CD REVIEW: R.L.BURNSIDE on SWINGMASTER
Jean-Pierre Urbain
members, ... but apparently they never arrivd !! I've been abroad untill this
weekend but they've apparently not been included in Blues-L. So I'll just
send them again. If you -by chance- already received it, sorry for the
duplication.
R.L.BURNSIDE
MISSISSIPPI HILL COUNTRY BLUES
Swingmaster CD 2201
Yeah, Swingmaster finally decided to start publishing CDs !
I've more than once mentioned here on Blues-L how interesting I find all
the LPs that were published on this Dutch label in the 80's. I was thus
very pleased to see that Leo Bruin had started his Swingmaster Cd series
with R.L. Burnside. Burnside he is now -finally- known in the States thanks
to his recent Fat Possum CDs and the Arhoolie reissue of the 1967 recordings
he did for Georges Mitchell. Like it sometimes happen(s/ed), Burnside had not
to wait these albums to be recognised here in Europe, especially
and in The Netherlands where he toured almost yearly (sometimes even more)
since 1980 and has always been treated the way an artist like him had to be.
I remember seeing for Burnside for the first time at the Blues Estafette
in Utrecht in 1982 (If I remember well) and that was around the same period
that I bought his first excellent Swingmaster LP 2001 (which was followed
years later by a second excellent LP). Both LPs are out of print now and
this CD is a selection of both tracks from both albums + 3 unissued cuts.
It is really a wellcome release and constitutes some of his best solo
recodings. BTW, the others -except the Arhoolie tracks- are not easy to find.
You find nothing less than 19 songs recorded in 1980, 1982 and 1984 as well
as 3 songs from the 1967 session (not on the Arhoolie CD). The music is
superb, R.L.Burnside is here playing solo and delivers his unique blues
mixing the inlfuence of his teacher Ranie Burnette with the sound of
Fred McDowell, the highly rythmic sound of Mississippin Hill country
bluestyle, to produce a music which is totally marked by Rule's personnality!
And yes, we have great versions -maybe the best he recorded solo- of
Jumper On the Line, Miss Maybelle, Caol Black Mattie...
I might be really biased, but this is a RUN DON'T WALK album, 57 minutes
of unalduterated blues! A real pleasure especially for ALL those who don't
have the Swingmaster LPs (even if you have these, the sound is great and
there are 3 unissued cuts.. that was enough for to buy this set!). For the US
bluezellers not familiar with Swingmaster products, I just want to let you
know that these are high quality recordings, nothing in common with too
rapidly done sessions or bad quality field recodings! Leo Bruin is
anextremely knowledgeable person and a true country blues lover, you'll hear
it from the quality of this set!
Whether they will continue producing CDs will obviously depend on how
well this one sells! I know they have still unissued recordings by
Henry TOWSEND (I think that the second CD planned in this series might well
be a Townsend set containing songs from both the publihsed LP + unissues)
and enough material for a full length CD by James SON THOMAS including
unissues, as well ..... well many other things (including I hop'e Cd reissues
of J.W.Warren with maybe some unissues?). So if you want to have a chance to
hear these things you know what you have to do.
Swingmaster has a mail-order service from which you can directly obtain
these albums (they also have some Videos including a R.L.Burnside/Johnny
Woods one):
SWINGMASTER
KRUITLAAN 21
9711 TW GRONINGEN
THE NETHERLANDS
Tel/FAX: +31-50-3124020
US bluezellers might also try by calling ERWIN MUSIC in South Carolina.
Gary Erwin was distributing the Swingmaster LPs in the US (I even think that
they still have a number of these available):
Gary Erwin / Erwin Music
52 1/2 Wentworth Street
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
Tel 803-722 3263 Fax 803-762 9124
Jean-Pierre "Young Man" Urbain
P.S. Not related/affiliation or whatever ...
just a Burnside/Swingmaster addict.
Jos Potting
>I remember seeing for Burnside for the first time at the Blues Estafette
>in Utrecht in 1982 (If I remember well) and that was around the same period
>that I bought his first excellent Swingmaster LP 2001 (which was followed
>years later by a second excellent LP)
I'm a regular visitor of the Blues Estafette for about 8 years. And
only the last two marathons I was clever enough of collecting the
programms.
Do you happen to know a way to discover the line-ups of the foregoing
Estafettes? (And are there any savings of concerts on it?)
By the way, thanks for your enthusiastic words on Burnside and
Swingmaster. I didn't know Burnside but since you mentioned him I
recognize the name more often. Could you tell me if he's a country
blues singer? Maybe I'll buy it; another good reason for buying is to
stimulate Swingmaster to go on and on...
Jos