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Records; Junior Wells

Records; Junior Wells image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
April
Year
1975
OCR Text

Junior Wells, On Tap, Delmark DS-635

Listen to even the most respectful and talented rockers long enough and the sound of the original blues creators tends to blur in the mind, a rarely touched-upon reference point. So it's a real pleasure to report that Junior Wells and a thoroughly demonic band have come up with the most refreshing mess of blues I've heard since...well since Junior's last Delmark release.

On Tap is teeming with fresh blues life even as it respects the ancient blues form. This is living music, not some recondite period resurrection. The youngish, raucous vocalist/harmonica player is accompanied by the band he works with every week in Chicago, augmented with a couple of extra-rhythmic horn players. Every arrangement is unusually well-thought out, and nearly every solo a gem, but particularly arresting are "Watch Me Move," a tough enough slab of funky music out of the Godfather's brimming bag, and "Train I Ride," the standard done to a magnificently evocative turn. Philip Guy, Buddy's brother, is a special surprise throughout on guitar but "Snake" Shaw's drumming will come up and bite you on the ass if you don't look out.

The well-recorded On Tap is as natural and buoyant as the head on your beer and just as good for you. Don't abstain.

Bill Adler