Buddy Guy

Ain’t Done With The Blues

RCA/Silvertone Records

Buddy Guy is undoubtedly the reigning “King of The Blues”. He began his career performing in 1953 in Baton Rouge, La. By 1957 he had relocated to Chicago. In 1965 and 1966 Guy  recorded sessions with Junior Wells for both Delmark and Vanguard Records. Guy’s solo  debut was 1967’s “Left My Blues in San Francisco” on Chess Records. In 1972 he released “Buddy Guy and Junior Wells Play The Blues” co-produced by Eric Clapton, on Atlantic  Records; that album is still regarded as one of the finest electric blues albums ever recorded. Guy holds seven Grammy awards including one for 2010’s “Living Proof”, produced by Tom Hambridge; and a 2015 Lifetime Achievement Grammy. Guy also holds thirty-eight Blues Music Awards more than any other artist. He also received Kennedy Center Honors and is an inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At eighty-one years of age Guy received an Americana Music Association Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as an instrumentalist.

Buddy Guy was born July 30th, 1936 and just turned 89 years old. This is Guy’s twentieth  studio recording and 7th produced by Tom Hambridge. Guy states “he’s the type of producer  who feels what I’m gonna do”, he continues “this album is about where I’ve been, it’s about  where I’m going, and the people I learned everything from…Muddy, Wolf, Walter, Sonny Boy,  B.B., I could go on and on. Before they passed they used to say, ‘Man, if you outlive me, just  keep the Blues alive’. I’m trying to keep that promise…I can’t kick my leg up high as I used to  or jump off the stage like I did in my youth but I’m going to give you everything I got as long  as I got it”. The eighteen new tracks were produced and recorded by a superb team under  the leadership of Hambridge and the Damn 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.

Guy opens with “Hooker Thing”, a John Lee Hooker styled boogie as he sings, “just a lone  rider, just to steal the whole night away…poppa tells mama, let that boy boogie-woogie, all night long”. Like most of the songs “Been There Done That” was written by Hambridge, and features Chuck Leavell on the Hammond B-3 organ as Guy chimes “picked a lot of cotton  before I picked up the guitar…been there done that, the stories I could tell…still I am well, been there done that, the stories I could tell”.

“Blues Chase The Blues Away” includes Rob McNelley on rhythm guitar and Kevin  McKendree on honky-tonk piano as Guy chants “the blues chase the blues away…I forget about all the things that are wrong…when your out there in the field…the blues chase the  blues away, when the woman who left you, you feel all alone, the blues chase the blues away”. “Where You At ?” features “Kingfish” Ingram as he sings about New Orleans  “Where u at ? down in Congo Square, where u at ? I’ve been looking for you”.

The lowdown “Blues On Top” is an emotive narrative as Guy cries, “Blues on top, pushing the blues down on me, I’ve been at the bottom, since I lost my baby, lord knows I miss her, can’t eat, can’t sleep, the blues on top, I’ve been at the bottom since I lost my baby, staying high and tight, I’ve been at the bottom since I lost my baby”. “I Got Sumpin’ For You” was written and first recorded by Guitar Slim in 1955, as Guy chirps “I got sumpin’ for you, I hope it makes you glad, come walk with me baby, hold me by the hand, come and talk to me baby, baby hear my plea, I got sumpin’ for you baby, you were meant for me”.

“How Blues Is That” features slide guitarist Joe Walsh as Guy groans “I’m from the backwoods way down South, tell me how Blues is that, went to Chicago, tried to get a break, stand on the corner, hole in my heart, tell me, how Blues is that”. The gospel ballad “Dry Stick” includes lead guitar from Bonamassa “Louisiana sky turns dark in a minute…you’ll never know what’s coming your way…save a dry stick for a rainy day…rain or shine who can say, save a dry stick for a rainy day”, with The Blind Boys of Alabama providing harmony.

“It Keeps Me Young” features Guy and Peter Frampton trading licks as Guy belts out “Chicago Blues, I turn it up, I never turn it down, makes me feel young again, when I’m having fun, makes  me feel like I’m 21”. “Love On A Budget” includes McKendree on piano as Guy shouts “baby,  make me understand, everytime I’m at your house, I feel like you got another man…I wonder  why you can’t love me just a little bit more…love on a budget why can’t you love me just a little  bit more”.

“Jesus Love The Sinner” is a contemporary gospel number once again featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama as Guy growls “the devil wants your soul, Jesus loves the sinner, if you trust in him, if you run into trouble, Jesus loves the sinner if you trust in him, he’ll lead you out of danger, if you trust in him”. “Upside Down World” is a horn driven topical song about the current state of the world as Guy whines “how did it get this way, upside down, it’s a shame, how did it get this way, the world is turning this way”.

“One From Lightnin'” is a short Delta based interlude “I got a gypsy woman, giving me good  advice, I got a whole lotta tricks”. “I Don’t Forget” is about the Jim Crow era, featuring Guy as he  bursts, “call me a fool, I’ve been called worse, but I don’t forget the things I’ve seen, they’re still in my head, I don’t forget, I still got scars across my memory, I don’t forget”. “Trick Bag” is a  cover of a swamp pop song from Earl King first recording by him in 1982, as Guy picks up his 1958 Stratocaster, “trouble comes at night, you walk out the door, the way you’ve been acting is such a drag, I see you been kissin’ Willie across the fence, the way you’ve been acting, you done keep me in a trick bag”.

The cajun flavored “Swamp Poker” is another song written by Hambridge this time featuring Australian bassist Tal Wilkenfeld, “whole black hole in the ground, that’s a long way down, you playing some swamp poker, crawlin’ kingsnakes, you’ve been up all night playing swamp poker I’ve been sitting round the table with my Alligator friends playing swamp poker”. “Send Me Some Loving” was first recorded by Little Richard in 1956, as Guy croons “send me some loving, can  you send me some kisses, I need you so bad, I miss you so much, my days are so lonely, my nights are so blue, I’m waiting for you, send me some lovin’ send it I pray, how can I love you when your far away”. The closer “Talk To Your Daughter” is the J.B. Lenoir classic recorded in  1966, “Mama, please talk to your daughter for me…you should talk to your daughter…she made me love her and I ain’t gonna leave her be”.

Guy doesn’t forget, “I went to sleep yesterday and woke up and all the great blues players are no longer with us…they’re all gone. we used to have a drink and talk about how when one of us was gone the others have to keep it going. Guy is doing just what was intended on “Ain’t Done With The Blues”.

Richard Ludmerer

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