➊ Jumping (INSTRUMENTAL BLUES JAM) (6:33) (Admin. Delmark Records)
➋ Kansas City (4:23) (Leiber & Stoller) (Sony/ATV Songs LLC, BMI)
➌ Tried To Work Something Out (5:14) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➍ What We Were Talking About (6:03) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➎ Let’s See if We Can Come Together (4:48) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➏ Snow (6:27) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➐ Willie Buck Talking (1:04) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➑ Rock Me (6:23) (McKinley Morganfield) (Arc Music, BMI)
➒ Walking and Swimming (5:20) (William Crawford) (BMI)
➓ Mannish Boy / Hoochie Coochie Man (6:30) (Willie Dixon) (Hoochie Coochie Music, BMI)
Willie Buck: vocals
Scott Dirks: harmonica
Thaddeus Krolicki: guitar
Billy Flynn: guitar
Johnny Iguana: piano
Melvin Smith: bass
Willie “The Touch” Hayes: drums
IN MEMORIAM • WILLIE “THE TOUCH” HAYES • 1950-2023 THIS IS WAS THE LAST RECORDING IN THE AMAZING CAREER OF THE GREAT WILLIE HAYES
RECORDED LIVE BY Connor Korte AT Buddy Guy’s Legends, Sunday August 28, 2023.
EXECUTIVE PRODUCTION & SUPERVISION BY Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari
MIXED BY Julia A. Miller AND Elbio Barilari MASTERED BY Julia A. Miller AT Delmark Records
PRODUCED BY Elbio Barilari
PHOTOS BY Peter Hurley GRAPHIC DESIGN BY Al Brandtner, Brandtner Design
Street Date: August 30, 2024
The DELMARK ALL-STARS is a band that showcases a legion of Chicago blues instrumentalists that have been present for years in the label’s catalogue. Some of the most talented guitarists, harmonicists, bassists, keyboardists and drummers, take turns performing with this emblematic ensemble. This album features an experienced and illustrious team among Delmark’s stars, perfectly adapted to play the “old school” blues that Willie loves so much.
“LIVE AT BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS” IS WILLIE BUCK’S FOURTH ALBUM ON DELMARK, and the label wanted to present something very special. It was agreed to be a live recording, the situation in which WILLIE BUCK feels most comfortable, on stage, with a great band and surrounded by his fans. It was also agreed the recording was going to take place at Buddy Guy’s “Legends”, ground zero for the blues in Chicago, the world capital of this genre.
For such an occasion, Willie and the label assembled the most suitable band for an “old style” blues session. Willie Buck is one of the last “story tellers” in the blues scene, within a tradition that goes back to Muddy Waters and even to the pre-WWII era bluesmen, as far and early as Big Bill Broonzy and other pioneers of the urban blues Chicago tradition.
THE DELMARK ALL-STARS are an outfit which showcases a legion of Chicago blues instrumentalists who have been present for years in the label’s catalogue. Some of the most talented guitarists, harp players, bassists, keyboardists and drummers take turns playing with this emblematic ensemble.
The label appealed to an experienced and illustrious team amongst Delmark’s stars, perfectly adapted to play the “old school” blues that Willie loves so much. Also, Willie brought his right-hand man of many years, guitarist THADDEUS KROLICKI, who studied with Dave Specter and has played with many prominent Chicago blues artists, such as Eddie Taylor Jr, Barrelhouse Chuck, James Wheeler, Lil’ Ed Williams, Eddie C. Campbell, and Tail Dragger. Among his influences Thaddeus includes Louis Myers, Jimmy Rogers, Robert Lockwood, Otis “Big Smokey” Smothers, Left Hand Frank and Sammy Lawhorn.
BILLY FLYNN: Since the 70’s, when he started performing with Jimmy Dawkins, Sunnyland Slim, Mighty Joe Young, and Luther Allison, Billy has become one of the most sought-after blues guitar players. The list of blues celebrities hiring Billy includes Pinetop Perkins, Kim Wilson, Otis Rush, John Primer, Barrelhouse Chuck, Jimmy Burns, Lurrie Bell, Jody Williams, Billy Boy Arnold, Bob Stroger, Johnny Burgin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Mississippi Heat, The Cash Box Kings, and of course, the Delmark All-Stars.
SCOTT DIRKS: A front row seat at a Muddy Waters performance in the mid 1970’s sent teenage Scott Dirks down the musical path he is still following today. Picking up the harmonica soon afterwards, he began collecting blues records, with a special interest in the many local blues Chicago artists who were still active on the local scene. As a harmonica player, he sought out and played with many musicians who had been associated with blues harp icon Little Walter and learned important lessons playing with post-war blues pioneers Dave and Louis Myers, Jimmy Rogers, Johnny Littlejohn, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Louisiana Red, Jody Williams, and countless others. Dirks has been involved in music production, working with Lurrie Bell, Carey Bell, Jimmy Burns, Willie Buck, and Jimmie Lee Robinson among others. He co-produced the Grammy Award winning box “Little Walter-The Complete Recordings 1950 -1967”, and also co-authored the award-winning book “Blues With A Feeling – The Little Walter Story”. Dirks lives in Chicago, where he has fronted his own band, Chicago Bound, for over 30 years.
JOHNNY IGUANA was Junior Wells’ pianist of choice. When he was 22 he moved from his hometown of Boston to Chicago, to join Junior’s band. He was also part of the band for Willie Buck’s previous album on Delmark, the best-selling “Willie Buck Way”. Among many other accomplishments, Johnny toured with the Junior Wells Band for three years, also toured with Otis Rush and recorded with Carey and Lurrie Bell, Lil’ Ed, and more. Johnny went on to play on Grammy-nominated albums by Junior Wells, “Chicago Blues History” and the “Muddy Waters 100 Band”, and he played all the piano on the “Chicago Plays the Stones” album (2018). Those releases feature Johnny playing with Buddy Guy, James Cotton, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Derek Trucks, Gary Clark Jr., Johnny Winter, Shemekia Copeland, and more. After appearing on dozens of blues albums released by other artists, Johnny released his debut blues album as a leader, on Delmark Records. “Johnny Iguana’s Chicago Spectacular” which features Lil’ Ed, John Primer, Billy Boy Arnold, Bob Margolin, Matthew Skoller, Billy Flynn, Kenny Smith, Bill Dickens, and Michael Caskey. He also recorded for Delmark a full solo piano album on a luxurious reel-to-reel all analogue format, to be released in 2024!
MELVIN SMITH: bass player extraordinaire – his career includes long periods of working with Koko Taylor, as well as Lurrie Bell, Billy Branch, Deitra Farr, Lefty Dizz, Zora Young, John Primer, and more. He is on several Delmark albums, some of them with one of his favorite drummers, the late Willie Hayes. “For an outstanding example of just how well Smith and ‘The Touch’ work together, slide Lurrie Bell’s critically-acclaimed 2013 disc – ‘Blues In My Soul’ (Delmark Records) – into the CD player. That’s old school Chicago blues at its finest”, wrote Terry Mullins in “Bluesblast”.
WILLIE “THE TOUCH” HAYES, who sadly passed away November 5th 2023, was one of the greatest drummers in blues history. “Live At Legend’s” is the last session Willie ever recorded. When he was 14 he was already on the road with Mighty Joe Young and with Koko Taylor. At 16 he became Magic Sam’s drummer. When he was 18 he joined Jimmy Johnson. His legendary nickname, “The Touch”, was given to him by Luther Allison. He performed blues, jazz, funk and R&B, and also played with Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows, Son Seals, Lurrie Bell, Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, The Temptations, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and Ike and Tina Turner. As an actor, Willie Hayes appeared in movies such as “Thief,” “Ali,” “Hardball” and “Road to Perdition.” While selecting the band members for this live album, Willie “The Touch” Hayes was the obvious choice.
THE ONE AND ONLY WILLIE BUCK
WILLIE BUCK was born Willian Crawford, 1937, in the small town of Houston, Mississippi. The closest “big” town was Tupelo, around 40 miles away. His father was a minister, as were many of his uncles and as is his son. Willie’s grandmother was Native American. Several of the family members played guitar, including Willie’s two sisters. “My grand-mother also had a wind-up phonograph at home. We used to have records by Big Boy Crudup, I remember one record he made, ‘I Love Your Mellow Peaches’, I used to play that all the time”, says Willie.
“Willie’s legendary life includes working on a paper mill for $5 an hour and singing around town in the evenings. During his youth he was a popular figure in what it was called the “Chitlin Circuit”, performing all across the South.
Willie’s earliest live blues experience happened when B.B. King arrived in town to play at Sally’s Juke Joint.
“I was too young to get inside the door, but I sat outside and listened. I never will forget, the last time he came to my hometown. Some of the guys, they got a little jealous, and cut his tires. He never did come back no more!”, Willie reminisces.
He also heard B.B. King broadcasting from Memphis on WDIA: “I used to listen to him on that station, he’d come on around 12:00, 12:15 in the afternoon, advertising Pepticon. He would sing that, ‘Pepticon sure is good!’”
Like many of his peers, he migrated to Chicago, in 1953, becoming one of the usual entertainers at the mythological “Maxwell Street” scene. “My brother-in-law was real good friends with Muddy and this guy that used to run the radio station, WOPA, I believe it was, Big Bill Hill. He was on the air five days a week. And by my brother-in-law being such good friends with everyone, they used to let me in the clubs, at least until the owner saw me and kicked me out! We used to see Muddy down at 35th and Indiana, Smitty’s Corner. And on 43rd Street, I was to sing with him, it was called Johnny Pepper’s. Also at Sylvio’s. He used to play in there a lot.”
Though many blues lovers have enjoyed Willie exclusively as a vocalist, it would be interesting to learn that Willie also played bass until he broke his wrist in 1964. Among others, he played bass with Magic Sam. Around 1970 Willie started putting together his own bands. “I used to hire Fred Below on drums, we’d go pick him up. Odie Payne played drums with me too. Odie Payne played on ‘Disco Blues’”.
He also had Louis Myers, Eddie Taylor, Sammy Lawhorn, Byther Smith, pianist Johnny “Big Moose” Walker, harp player Big Leon Brooks, and other Chicago “old-timers”. Willie has played with everybody and he knows everybody. When Willie and his band are joined on stage by Buddy Guy, at “Legends”, which happens frequently, Buddy likes to tell the audience how “When I started playing in Chicago, Willie was one of the guys that was already here”. Muddy Waters, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Sammy Lawhorn, Bobby Blue Bland, “Pine Top” Perkins, Howlin’ Wolf, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, Bob Margolin, “Moose” Walker, the Myers brothers, you name them, Willie has been on stage with all of them.
In the 80’s Willie owned a club for four years. It was located at 1249 N. Clybourn, the “New Fun Lounge” where he used to present Big Time Sarah, Melvin Taylor and Junior Wells, among others.
During the 80’s, Willie also owned also an auto shop, “C & T Towing & Auto Service”. The traditional pinup calendar issued by Willie’s company would also promote the bands, including Willie, of course, and artists such as Big “Moose” Walker, Louis Myers, Odie Payne Jr. and “Dimestore” Fred. “I worked with the Myers brothers (Dave and Louis) for a long time. They were called ‘The Aces’. We were always respectful of each other when we got together. Matter of fact, they played with me until they wasn’t able to play anymore. We had some great times together. Me and them and Junior Wells used to play at a place called the Auxiliary Club, a great big place on 37th and Indiana. We played there every Friday and Saturday night for I don’t know how long.”
His loyalty to the “old-school” blues has paid-off: in 2004 Willie Buck was inducted to the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.
Willie’s discography on Delmark includes:
“THE LIFE I LOVE”, originally recorded in 1985 with a cracking band including the Myers brothers, Louis on guitar and Dave on bass, John Primer also on guitar, Little Mac Simmons on harmonica and “Big Moose” Walker on keyboards.
“CELL PHONE MAN”, featuring Johnny Burgin (known at the time as Rockin’ Johnny) and Muddy Waters’ guitar player Rick Kreher.
“WILLIE BUCK WAY”, with Thaddeus Krolicki, Billy Flynn, Johnny Iguana, and Scott Dirks, all present also on Willie’s new album, “LIVE AT LEGEND’S”.
– ELBIO BARILARI • DELMARK ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Living Blues #292 Top 10 Reviews
WILLIE BUCK AND THE DELMARK ALL-STARS
Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark Records – Delmark 882
B.B. King came to Willie Buck’s little town, Houston, Mississippi, before Buck was able to get into juke joints, so he sat outside and listened to the King. What he heard that day set him on a blues journey, and he’s performed with everybody, including Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Pinetop Perkins, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and Buddy Guy, among many others. This live album, from Buddy Guy’s Legends, captures Willie Buck at his best, and it features an all-star lineup of musicians playing behind him. The Delmark All-Stars include Scott Dirks on harmonica, Thaddeus Krolicki and Billy Flynn on guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano, Melvin Smith on bass, and the late Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums.
The album opens with a stirring jump blues instrumental, Jumping, by the All-Stars that gives every musician a chance to stretch out and show their stuff. Rolling blues piano and trilling harmonica lay the groundwork for Buck’s soaring version of the classic Kansas City. Stride blues meets crunchy Memphis soul on Crawford’s original What We Were Talking About, while Buck and the band deliver a slow-burning 12-bar blues on Let’s See if We Can Come Together. Buck and company turn in a down-to-the-bones, harmonica-drenched version of Muddy Waters’ Rock Me. Guitars and harmonica play call-and-response on the slowly unfurling stomping, haunting blues of Walking and Swimming. The album closes with the crowd-pleaser Hoochie Coochie Man, and Buck’s version gets down and gritty as any other version of the classic blues song.
Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends celebrates one of blues’ great singers, Willie Buck, with this all-star band giving him room to let his voice growl and soar.
—Henry L. Carrigan Jr.
BLUES MUSIC MAGAZINE Fall 2024
On a late-August night (2023) inside Buddy Guy’s Legends, Willie Buck is keeping the flame burning. The singer has been doing just that over the course of his career, ever since becoming hooked on what he heard and witnessed upon making the migratory trek from Mississippi to Chicago in 1953. That’s when the blues had also made the move to the country to the city, plugged in, cranked up, and turned heads. It was once the sound of the brash, radical future. Old-school – that classic sound nowadays – is what Buck defends on a nightly basis.
The open-air blues bazaar along Maxwell Street – the wild frontier – is where he often first gravitated in the 1950’s. Those days rubbed off. His now 80-some-year-old voice rumbles and sails down the mid-to-slower tempos chunked and churned out from his six piece Delmark All-Stars, ensemble-style. No showy indulgence, no prolonged peacocking. Get your licks in and then get out. Just like how Floyd Jones and Johnny Young used to run their outfits.
Sharing the wealth of “What We Were Talking About,” the bottlenecked “Let’s See If We Can Come Together,” and the slow drag through “Snow: – three of six originals – are familiar faces like guitarist Billy Flynn and pianist Johnny Iguana. Plus, that is Scott Dirks sucking air through his harmonica. Even the band-only instrumental warm-up, “Jumping,” sports a wicked South Side gallop fit for faithful hardliners.
But when the young Buck’s tastes moved indoors – and into such hallowed ground as Smitty’s Corner and Pepper’s Lounge – that’s when allegiance got pledged to his main man. Buck, to say the least, is a Muddyphile. Always has been, always will be. That fact is also reflected on this hour-long set. So, in keeping with his three prior albums on Delmark, a bit of Waters’ material arises. Like his idol, Buck is on the prowl for nightlong satisfaction as flickering guitars, chattering piano, and a slurping harp pull together into the concerted heaves required of “Rock Me.”
His own “Walking and Swimming” fits into the “Catfish Blues” (aka “Rolliin’ Stone”) lineage with its carnal desires sloshing back and forth inside the band’s gentle but deep swells. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” a universal crowd-please, closes out the throwback – or, glory days, through Buck’s veteran eyes – evening on South Wabash Avenue. – DENNIS ROZANSKI
BIG CITY RHYTHM & BLUES
October/November 2024
Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends Delmark Records
In 2023 the legendary blues singer-songwriter Willie Buck decided to release an album that would feature him in his natural habitat. The folks at Delmark Records helped make this a special night, featuring some of Chicago’s top blues talent.
Buck (real name William Crawford) has been in the blues biz since the early ‘50s and ran in the same circles as greats like Muddy Waters, Junior Wells and Buddy Guy himself. He has historically been an artist that has kept up with cultural trends, not opposed to integrating modern sounds into a traditional blues landscape.
But for this record, Buck pays homage to the Chicago-styled sounds that, not only helped foster his career, but the careers of many of his musical compadres. Some of those folks include his core band on this date, including Scott Dirks on harmonica, Thaddeus Krolicki on guitar, Billy Flynn on guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano, Melvin Smith on bass and Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums. In fact, this recording is significant because it is the final recorded performance, in an illustrious and storied career, by the late Hayes.
Many of the 10 songs present here are Buck originals, with choice standards by Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Lieber and Stoller sprinkled throughout. “Jumping” kicks the set off, with a Buck original that sets the tone for the night. It’s a straight-ahead shuffle, with a jump blues component, but raw and laid back at the same time. That’s followed by the classic “Kansas City,” which Buck has probably done many times in his career. The loose, yet tight ensemble backing makes this track an exciting travelogue. Another Buck original, “Tried to Work Something Out” features smooth interplay from the guitarists and an easy mid-tempo shuffle. “What We Were Talking About” keeps that loose feel going in a strident manner. “Let’s See If We Can Come Together” finds Hayes seemingly playing a little behind the beat, which gives this tune a somewhat languid cadence. Stellar slide guitar and harmonica on top really drive a stark Muddy Waters-type aesthetic home. Another Buck nugget called “Snow” is more of an ensemble thing as the band seems to gel together in kind. At this juncture in the performance Buck takes a moment to address the crowd and talks a bit about his history in the music biz. He mentions his autobiography that he was working on at the time. That sounds like that will be an intriguing and engaging read. He and the band pick up the pace, with the perennial “Rock Me.” This is one of the strongest tracks on the album, with a fiery vocal from Buck and some great solos all around. “Walking and Swimming” is another Buck tune where he sings about being captivated by the sight of a woman. It is almost trance-like in the manner in which the rhythms slowly burn as Buck spins his tale. The festivities conclude, with the Willie Dixon standard “Hoochie Coochie Man.” Not only does Buck do it justice, but it is obviously a tribute to one of his contemporaries and heroes, Mr. McKinley “Muddy Waters” Morganfield.
Willie Buck is truly a national treasure and one of the living legends of traditional and modern blues still doing it, with fervor and passion.—Eric Harabadian
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BLUES BLAST MAGAZINE
Posted onOctober 14, 2024 by Steve Jones
Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends | Album Review
Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark Records 10 tracks
Born in 1937 in Houston, Mississippi, Willie Crawford was the son of a minister and loved to listen to music on his family’s wind up Victrola. He heard BB King play at Sally’s Juke Joint. Too young to go in, he sat outside and listened. He also sang around the clubs locally near his home. In 1953 he left for Chicago and became Willie Buck and was a regular on Maxwell Street. He played and sang with all the big names. He was a bass player along with singing until he broke his wrist in 1964. He owned his own club for 4 years and then owned a towing and auto service. His diligence paid off and he was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame in 2004. This is his fourth Delmark album.
The Delmark All Stars are Thaddeus Krolicki and Billy Flynn on guitar, Scott Dirks on harp, Johnny Iguana on piano, Melvin Smith on bass and Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums. Hayes passed away after this recording; this was the last session recorded with Willie. Six of the tracks are Willie’s, one is a jam and the remaining three are Chicago blues classics.
The album opens with the band jamming on an instrumental entitled “Jumping” before Willie comes on the stage. Willie them breaks into the classic “Kansas City” before laying into five of his own tunes.
“Tried To Work Something Out” begins his original cuts, a cool straight blues with some pretty guitar and piano work. Willie gives it his all here and then lets the harp take us home. ”What We Were Taking About” follows and Willie does another fine job as do the guitar soloists.
“Let’s See If We Can Come Together” is next, a gritty, slow blues that gets down and dirty. Guitar, harp and piano add to the grit and grime. Up next is “Snow,” a traditional blues cut with Willie howling out the lead in another slow and delightful cut. Greasy harp and backing by the guitars and piano add well to the mix.
Willie then talks to the crowd before going into Muddy Water’s “Rock Me.” The band works hard in support. Willie then does his song “Walking And Swimming,” another slow and classic sounding tune. He concludes with “Hoochie Coochie Man” which is right up his alley. He delights in the Muddy Waters cut and he and the band again give it their all.
It’s fun to hear one of Chicago’s elder statesmen out and about plying his craft ad working the crowd at Buddy’s club. Willie Buck is joined by Thaddeus Krolicki, his right-hand man, and an all-star band doing what he does best- singing the blues!
BACK TO THE ROOTS (Belgium)
Willie Buck and The Delmark All-Stars Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends Delmark 882
Singer Willie Buck (87) has been turning heads on the blues club scene in both the South and West Side of Chicago since the early 1950s. During the 1970s, he released several singles on his own and, in ’82, the barely distributed LP “It’s Alright” on Bar-Bare. That received a second life in 2010, supplemented by five live recordings on the Delmark CD “The Life I Love.
This fourth on Delmark is the representation of a live night at Chicago’s fanciest blues club. Before that, William Crawford – Buck’s true name – penned six fresh pieces, many of them clearly inspired by the electric blues shuffles of the 1950s. Buck’s voice, meanwhile, shows signs of wear and tear, but the Delmark All-Stars cushion that blow. Scott Dirks (hca) solos dominantly on the opener ‘Jumping,’ Johnny Iguana strums on the 88 keys in the shuffle ‘Tried To Work Something Out’ and the partly borrowed from ‘Catfish Blues’ (Robert Petway) ‘Walking And Swimming.’
Also three classics: ‘Kansas City’, ‘Rock Me’ and ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’. Not the most creative and original choice of covers, but part of Buck’s live repertoire for decades. – RIEN WISSE
BLUES & RHYTHM (UK) #387, Dec 2024/Jan 2025
WILLIE BUCK AND THE DELMARK ALL-STARS: Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark 882 (52:45) CD/ LP/ Digital
Jumping/ Kansas City/Tried To Work Something Out/ What We Were Talking About/ Let’s See If We Can Come Together/ Snow/ Willie Buck Talking/ Rock Me/ Walking And Swimming/ Hoochie Coochie Man
This is Willie Buck’s fourth album for Delmark and his first live set, recorded in August 2023 (when Willie was 86), and it’s good, no-nonsense old-school Chicago blues from start to finish. In other words, Delmark does it again…
Singer Willie (Crawford, from Houston, Mississippi) brings along his regular guitar player, Thaddeus Krolicki, and teams up with some musicians who also recorded with him on his previous set, 2019’s “Willie Buck Way”: Scott Dirks on harmonica, the great guitarist Billy Flynn, and Johnny Iguana, outstanding on piano. The rhythm section comprises Melvin Smith on bass and the late, somewhat legendary drummer (and occasional movie star), Willie “The Touch” Hayes – this was his last recording.
The All-Stars and Thaddeus set out their stall well on the opener, a fine old-fashioned swinging blues with echoes of Little Walter in the 50s for everyone to get their chops warmed up. Scott then puts down his harp and introduces Mr Willie Buck, Johnny Iguana leading on the piano on a down-home sounding ‘Kansas City’. It made me realise I’ve not heard new blues like this for quite a while…
The set continues in this vein – ‘Tried To Work Something Out’ is another fine blues with a 50s sound, hints of Jimmy Rogers and maybe The Aces, with the band extremely fine exponents of this now almost lost sound. ‘Let’s See’ leans more towards vintage Muddy Waters – excellent vocal, perfect slide guitar, strong chromatic harmonica, Iguana Spann-like, a perfect, tightly-controlled rhythm section, and less than five minutes running time. Then ‘Snow’ does it again, though it runs a minute or so longer and Scott downsizes his harp – maybe more late 50s/ early 60s Muddy styled. At the end, Scott mentions Willie’s “direct connection to Muddy Waters”, and Willie speaks a little about the book he’s writing about his life “out here in this blues field, from 1953 up until now”. It should be worth a read!
Willie Hayes’ drumming on ‘Rock Me’ has a lovely fluidity not often encountered these days. Muddy is the inspiration for ‘Walking And Swimming’ (a very fine ‘Rollin’ Stone’/ ‘Catfish Blues’ variant) and of course the closing ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’ – the only number where Willie doesn’t quite match up to Muddy singing-wise (though he’s still better than many). It’s a minor criticism for a set I definitely recommend to all the blues lovers in the house.
Norman Darwen
Willie Buck And The Delmark All-Stars Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends
July 21, 2024
Willie Buck And The Delmark All-Stars
Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark Records
William Crawford a.k.a. Willie Buck was born in Houston, Mississippi. Buck relocated to Chicago in 1953. Though just a teenager an older relative snuck him in to see Muddy Waters when Muddy was still in his prime. The sound of that classic band had such an impact on Buck that he still performs in the style he heard that day. In fact, Buck is considered the standard bearer of the old school Blues.
Buck’s self-produced debut “It’s Alright” was released in 1982. The band at the time included the Meyers Brothers, bassist Dave Meyers, and his brother lead guitarist Lewis Meyers, and a young rhythm guitarist by the name of John Primer. That album was later re-released as “The Life I Love” on Delmark in 2010, with five additional live tracks recorded at Robert’s 500 Room on Chicago’s 63rd St. The following year Buck released the import album “Songs For Muddy, The Madrid Session” with Venezuelan guitarist Jose Luis Pardo and harp player Quique Gomez. In 2012 Buck released Delmark’s “Cell Phone Man” and it received accolades “his vocals are sinewy and expressive and he demonstrates a powerful upper range”.
Buck has also been featured in the 2011 comic strip “The Secret History of Chicago Music” by the illustrator Steve Krakow a.k.a. Pastic Crimewave”. There is also a Chicago Street “Willie Buck Way” named in his honor. The band on his 2019 album “Honorary Blues Legend Willie Buck Way” also included lead guitarist Billy Flynn (also with The Cash Box Kings), 2nd guitarist Thaddeus Krolicki, pianist Johnny “Fingers” Iguana (also played with Junior Wells) and harp ace Scott Dirks.
The new album kicks off with an instrumental blues jam with Dirks, harmonica; Billy Flynn lead guitar; Thaddeus Krolicki 2nd guitar; Johnny Iguana, piano; and Melvin Smith, bass. This was also the last recording from the late drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes.
“Kansas City” is the classic written by Leiber and Stoller as Buck is introduced to the audience. It was recorded live by Connor Korte, “goin’ to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come, they got some crazy looking women there and I’m gonna’ get me one”. The album is mixed by Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari, and mastered by Miller. On “What We Were Talking About” Buck sings “I wonder what we were talking about, what did I do that made you mad…what can I do to make it right”. “Let’s See If We Can Come Together” is a lowdown blues with Dirks’ on harp.
On “Snow”, Buck sings “when I got home I looked out my window and all I could see was a lot of snow”, with solos from Dirks, Flynn, and Iguana. “Willie Buck Talking” is another short introduction and narrative from Buck. “Rock Me” is the Muddy Waters’ classic “I want you to rock me, all night long”. “Walking And Swimming”, “when I see a pretty woman I will do anything to get next to her”. The closer is Willie Dixon’s classic “Hoochie Coochie Man”, “when I was a young boy at the age of five…now I’m a man, age 21, I’m a man, a mannish boy, a hoochie coochie man”.
This ensemble referred to as “The Delmark All-Stars” shines throughout this new recording. Hopefully Willie Buck will receive the additional recognition that he deserves.
Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene
https://www.makingascene.org/willie-buck-and-the-delmark-all-stars-live-at-buddy-guys-legends
Willie Buck “Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends”
Willie Buck – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
For aficionados of the blues, the set opens with a hot instrumental so listeners can settle in before the heavy machinery comes. So, “Jumping” sets the mood. Pour the beers & whiskies, get the basket of hot wings & listen. The piano & subterranean bass lay down the cement as the guitar is spread out like water to help make it finish. It is quite captivating & satisfying.
Recorded in Chicago, on August 28, 2023, the 17-track old school blues collection documented on Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends (Drops Aug 30/52:00) is Willie’s 4th Delmark LP. It features the Delmark All-Stars — Scott Dirks, Thaddeus Krolicki, Billy Flynn, Johnny Iguana, Melvin Smith & the late drummer Willie Hayes.
Born William Crawford in Houston, Mississippi he moved to Chicago in 1953 & is now one of the elder statesmen of the “storyteller” bluesmen of the Muddy Waters era. Elbio Barilari produced this live LP.
Among some originals are standard blues like the Leiber-Stoller 1959 hit “Kansas City” by North Carolina’s Wilbert Harrison. Willie lays down a warm rocking nostalgic vocal.
The set was recorded last year & retains the emblematic sound of the 50s. The atmospheric value can be heard in the recording & each instrument is captured quite well. Even as Mr. Hayes hits the cymbals they don’t blur the guitar, piano, or bass work that steams ahead with gusto. These blues are not drawn out in any melancholy turn as much as a rocking style. The instrumentation is bright & the piano work is exceptional.
Willie can whip up a gut-wrenching blues when needed. His tonality while not as gruff & raw as Howlin’ Wolf has the necessary authority the way B.B. King would accentuate his blues. “What We Were Talking About” & “Rock Me” both have these elements if not a cross between 1945’s Lionel Hampton’s “Hamp’s Blues,” & the later cross-pollination of blues melodies laid down by Chuck Berry in a more rock affiliation.
In “Let’s See If We Can Come Together” the lead guitar is thin like in the early 1930s blues. But that thin sound is part of the attraction. It surrenders eventually to the harmonica that warms up the arrangement & the succession of raindrop piano notes that lend it color – all the skill is still in attendance. There are lots of vintage flavors.
“Snow” comes across juke joint raw like a lost Robert Johnson side & a cover of the Willie Dixon track made famous by Muddy Waters “Hootchie Cootchie Man” is a thrilling close.
Highlights – “Jumping,” “Kansas City,” “What We Were Talking About,” “Let’s See If We Can Come Together,” “Snow,” “Rock Me” & “Hootchie Cootchie Man.”
Musicians – Willie Buck (vocals), Scott Dirks (harmonica), Thaddeus Krolicki & Billy Flynn (guitars), Johnny Iguana (piano), Melvin Smith (bass) & Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums).
Blues Roadhouse
Roadhouse Album Review: Willie Buck takes us back to the old school with “Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends”
Willie Buck — “Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends” — Delmark Records (Aug. 30 release)
Every once in a while, I like to reach back into the blues for an experience that reminds me of my days hanging out in blues clubs, listening to tough, honest old-school blues. Muddy Waters, Albert Collins, John Lee Hooker, Albert King all come to mind. It’s live music, played with great enthusiasm amid all the raucous, sweaty appreciation that blues fans provide.
If you’re anything like me, that’s as close to blues heaven as you can get. (And if you’re anything like me, you have my sympathies…!)
This new album, the fourth by veteran Chicago bluesman Willie Buck, and a stellar group of backers known here as the Delmark All-Stars, takes me back to just the right place. It was recorded live at Buddy Guy’s Legends, also just the right place for some vintage blues; a handful of six originals, and three classic covers.
Buck was born William Crawford in 1937 (yes, he’s still going strong), in the small town of Houston, Mississippi. The closest “big” town was Tupelo, about 40 miles away. He left for the big town in 1953, becoming one of the regulars at Chicago’s legendary Maxwell Street scene, and gradually worked his way into the club circuit.
Since then, it’s said Buck has played with everybody and knows everybody. Guy has told his club audiences when he and Buck appear together, “When I started playing in Chicago, Willie was one of the guys that was already here.”
The new album launches with a rollicking 6 1/2-minute instrumental blues jam by the All-Stars, all worth a very honorable mention for their solid work: Scott Dirks, harmonica; Billy Flynn, lead guitar; Thaddeus Krolicki, 2nd guitar; Johnny Iguana, piano, and Melvin Smith, bass. This was also the last recording from the drummer, the late Willie “The Touch” Hayes.
Then Buck takes over, as he winds up the R&B classic “Kansas City,” with the All-Stars percolating rhythmically behind him. (Permit me a little digression here, since “Kansas City” has always seemed to me to be an improbable creation. It was written in 1952 by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller, two 19-year-old white R&B fans from Los Angeles who had never even been to Kansas City, but said they were inspired by Big Joe Turner records. They wrote the song especially for West Coast pianoman Little Willie Littlefield as “K. C. Loving,” but it wasn’t until 1959 that Wilbert Harrison turned it into the monster hit “Kansas City,” eventually covered by more than 300 versions. And, of course, Lieber and Stoller went on to become giants in the creation of blues, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll music.)
That’s followed by a set of Buck originals: “Tried To Work Something Out” with fine honky-tonk piano from Iguana and lyrical harp from Dirks; the very tough shouter “What We Were Talking About”; the down-home, slow-burning “Let’s See if We Can Come Together”; a slow-blues turn on “Snow”; and then a few remarks from Buck about a book he wants to write about his storied life.
Buck follows with a hard version of the Muddy Waters chestnut, “Rock Me,” then the original, slow and bluesy “Walking and Swimming.” The closer is Buck’s rugged take on “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Waters’ memorable version of the always-fine Willie Dixon creation.
This is one of those albums that captures a musical snapshot in time — a gritty veteran of Chicago blues reaching deep for a piece of his heart to proudly share. Get it while you can.
“Rock Me” from the album:
B21 (SPAIN)
REAL CHICAGO BLUES SINGER
WILLIE BUCK
WILLIE BUCK
This time singing in front of
THE DELMARK ALL-STARS
SCOTT DIRKS HARMONICA THADDEUS KROLICKY GUITAR BILLY FLYNN GUITAR JOHNNY IGUANA PIANO MELVIN SMITH BASS WILLIE “THE TOUCH” HAYES DRUMS
01 JUMPING 06:33 02 KANSAS CITY 04:23 03 TRIED TO WORK SOMETHING OUT 05:14 04 WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 06:03 05 LET’S SEE IF WE CAN COME TOGETHER 04:48 06 SNOW 06:27 07 WILLIE BUCK TALKING 01:04 08 ROCK ME 06:23 09 WALKING AND SWIMMING 05:20 10 HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN 06:30
Willie is the last of the old school Chicago blues singers.
Buck was born Willie Crawford in the small town of Houston, Mississippi, in 1937. He arrived as a teenager in the city of Chicago in 1953 and was soon seen in the clubs of the west and south side while working as a car mechanic. Around 1970, Willie began to form his first bands that included musicians such as Louis Myers, Eddie Taylor, Sammy Lawhorn, Magic Slim and Byther Smith, pianist and old friend Johnny “Big Moose” Walker, harmonica player Big Leon Brooks and Fred Below and Odie Payne. Early in the eighties he created his own label BarBare and recorded his first album “It’s Alright”, an album that became a collector’s item due to its short edition. From the beginning, Willie Buck’s main influence had been Muddy Waters, whose songs he regularly sang in his performances and who, after Waters’ death, became the most recognized bluesman in perpetuating the legend’s anthems in the clubs of the city. His record production has not been very extensive, in the 2000s he joined Delmark Records family and to date has released three absolutely essential albums, “Cell Phone Man”, “The Life I Love” and “Willie Buck Way”. He has also had a special predilection for Spain, where he has performed regularly and where he has recorded and released two other albums, “Songs For Muddy” with musicians such as guitarist Jose Luis Pardo and harmonica player Quique Gomez and “You Know About The Boogie” with prestigious musicians from the Madrid blues scene. This fourth album with Delmark Records places Buck on the list of the great blues figures of all time.
https://www.blues21.com/willie-buck-live-at-buddy-guy-s-legend
https://thebluesmusicblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/willie-buck-and-delmark-all-stars-live.html
CULTURA BLUES (Mexico)
Willie Buck & the Delmark All Stars
Capítulo 48: Willie Buck & the Delmark All Stars: Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends (2024)
El vocalista de blues Willie Buck nació en 1937 en la pequeña ciudad de Houston, Mississippi. Willie actuaba en lo que se conoció como el “Circuito Chittlin” rodando entre Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana, Carolina del Norte y del Sur, Tennessee y Texas. Poco después de desarrollar su popularidad, Willie emigró a Chicago en 1954, donde realmente se sumergió en la escena del blues de esa ciudad y se convirtió en una verdadera estrella en “Maxwell Street”. Willie fue incluido en el Salón de la Fama del Blues en Chicago en el verano de 2004.
Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends es el cuarto álbum de Willie Buck en Delmark. Primero fue The Life I Love, seguido de Cellphone Man, y después ya en Delmark LLC, Willie Buck Way 2019. Este último tuve oportunidad de comprárselo el pasado 5 de junio en el Rosa’s Lounge en donde estuvimos de visita, para acompañar el concierto de Stefan Hillesheim. Willie, un veterano promotor del estilo Chicago Blues, que ha actuado con todos y conoce a muchos en la escena, es uno de los últimos abanderados del blues de la “vieja escuela” en su máxima expresión.
Este álbum fue grabado en el Buddy Guy’s Legends, la zona cero de este género en Chicago, capital mundial del blues. Para la ocasión, Willie trajo a su mano derecha durante muchos años, Thaddeus Krolicki, para unirse al grupo Delmark All-Stars, formado por algunos de los artistas más experimentados y respetados de la tradición de Chicago. Lista de canciones: 01. Jumping; 02. Good and Bad at the Same Time; 03. Kansas City; 04. Tried to Work Something Out; 05. What We Were Talking About; 06. Let’s See If We Can Come Together; 07. Willie Buck Talking; 08. Snow; 09. Rock Me; 10. Walking and Swimming.
Willie Buck is one of the last of the old school blues men on the blues scene in the Windy City. The veteran singer and his record label, Delmark, wanted to do something very special for his fourth release, capture him on stage with a great band in front of an appreciative audience.
Buck brought his guitarist, Thaddeus Krolicki, and The Delmark All-Stars (Billy Flynn – guitar, Scott Dirks – harmonica, Johnny Iguana – piano, Melvin Smith – bass, Willie “The Touch” Hayes – drums) joined them at Buddy Guy’s Legends for a stellar performance on August 28, 2023. Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends features a mix of Willie Buck originals with a few well-chosen Chicago standards and shows the old tiger still has plenty in the tank.
After the band opens with an instrumental blues jam (“Jumping”), Dirks introduces Buck who opens with the Leiber & Stoller classic “Kansas City,” which leads into several original tunes, beginning with a couple of shuffles (the rollicking “Tried To Work Something Out” and “What We Were Talking About”) and a couple of slow blues (“Let’s See If We Can Come Together” and “Snow”), all of which include sparkling musical contributions from the band.
After a little talk with the audience, including discussion of an upcoming book about his life, Buck covers a couple of Muddy Waters tunes, beginning with “Rock Me,” which also features some great instrumental interludes, the Delta-esque “Walking and Swimming,” which is a descendant of the old “Catfish Blues” theme, and finally, “Hoochie Coochie Man,” the Chicago Blues anthem (or one of them, anyway).
Buck will turn 87 in November and was 85 when this set was recorded. He sounds marvelous and the audience really eats it up. The band provide superb backing throughout and each instrumentalist gets a few moments to shine during the set. Sadly, this was Hayes’ last recorded session, he passed away the following November.
For a classic live set of vintage Chicago blues, performed by one of the elder statesmen, blues fans should look no further than Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends from Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars.
Graham Clarke
Coincidence, but three circumstances that are present in this CD and soon also on vinyl, take us back to the fifties/sixties, historic and unrepeatable of Chicago blues. The first is the epic Delmark record label, created by Bob Koester in the fifties, and now in the safe hands of Julia A Miller and Elbio Barilari. The second is the return to record, the fourth for the aforementioned label, of one of the last (unfortunately very few) witnesses of those years, the octogenarian Willie Buck. The third is that the record is a live recorded at Buddy Guy’s Legends, also an octogenarian and also a custodian of those years, and still active, albeit limited. We wanted to listen again to something born in our days that has those genuine flavors of the seminal Chicago blues, and if it is live in all its naturalness, even better. Willie Buck arrived in the windy city from Mississippi, in the early fifties and even if partly overshadowed by figures like Muddy Waters (his main influence), Howlin Wolf, Elmore James, Little Walter, etc., he still managed to carve out a place for himself, repaid by engagements in clubs and by musicians who willingly accompanied him, being a singer. Unfortunately, as it happened for some others, blues music did not always give the possibility of being the only source of income, especially when you become responsible for a family. For Willie Buck, therefore, a day job became necessary, alternating it with the activity of bluesman that returned to primary in the early seventies, producing and publishing on his own 45 rpm and a vinyl for promotional purposes for concerts. This is the first live of his career, and for the occasion he is accompanied by the excellent and well-known musicians gathered under the name of, The Delmark All-Stars. Scott Dirks harmonica, Billy Flynn guitar, Johnny Iguana piano, Melvin Smith bass, and Willie “The Touch” Hayes drums (for him it was the last time as he passed away a few months after the recordings, in November 2023). To the band, Willie Buck added his trusty guitarist, Thaddeus Krolicki. Ten songs, between autographs and covers, presented with one of those attitudes of the most real Chicago blues, that is the ability to expose it with an essential profitable expressiveness, not getting lost in self-celebratory attitudes, but always focused on a community result, between medium and slow tempos. It was a pleasure to listen live, Willie Buck and The Delmak All-Stars!
Silvano Brambilla
Willie Buck & The Delmark All-Stars
Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark Records DE 882 – www.delmark.com
For his fourth album on Delmark Records, the leaders of the emblematic Chicago Blues label have chosen to install the native of the small city of Houston (Mississippi) in Buddy Guy’s club, the Legends, for a live session recorded on August 28, 2023. Willie Buck, who cut his teeth on Maxwell Street, is here solidly accompanied by the impeccable Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki on guitars, while Scott Dirks is on harmonica, Johnny Iguana on piano, the always excellent Melvin Smith on bass, and the late Willie Hayes on drums, whose last participation in a session is here. The one who worked alongside the Aces, Big Leon Brooks and John Primer, offers us here five original compositions, like the superb Tried To Work Something Out, What We Were Talking About , or Let’s See if We Can Come Together . All admirably performed, these pieces are part of the great musical tradition of the twelve-bar of the Windy City. The one who went to see Muddy Waters in the famous club Smitty’s Corner thanks to his brother-in-law pays tribute to his idol by covering the everlasting Rock Me Baby and Hoochie Coochie Man. Even if my preference over the years concerning his various productions always leans towards his superb 45s dating from the beginning of his career, like Get Down And Disco To The Blues or I Want My Baby as well as his excellent self-produced 33 rpm entitled It’s Alright ( reissued in 2010 with the title ” The Life I Love”) , it must be recognized that this new album perfectly knows how to highlight one of the last “old school bluesmen” of the Windy City. Willie Buck is now one of the patriarchs of Chicago, thank you to Delmark Records for having set up this impeccable production which will delight many fans. – Jean-Luc Vabres
KENTUCKIANA BLUES SOCIETY- BLUES NEWS
News September 2024 8
Crossroads
by John Sacksteder
Willie Buck and The Delmark Blues All-Stars “Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends” (Delmark Records)
William “Willie Buck” Crawford was born in Houston, Mississippi in 1937, one of eight children. He started singing early and played the chitlin circuit while underage. He moved permanently to Chicago in 1954. He got established in traditional blues and started traveling into Canada , Mexico and Europe as well as around the US. After several single releases, he recorded his first album in 1977. This album is his fourth for Delmark Records. In addition to Willie on vocals, Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki play guitar, Scott Dirks on harmonica, Johnny Iguana on piano, Melvin Smith on bass and Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums. Willie was inducted into the Chicago Hall of Fame in 2004. The album opens with an instrumental blues jam, “Jumping” and then moves into “Kansas City”. The next four songs are from Willie’s pen starting with “Tried To Work Something Out” “with you”. On “What We Were Talking About”, Willie asks, “What can I do to make you smile?” “Let’s See If We Can Come Together” is a plea to his woman. He is stranded in the house after the big “Snow”. Muddy Water’s “Rock Me” is next and is followed by the last song written by Willie, “Walking and Swimming”. The album finishes with Willie Dixon’s “Hoochie Coochie Man”. The album is a classic, traditional Chicago styled blues romp from beginning to end.
WILLIE BUCK – Live at Legends, 30.8.2024, Delmark Records
As it is said the right things are kept in always special and stored in special places. Vicious and fierce things are stored in small bottles and should be carefully chewed and dosed for use in small quantities.
Artistic Director of Delmark Records Kevin Johnson and Elbio Barilari Delmark journalist engaged in radio and journalistic promotion certainly knew to whom to deliver such materials. Because at the end of the website of this biggest jazz and blues label Delmrk Records reads “If you don’t love THE BLUES, then you gotta hole in your soul!” “
This publishing house with us is actually 71. one year ago… from there way back in 1953. годне. Namely, the publishing house was founded by Robert G. Koester in St. Louis Missouri 1953 and from 1958. Bob Koester is moving to Chicago and operates under the name Delmark Records, so this team has been doing so for the full 66 years. year.
How these momentous anniversaries are being celebrated truly in the best possible way with the release of rare albums and simply opening Delmark to all those who want to listen, but also have quality music. In addition, there are also special, gold bar-code keys that allow the chosen ones to get the materials they are interested in. One such bar – the key code is with me and every now and then I enter that treasury and treat myself to certain editions, which are available to the just selected ones.
”Live at Legends” Willie Buck is truly one of those pearls, which all those who have a bit love this musical style… they just have to have it.
It’s about to be 30 in two days. August album will be available to everyone who wants it, and here only two days before that I introduce you … sooo pre-premiere… and I was asked by Kevin Johnson for this and I admit I am extremely proud to do so.
When such an exceptional team of musicians called The Delmark All -Stars gather and consist of:
Willie Buck (vokal)
Scott Dirks ( harmonika)
Thaddeus Krolicki (guitar)
Billy Flynn ( guitar)
Johnny Iguana ( piano )
Melvin Smith (bas)
Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums) and to whom this album is actually dedicated to: ”In Memory of WILLIE “THE TOUCH” HAYES (1950-2023)”
Besides this meaning of “In Memory Of” this album “Live at Legends” is a true proof that Buddy Guy’s “Legends Club” is indeed a true and proper place in which the history of blues is written. Everybody but really everybody… they want to play at that place and receive confirmation that they have achieved something, which in this musical style has the status of “Top of the Tops”.
Their jamming is so casual, their jamming in every tone carries an extraordinary weight of the “blues notes”, which can only be given to us by such verified blues masters. You can find everything about everyone on the Internet and of course, I will not drown you with that information. Namely, today everything is so open and accessible that all of you can get to everything. For me personally, it’s a really big deal because all those, who care about these kinds of releases, material, albums can easily reach them.
“Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends” is Willie Buck’s fourth album for Delmark Records, and the label wanted to present and give everyone something very special. Accordingly, it was agreed that it will be a live performance and recording, and that’s where Willie Buck feels most comfortable, on stage, with a great band and surrounded by his loyal fans. It was also agreed that the recording will take place in Buddy Guy’s “Legends”, the blues’ zero point in Chicago, the world capital of this genre. Getting better than better and eventually when it is all overheard and all 59′ and 15″ passes through you in your body an incredible concentration of blues is created, which is sure to satisfy you.
RECOMMENDATION:
For this album Willie and the Delmark Records label put together an advance ALL STARS BAND “Old School Blues” because Willie Buck is certainly one of the last “Story Tellers” on the blues scene and within the tradition and period reaching back to Muddy Waters and even to the bluesmen before World War II war, right down to Big Bill Broonzy and other urban blues pioneers. And what else to write besides that Chicago and its tradition of blues every now and then shows that it still has breath and lives on. And this was also the last recording in the truly incredible career of the great Will Hayes. So, an additional rarity.
To all who make something like this possible … Sending a tremendous THANK YOU!
Find out more at:
https://www.facebook.com/DelmarkRecords
https://www.instagram.com/delmarkrecords
https://twitter.com/i/delmark_records
https://www.youtube.com/@DelmarkRecords
delmark.com/product/willie-buck-live
AirPlay Direct Link: AirPlayDirect.com/WillieBuckLiveAtLegends
BLUES Magazine (Netherlands)
Album Review: Willie Buck – Live At Buddy Guys Legends
August 5, 2024 | News | 0 Comments
Format: CD, Vinyl (coming soon), digital
Label: Delmark records
Release: June 21, 2024
“Live At Buddy Guys Legends” is Willie Buck’s fourth album on Delmark. Willie Buck is one of the last standard bearers of the “old school” Chicago Blues style, who has performed with everyone and who everyone in the scene knows. This album was recorded at Buddy Guys Legends, ground zero for this genre of blues is Chicago, blues capital of the world. For the occasion, Willie brought his long-time right hand, Thaddeus Krolicki, to Buddy Guys Legends to record this album with the Delmark All-Stars, a group of experienced and respected artists from the Chicago tradition. For this album, the Allstars consisted of Scott Dirks, harmonica; Billy Flynn lead guitar; Thaddeus Krolicki rhythm guitar; Johnny Iguana, piano; Melvin Smith, bass and drummer Willie Hayes, whose last recordings these would be before his death.
Willie Buck is 81 years old now and you can hear it a bit, his voice sounds like an old man. As is often customary, the performance opens with an instrumental number, after which the star of the evening is introduced. Willie Buck opens with Kansas City, a classic piano shuffle, that swings and slides. The groove that Melvin Smith and Willie Hayes lay down here, they continue in the rest of the album. It is old school blues, don’t expect guitar shredding, but everything is in the service of the blues with the piano and the harmonica and Willie Buck in the leading role.
With refined shuffles, delicious slow blues and as a closing Hoochie Coochie man is Willie Buck – Live At Buddy Guys Legends, blues as you can expect from an evening of blues in a famous blues club. It is blues by men who have lived the blues, who only need one word to make an evening of music.
BLUESTOWN MUSIC (Netherlands)
Blues singer Willie Buck (William Crawford) was born in Houston, Mississippi in 1937. He moved to Chicago in 1954. There he immersed himself in the real Chicago blues scene and recorded his first album, ‘The Disco Blues’. From that time on he performed not only in the US, but also in Canada, Mexico and Europe, including the Netherlands. In 2004 Buck was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in Chicago.
Willie Buck is considered one of the last standard bearers of the so-called ‘old school’ Chicago blues style. He knows many musicians in Chicago and has performed with many of them. Last year he performed with a group of experienced and respected blues artists from Chicago (The Delmark All-Stars) in Buddy Guy’s Legends Chicago. Recordings of this concert will be released this month on Delmark Records.
The album ‘Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends Chicago’ opens with the instrumental Jumping, which is over six minutes long. A ripping mouth harp, a swinging piano, a groovy rhythm section and nice bluesy guitar licks. After introducing the band, Scott Durks introduces the ‘star of the show’ Mr. Willie Buck. Buck takes the microphone in the well-known swinging piano-driven shuffle Kansas City, written by Leiber & Stoller. In the groovy Chicago blues Try To Work Something Out, the tinkling piano solo and the beautiful guitar work attract attention.
What We Were Talking About is a nice shuffle in which Buck is in good voice. The guitar work in the slow blues Let’s See If We Can Come Together is beautifully subdued. Buck’s voice also sounds quite vital for someone of 87 in the slow blues Snow. After a spoken intermezzo, we hear Muddy Water’s classic Rock Me by an excellently playing band. After the slow blues Walking And Swimming, with a tight rhythm section, the song ends with the song Hoochie Coochie Man, written by Willie Dixon and especially known from Muddy Waters. A real Chicago blues closer.
Conclusion:
‘Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends’ is an album with (h)onest tasty classic Chicago blues without fuss.
KEYS & CHORDS (Belgium)
Willie Buck was born William Crawford in 1937 in the small town of Houston, Mississippi. The nearest major city was Tupelo, about 40 miles away. His father was a preacher, as were many of his uncles, and his son also followed that calling. Willie’s grandmother was Native American. Several family members played guitar, including his two sisters. His grandmother had a wind-up phonograph in her home, which played Big Boy Crudup records. Willie’s legendary life consisted of working in a paper mill for five dollars an hour and singing in the evenings around town. In his youth, he was a popular figure on what was known as the “Chitlin Circuit,” performing all over the South. But like many of his fellow artists, Willie “Buck” Crawford left Mississippi for Chicago. Buck led many bands for nearly four decades. Immediately after arriving in The Windy City in 1953, he immediately appeared on the blues circuit and ended up there as a teenager in the heyday of the blues. In the early 80s Willie had a unique and rare recording with ‘The Life I Love’. On vinyl now a real collector’s item. Until in 2010 the label Delmark Records re-released the album with five bonus tracks. In 2013 Willie had the album ‘Cell Phone Man’, a collaboration with producer/guitarist Johnny Burgin. ‘Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends’ is the fourth album by Willie Buck on the Chicago blues and jazz label Delmark Records. First came the long player ‘The Life I Love’, followed by ‘Cell Phone Man’ and Delmark LLC’s kickoff blues release ‘Willie Buck Way’. A heavy dose of West Side ‘50 Chicago blues style that was now recorded live on Sunday, August 28, 2023 at Buddy Guy’s Legends at 700 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60605. Vocalist Willie Buck had the ideal rhythm section with Scott Dirks (harmonica), guitarists Thaddeus Krolicki and Billy Flynn, pianist Johnny Iguana, Melvin Smith (bass) and drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes, who passed away not too long later. The Delmark-All-Stars open the show with the instrumental blues jam ‘Jumping’. Willie then appears ‘on stage’ for the beautiful Rhythm & Blues song ‘Kansas City’, a song that was written by Leiber & Stoller and made great by Little Willie Littlefield and Wilbert Harrison. And then a lot of original songs follow with ‘Tried To Work Something Out’, ‘What We Were Talking About’, the blues ballad ‘Let’s See if We Can Come Together’ and the Delta blues chapter ‘Snow’. After an adstruction Willie performs ‘Rock Me’, originally by Muddy Waters, and that contrasts with the slow blues ‘Walking and Swimming’ and Willie Dixon’s ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’. Willie Buck is one of the last standard bearers of the ‘old school’ Chicago blues!
Philip Verhaege
“Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends” is Willie Buck’s fourth album on Delmark. First came “The Life I Love”, followed by “Cell Phone Man” and Delmark LLC’s kickoff blues release “Willie Buck Way”. An elder statesman of the Chicago Blues style, who has performed with everybody and knows everyone on the scene, Willie is one of the last standard bearers of the “old school” blues at its best. This album was recorded at Buddy Guy’s Legends, ground zero for this genre in Chicago, blues capital of the world. For the occasion, Willie brought his right-hand man of many years, guitarist Thaddeus Krolicki, to join the Delmark All-Stars consisting of some of the most experienced and respected performers of the Chicago tradition.
The DELMARK ALL-STARS is a band that showcases a legion of Chicago blues instrumentalists that have been present for years in the label’s catalogue. Some of the most talented guitarists, harmonicists, bassists, keyboardists and drummers, take turns performing with this emblematic ensemble. This album features an experienced and illustrious team among Delmark’s stars, perfectly adapted to play the “old school” blues that Willie loves so much.
The Blues and Roots Music Blog
the music blog dedicated to blues and roots music
Willie Buck and The Delmark All-Stars – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends (reproduction of press release)
“LIVE AT BUDDY GUY’S LEGENDS” IS WILLIE BUCK’S FOURTH ALBUM ON DELMARK, and the label wanted to present something very special. It was agreed to be a live recording, the situation in which WILLIE BUCK feels most comfortable, on stage, with a great band and surrounded by his fans. It was also agreed the recording was going to take place at Buddy Guy’s “Legends”, ground zero for the blues in Chicago, the world capital of this genre.
For such an occasion, Willie and the label assembled the most suitable band for an “old style” blues session. Willie Buck is one of the last “story tellers” in the blues scene, within a tradition that goes back to Muddy Waters and even to the pre-WWII era bluesmen, as far and early as Big Bill Broonzy and other pioneers of the urban blues Chicago tradition.
THE DELMARK ALL-STARS are an outfit which showcases a legion of Chicago blues instrumentalists who have been present for years in the label’s catalogue. Some of the most talented guitarists, harp players, bassists, keyboardists and drummers take turns playing with this emblematic ensemble.- MEMPHIS MARTY
https://thebluesmusicblog.blogspot.com/2024/08/willie-buck-and-delmark-all-stars-live.html
LES TEMPS DU BLUES (France)
Willie Buck’s New Album
Posted by Daniel Leon | July 12, 2024 | What’s New | 0|
Willie Buck, whose real name is William Robert Crawford, can be said to be a veteran of the Chicago Blues. He was born in Houston, a small town in Mississippi south of Tupelo, on November 26, 1937. But at eighty-six, he remains active and retains beautiful vocal qualities despite his age. Based in Chicago since 1954, he released his first album in 1982 (“It’s Alright”, Bar-Bare Records), surrounded by remarkable musicians including Johnny “Big Moose” Walker, brothers Dave and Louis Myers, John Primer and Little Mack Simmons! But he will have to wait some thirty years to produce others, of excellent quality, from the beginning of the 2010s. And it is not over because he will release on August 30, 2024 a new opus at Delmark, entitled “Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends”, accompanied by the Delmark All-Stars, namely Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki (guitars), Scott Dirks (harmonica), Johnny Iguana (piano), Melvin Smith (bass) and Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums). It was therefore recorded on August 28, 2023 at the famous Buddy Guy club, about two months before Hayes’ death on November 5 ( my article of November 8, 2023 ). You can listen to an excerpt at this address, What we were talking about .
https://lestempsdublues.com/2024/07/12/nouvel-album-de-willie-buck
IL MANIFESTO (Italy)
TWOJ BLUES (Poland)
This is WillieBuck’s fourth album released on the legendary Chicago blues label. Willie, a respected and esteemed bluesman, has represented the Chicago blues style for years. He has performed with everyone and knows everyone, and is one of the last flagship representatives of “old school blues at its best.” It was planned that the album would be recorded at Buddy Guy’s Legends, ground zero for this genre in Chicago, the world capital of blues. The album features 10 compositions that could easily serve as classic examples of the style. Most of them are the artist’s own compositions, but there also a few standards, such as Willie Dixon’s Hoochie Coochie Man, Muddy Waters’ Rock Me, or Lieber/Stoller’s Kansas City.
This style of blues has always been Willie’s domain, and that’s exactly the kind of record he’s prepared for us. Willie brought his long-time friend, guitarist Thaddeus Krolicki, basically his “right-hand man,” to the studio to joing the fantastic band gathered around Delmark Records, which features some of the most experienced and respected performers in the Chicago traditions, such as guitarist Billy Flynn, pianist Johnny Iguana, harmonica player Scott Dirks, bassist Melvin Smith, and drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes.
With such a great lineup and such a distinguished venue, on August 28, 2023, they played a concert that I hope will go down in Chicago blues history. Fortunately, it is released on an album. Since these are the last recordings of the famous Chicago drummer, Willie Hayes, the album is officially dedicated to his memory. It is probably worth quoting Willie Buck’s saying, wich he always repeats and even has written on his t-shirt:
If you don’t love THE BLUES, then you gotta hole in your soul! I wouldn’t wish anyone a life with a hole in their soul. – ZBYSZEK JEDRZEJCZYK
Joined by Delmark All-Stars, Willie Buck still sounding great on Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
Posted on September 26, 2024 by Mike
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There’s not much more we can say about blues veteran Willie Buck than we did in this post on his previous album Willie Buck Way, except that Willie’s latest album Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends (Delmark Records) is the closest thing you can get to a live set of old-school Chicago blues today without incurring all of the costs associated with a trip to Chicago (unless Willie or one of the other very few remaining old-time Chicago players like John Primer happens to be coming through your area, which seems to be occurring less and less these days). A large part of that is, of course, Willie, who’s been, well, singing the blues in the classic Muddy Waters style for many decades now, having gotten his start performing with the likes of such greats as Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Little Walter, Eddie Taylor, Magic Slim, Byther Smith, and Johnny “Big Moose” Walker, among others.
But we also have to give loads of credit to his backing band on this performance, featuring a number of other well-known names in the blues, including Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums on what would turn out to be his very last recording, Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki on guitar, Johnny Iguana on keys, Melvin Smith on bass, and Scott Dirks on harmonica. While Buck of course commands a large part of the focus throughout the album, you do get a great taste for the band itself on the bubbly, swinging instrumental introduction “Jumping”, with lots more terrific harmonica, keyboard, and guitar parts over the course of the following nine songs, as Hayes and Smith expertly hold down the rhythm.
After heading to “Kansas City” upon Buck’s joining, the band dives into a number of Buck’s originals, including the midtempo shuffling “Tried to Work Something Out”, a strolling “Let’s See If We Can Come Together” with its thick harmonica and stinging Muddy-esque slide guitar, and a similarly tempoed, slow grooving “Snow”, with its references not only to the wintry precipitation but also perhaps to the COVID-19 pandemic keeping folks confined to their homes.
Covers of “Rock Me” and “Hoochie Coochie Man”–with particularly expressive vocals from Willie on the latter–are among the best versions of the songs you’ll ever hear, ranking right up with those from the masters who made them famous, with a “Catfish Blues”-like “Walking and Swimming” fitting in quite nicely between.
At the risk of sounding like an old codger, you don’t hear many albums these days with this genuine of a classic Chicago blues sound after the passing of other greats like Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Pinetop Perkins, so be sure to take advantage of it when you can, by picking up a copy of Buck’s Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends!
IL BLUES (Italy)
Willie Buck – Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends
The Blues | September 26, 2024 | 07:15 |
William Crawford aka Willie Buck is a lively octogenarian, born in Houston, Mississippi in 1937. As a teenager, after listening to Muddy Waters, he was fascinated by music, taking inspiration from classic, electric and urban Chicago blues, eventually becoming one of its standard-bearers. His fourth album on Delmark , “ Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends ,” begins with an instrumental blues jam featuring Scott Dirks on harmonica, Billy Flynn on lead guitar, Thaddeus Krolicki on second guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano and Melvin Smith on bass. It is also the last recording of the late drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes, who passed away in November 2023. The instrumental “Jumping,” in fact, sets the tone and dynamics of the album. Willie Buck then enters the scene, reprising the R&B classic “Kansas City” with the All Stars and a devilish rhythm behind him. The song deserves a closer look: written in 1952 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, two nineteen-year-old Los Angeles boys, passionate about R&B who had never set foot in Kansas City, but were inspired by Big Joe Turner’s records. Apparently, they wrote the song for West Coast pianist Little Willie Littlefield with the title “KC Loving” but it wasn’t until 1959 that Wilbert Harrison turned it into a huge hit. “Kansas City” was later covered in over three hundred versions, while Lieber & Stoller became giants in writing blues, R&B and rock’n’roll music. You can enjoy the song’s savory lyrics, “going to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come, they got some crayz looking women there and I’m gonna get me one (…)”.
Despite his age, Willie Buck’s voice is solid and comfortable on slow blues like “Let’s See If We Can Come Together,” with a refined slide guitar, a slow blues version of “Snow” and some hints from Buck about a book he intends to write about his eventful life. The rest of the album follows a marked path. Buck offers a version of Muddy Waters’ “Rock Me” and then the original “Walking And Swimming” which is nothing other than “Catfish Blues.” The last track is a solid version of “Hoochie Coochie Man,” the timeless classic by Muddy Waters that we owe to the prolific and brilliant composer Willie Dixon. The album was recorded live by Connor Kore, mixed by Elbio Barilari and Julia Miller, who also took care of the mastering. It should be noted that the live sound is raw and without any post-mixing or post-synchronization tricks in the studio, which could disorient fans accustomed to the typical sound of Delmark recordings. Finally, let’s remember that Willie Buck, a veteran of Chicago blues, is one of the last to have met the greatest and to keep alive the flame of the blues of the fifties and sixties, in vogue until a few years ago in the Windy City. A careful listening is therefore a must!
Philippe Prétet
ZICAZIC (France)
| Written by Fred Delforge | |
| Tuesday, August 13, 2024 Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends (Delmark – 2024) Duration 53’30 – 10 Tracks https://www.facebook.com/officialwilliebuck Willie Buck was born in Mississippi in late 1937, but he settled in Chicago before he was an adult, and it was not until his forty-fifth birthday that he finally recorded his first album alongside some big names like John Primer, Johnny “Big Moose” Walker and Dave and Louis Myers. Despite the quality of this first attempt, we will have to wait another thirty years to start finding new efforts from this singer with the touching voice and to prepare his fourth opus to be released on the Delmark label, the staff wanted to offer him something exceptional, namely a live album, an exercise in which the bluesman excels, recorded in a cult place, Buddy Guy’s Legends, in the company of the cream of the American blues scene, The Delmark All-Stars, where we can recognize Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki on guitars, Scott Dirks on harmonicas, Johnny Iguana on keyboards, Melvin Smith on bass and finally Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums, who signs his last recording since it dates from August 2023, about two months before his death. At the height of his eighty-five years, Willie Buck showed that evening again a more than interesting vocal capacity but also a real talent as an entertainer allowing him to be perfectly in tune with a group that will take him to perfection on pieces like “Kansas City”, “What We Were Talking About”, “Let’s See If We Can Come Together”, “Walking And Swimming” or “Hoochie Coochie Man”, a harmonious mix of compositions but also covers taken from the repertoires of Little Willie Littlefield, Muddy Waters or Willie Dixon. Belonging to this generation of bluesmen who lived the finest hours of the genre, Willie Buck is a real musical treasure to follow imperatively! Worldwide release on August 30th … | |
Marty Gunther’s Red, Hot ’n Blues Music Reviews – October 2024
Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends
Delmark Records ALCD5022
One of the last standard-bearers of old-school Chicago blues, vocalist Willie Buck has been a fixture in the Windy City music for the past 50 years. A blues shouter of the first order, he’s surrounded by blues royalty on this disc, his fourth on the Delmark imprint.
The deep roster includes guitarists Billy Flynn and Thaddeus Krolicki, keyboard player Johnny Iguana(who scores TV’s The Bear) harp player Scott Dirks, bassist Melvin Smith and drummer Willie “The Touch” Hayes, who passed shortly after this recording. The end result captures a sound that’s a comfortable blast from the past of the music that dominated the city in the ’60s and ’70s.
Choice cuts include “Jumping,” “Kansas City,” “Trying to Work Something Out,” “What Were We Talking About,” “Let’s See If We Can Come Together,” “Snow,” “Walking and Swimming” and “Hoochie Coochie Man.”
https://www.chicagobluesguide.com/post/marty-gunther-s-red-hot-n-blues-music-reviews-october-2024
It was an evening that certainly stopped time , a musical night captured for all time now , blues music , pure and unadulterated , no stunts , without the gimmicks , just tough, honest , authentic and gritty , old-school , straight up , Chicago blues. Whew!!
Willie Buck, one of the last story tellers on the blues scene , an elder statesman of the Chicago Blues style , who shared both stages and studio time with folks named Muddy,Wolf,Pinetop,Hubert,Buddy Guy and Bobby “Blue” Bland, just to name a few . Willie Buck , who has a Chicago street named after him , “Willie Buck Way” , dedicated in Willie’s honor . Willie Buck , who has been featured in the 2011 comic strip “The Secret History of Chicago Music” by the illustrator Steve Krakow a. k. a. Pastic Crimewave. Willie Buck has recorded three widely acclaimed releases for Delmark over the years , expanding Willie’s fan base globally.
“Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends” – “Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars” – recorded in Chicago, finds Willie Buck comfortably on stage , his charismatic aura still shining brightly , surrounded by a great band , the sold-out crowd’s dynamic energy pushing the band forward . With the illustrious “Delmark All-Stars” backing Willie , alongside Willie’s right-hand man of many years guitarist Thaddeus Krolicki , and the wealth of great material , this is a showcase for first-class musicians who make playing the blues sound like nothing but the purest pleasure there is.
Running through a solid and highly entertaining mix of six originals and three classic covers – including “Kansas City” from Lieber and Stoller ; “Rock Me” by Muddy Waters; and “Hoochie Coochie Man” by Willie Dixon – Willie Buck’s soul-shaking stage show is mesmerizing and electrifying . The music is pure, unadulterated and unmistakably blue. Everyone on that stage is delivering a good time , enjoying themselves , and certainly sharing that vibe with the wildly ecstatic audience .
Willie Buck is given plenty of room to shine on “Willie Buck and the Delmark All-Stars – Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends” . Here we have a tribute to a musical life who continues to deliver that special musical connection to all of us . Willie Buck – and this very special evening of down-home-blues and Memphis soul – is a treasure , a very important piece of blues music history . Well-done!!
Let’s hear it for the band……
The Delmark All-Stars – Scott Dirks,harmonica ; Thaddeus Krolicki and Billy Flynn on guitars; Johnny Iguana , piano; Melvin Smith,bass ; and the late Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums .
Review Written By – John Muller
raymondmuller567.wixsite.com/blue-notes-and-con-1
LA HORA DEL BLUES (Spain)
Willie Buck & The Delmark All-Stars “Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends”
Artista / Grupo: Willie Buck & The Delmark All-Stars
Álbum: “Live At Dubby Guy’s Legends”
Discográfica: Delmark Records
Año publicación: 2024
Fecha crítica: 10/2024
Valoración: GREAT
Sitio web: http://www.delmark.com
Genuine, real and tasty Chicago blues in its true expression, is what you will find in this album by singer Willie Buck and published by Delmark Records.
Willie is one of Chicago’s living blues legends. Born in Houston, Mississippi in 1937, he started to sing from a very young age in Mississippi area, but also in Georgia, Louisiana, the Carolines, Tennessee and Texas. In 1952 he decided to settle in Chicago, staying for some time at the home of one Muddy Waters’ cousin, performing with practically all the great bluesmen who were in the city at that time. Although he has experienced some ups and downs, Willie has developed a fruitful career and is currently recognized as one of the few artists who still perform the old charismatic Windy City blues. Also, in 2004 he was inducted to the Chicago Blues Hall Of Fame.
This is the fourth album he has released for Delmark Records, and it is good this company bets to keep the blues tradition alive. The album was recorded live from Buddy Guy’s Legends and, this time, Willie invited his right-hand man, guitar player Thaddeus Krolicki, to join the Delmark All-Stars, with a rooster of experts in the style, like Scott Dirks on harmonica, Billy Flynn on guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano, Melvin Smith on bass and Willie “The Touch” Hayes on drums, to display a repertoire where you will find some standards like “Kansas City” coming from Leiber & Stoller, “Rock Me” by Muddy Waters or “Hoochie Coochie Man” by Willie Dixon.
Ten songs round up an album where, although Buck’s voice is no longer the same as that of his young years, he still keeps all the charisma and true legitimacy he has treasured after many years of experience and knowledge, you will immediately discover when he starts to sing genuine old time Chicago blues
HISTORIAS DEL BLUES
Willie Buck and the Delmark All Stars – Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends (Delmark Records, 2024)
(reproduction of press release)
“ Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends ” is singer Willie Buck ‘s fourth album for Delmark Records. Buck is one of the old bastions of Chicago blues , who has accompanied the greatest of the old school in the city. The album, in addition, was recorded at the famous Buddy Guy ‘s Legends , one of the main blues stages in the Windy City. For that occasion, August 28, 2023, Willie Buck was accompanied by his right-hand man, guitarist Thaddeus Krolicki , who joined The Delmark All Stars , made up of respected and experienced musicians from the Chicago tradition . This group can be said to be made up of musicians who have been present for many years in the Delmark Records catalog. Some of the most talented guitarists, harmonica players, bassists, keyboardists and drummers take turns playing with this emblematic ensemble. “ Live at Buddy Guy’s Legends ” features an experienced and illustrious team of Delmark Records all-stars, perfectly suited to playing the “old school” blues that Willie Buck loves so much . Willie Buck ’s voice is accompanied by Scott Dirks (harmonica), Thaddeus Krolicki and Billy Flynn (guitars), Johnny Iguana (piano), Melvin Smith (bass), and Willie “The Touch” Hayes (drums), who passed away on November 5 of last year. RECOMMENDED SONGS: Entire album. https://delmark.com/ Willie Buck and the Delmark All Stars; Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends; Delmark Records; 2024; 10 songs; 52 minutes.
