Original Folk Blues of John Lee Hooker

by John Lee Hooker

Overview

This interesting release re-creates the look and contents of the 1964 Kent Records LP called Original Folk Blues of John Lee Hooker right down to the original sleeve art, and ups the ante by including a previously unreleased version of "Let Your Daddy Ride" as well as six other additional bonus tracks. Most of these cuts were recorded with Bernie Besman in Detroit in fascinatingly primitive fashion between 1948 and 1954, and were then shipped to the Bihari Brothers' Modern Records imprint for release as singles. Included here are Hooker's first versions of "Boogie Chillen'," "Crawlin' King Snake," and "Sally Mae," each of which is classic Hooker, as rough and raw as a Delta wind blowing shards of glass up the Detroit River. There are some odd experiments, too, like the spooky "Cold Chills," which features an absolutely huge-sounding organ played by Buddy Johnson and some eerie, multi-tracked vocals from Hooker, with the whole recording sounding like it was tracked in a massive cavern deep in the earth with a bank of thick fog rolling over everything. These Modern releases have appeared time and time again on various Hooker collections, but there is the feel of something special about this particular package. It's all ragged and delightfully unhinged, which is the only way to go with John Lee Hooker. ~ Steve Leggett

Product Details

Release Date:	09/03/2002
Label:	Ace
UPC:	0029667153027
Rank:	83502

Tracks

1. Boogie Chillen'
2. Queen Bee
3. Crawlin' King Snake
4. Weeping Willow Boogie
5. Whistlin' and Moanin' Blues
6. Sally Mae
7. I Need Love So Bad
8. Let's Talk It Over
9. The Syndicator
10. Let Your Daddy Ride
11. Drifting from Door to Door
12. Baby I'm Gonna Miss You
13. Cold Chills
14. Cool Little Car
15. I Wonder Little Darling
16. Jump Me One More Time
17. Lookin' for a Woman
18. Ride 'Til I Die

Album Credits

Performance Credits

John Lee Hooker   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Boogie Woogie Red   Piano
Bob Thurman   Piano
Thomas Whitehead   Drums
John Hooks   Sax (Tenor)
Eddie Kirkland   Guitar,Vocals
Otis Finch   Sax (Tenor)
Buddy Johnson   Organ

Technical Credits

Bernard Besman   Composer
Bill Lazerus   Engineer
Sonny Boy Williamson I   Composer
Sam Phillips   Composer
Ted Carroll   Archive Research
Mike Akopoff   Liner Notes
Joe Josea   Composer
Clifton Chenier   Composer
Jules Taub   Composer
Percy Mayfield   Composer
Bob Jones   Post Production
Walter Davis   Composer
John Lee Hooker   Composer