Thursday, March 13, 2014

WORKAHOLIC

Just a quick one here. I heard Willie Dixon's "29 Ways" on a Chess Records blues compilation today (bought used, as a stray from a broken up boxed set, thank you very much) and, to be honest, Chess was so deep in classic Chicago blues that I'm not going to even step near that rabbit hole. But Dixon was special, you name 'em, he worked with 'em: Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Otis Rush, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Joe Louis Walker, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Koko Taylor, Little Milton, Lowell Fulson, Memphis Slim, Washboard Sam, Jimmy Rogers, and many, many more. He was a singer, songwriter, arragnger, producer, and session player who was one of the most prolific blues musicians of his era. In fact, you'd be hard pressed to name a more prolific blues man in any era. I had to share "29 Days" because I dig the drums and the pace of it, and just for good measure, there's "Insane Asylum", a duet with Koko Taylor, because, despite hearing it a thousand times, I still get goosebumps when Taylor comes it.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:
Willie Dixon - 29 Ways mp3 at Drew's Blues
Wille Dixon and Koko Taylor - Insane Asylum mp3 at Beware of the Blog
A few covers:
Howlin' Wolf - Wang Dang Doodle mp3 at Burning Hand
Koko Taylor - Wang Dang Doodle mp3 at Clumsy & Shy
Etta James - I Just Want to Make Love to You mp3 at 8106
Muddy Waters - You Shook Me mp3 at Harmony Talk

Visit:
Willie Dixon at Wikipedia
Big high resolution version of above photo

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