Lurrie Bell
Blues In My Soul
Delmark DE 829

One of the greatest living Chicago blues guitarists, Lurrie Bell's last two CDs have been about stretching him (successfully) to showcase the breadth as well as the magnitude of his art. However for this project he just wanted to get back to the solid foundation of Chicago-styled traditional guitar blues, done with his rare blend of reverence, involvement and individuality and framed largely by his working band. Blues In My Soul features three Lurrie Bell originals plus covers of songs recorded by Little Walter, T-Bone Walker, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Spann, Junior Wells, Big Bill Broonzy and others. Lurrie Bell, vocals, guitar: Roosevelt Purifoy, piano, organ; Melvin Smith, bass, Willie "The Touch" Hayes, drums; and on six songs Matthew Skoller, harmonica. Produced by Dick Shurman.

Studebaker John & The Maxwell Street Kings
Kingsville Jukin'
Delmark DE 830

As a teenager John Grimaldi worked in the family plumbing business that sometimes took him to Chicago's Maxwell Street open-air market. There he saw musicians playing raw, amplified blues. After seeing Hound Dog Taylor perform John knew he had to play slide guitar. Under the spell of these music experiences he started performing as Studebaker John in the `70s. Almost forty years and a dozen albums later Studebaker John is still creating new songs, (Kingsville Jukin' is over an hour of all new originals) still rockin' the blues the way they did on Maxwell Street. The band also features Rick Kreher, guitar; Bob Halaj, bass and Steve Cushing, drums. In a review of the first Maxwell Street Kings CD, That's The Way You Do (Delmark 810), Steven Jones wrote: "I've listened to a lot of Studebaker John Grimaldi's recordings over the years, and this new release may just blow the rest of them all away! His harp is greasy and hot, his slide cuts like a knife and his vocals are truly inspired." - Blues Blast Magazine.

Roscoe Mitchell Quartet
Live at "A Space" 1975
Sackville 2080

With Muhal Richard Abrams, George Lewis & Spencer Barefield. "By 1975, the Art Ensemble of Chicago was enjoying an unusual popularity. Originally an outgrowth of the Roscoe Mitchell Quartet, the group was among the few free jazz ensembles in the world to attract a significant audience. If the AEC formed a key part of Mitchell's expression, this group would permit him to emphasize the purely sonic interests apparent in his earlier work" - Stuart Broomer, from the CD liner notes. The album features AACM founder Muhal Richard Abrams on piano and newcomers (at the time) George Lewis on trombone (making his recording debut) and Detroit native Spencer Barefield on guitar. This new version of the album features over twenty minutes of additional previously unissued material including Prelude to "Naima", "Naima", "Duet With Spencer" and "Nonaah".

Art Hodes
I Remember Bessie
Delmark DE 254

The second installment of Art Hodes recordings for the Euphonic label, I Remember Bessie contains another hour of inspired piano solos from the legend that's been described as a "blues drenched jazz pianist". Hodes (1904-93) was active in the `20s so this is music played by a guy who was there when Bessie Smith was alive and recording. Hodes hung out with Louis Armstrong for years on the south side of Chicago. After Armstrong it was Bessie Smith who was the greatest influence on the music of Hodes and so on this 1976 session he pays tribute to the great blues vocalist. Tribute To The Greats (Delmark 238), the first Euphonic installment received excellent reviews including a four star review in DownBeat, and stellar comments from Gary Giddins in Jazztimes, Joe Klee in Mississippi Rag and Kevin Whitehead on Amazon.com. Contains the twelve songs from the original LP issue plus unissued tracks including "St. Louis Blues", "After You've Gone", "Cakewalkin' Babies From Home" and "Pallet On The Floor".