NOLA’s famous locales. The classic twelve bar “Blues On Top,” finds Buddy working his renowned emotional range as an evocative story teller. The crew has a ball on the revival of Guitar Slim’s jump blues “I Got Sumpin’ For You,” from 1955 celebrating one of Buddy’s early influences. Joe Walsh rips slide guitar and trades barbs with Buddy during the bump and grinder “How Blues Is That.” Buddy offer sage advice on the majestic ballad “Dry Stick,” with his words of wisdom echoed by sweet lead guitar from Joe Bonamassa. Peter Frampton and Buddy toured together during Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus Tour of 2014; the pair are reunited here to testify to the benefits playing the blues on the rousing shuffle “It Keeps Me Young.” Buddy pleads his case on the piano driven Blues “Love On A Budget,” and the Blind Boys of Alabama join him for the contemporary Gospel number “Jesus Love The Sinner,” bridging the gap between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Buddy, never one to mince his words, speaks his mind on the state of the world during the horn driven “Upside Down.” He then gives us a sweet taste of the delta on acoustic sample number two “One From Lightnin’,” before unleashing powerful testimony to the ills of growing up in Jim Crow era America on the stirring “I Don’t Forget.” Earl King’s swamp pop prototype “Trick Bag,” and its’ herkie jerky rhythm is handled with dexterity and features the sublime tone of Buddy’s 1958 Strat. Australian Bass phenom Tal Wilkenfeld sits in on the Cajun flavored “Swamp Poker,” written by Hambridge about the infamous Louisianna card game. Buddy shows off why he is in both the Rock N Roll and Blues Hall Fame as he deftly handles the vocals of the soaring “Send Me Some Lovin’,” a song is known for its blend of rhythm and blues and early rock and roll, first recorded by fellow Louisianan Little Richard in 1956. The album closes with an acoustic run down of the J.B Lenoir standard “Talk To Your Daughter,” paying tribute to another Delta Blues man who made his mark on the Chicago Blues scene and left an indelible imprint for the next generation to follow, just as Buddy Guy is doing today.
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