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Opening with Barrelhouse Chuck’s thundering piano chords and Kim Wilson’s thrilling panther squall harmonica, this terrific set rocks like the best Chicago recordings of the 50’s. Barrelhouse Chuck has kept way too low a recording profile given his prodigious talent and impeccable resume. He came to Chicago in the ‘70s and hung out with Sunnyland Slim, S.P. Leary, Blind John Davis, Floyd Jones, Big Moose Walker, Little Brother Montgomery, Smokey Smothers, and Detroit Junior – in clubs as well as in their homes. While working as a printer he assembled bands for tavern tours as far away as Alaska. His previous releases have included a Blue Loon set and some self-produced efforts of patchwork tracks with topnotch talent, recorded whenever he’d save a few bucks for studio time. Sirens founder Steve Dolins included him on his fine 2001 recording 8 Hands on 88 Keys with Erwin Helfer, Detroit Junior, and Pinetop Perkins, and then issued him on a duet with Helfer titled Prescription for the Blues in 2002. Got My Eyes on You is the rare Barrelhouse recording to have one tight unit and a uniform sound. The crackerjack ensemble includes Kim Wilson on harp, Eddie Taylor Jr. and Joel Foy on guitars, and Muddy Waters’ former rhythm mates Calvin Jones and Willie Smith. Like no other musician, Barrelhouse Chuck has paid tribute to his mentors on each of his recordings with full emotional commitment and impeccable style. On this release he tips his hat to his old buddy Big Smokey Smothers with the title track, and celebrates memories of Floyd Jones with Floyd’s Blues and a lovingly executed School Days, Little Brother Montgomery with Mama You Don’t Mean Me No Good (with Eiko Izumi-Gallwas on piano), and Eddie Taylor on Big Town Playboy, with Eddie’s namesake taking the vocals and guitar with genetic precision. Detroit Jr. is memorialized by his signature Call My Job, on which Chuck touchingly casts Detroit’s companion, Ella Evans, in the voiceover role of his wife waking him for work. Also included is Sunnyland Slim’s It’s You Baby, and it could be argued that much of this set is an homage to the great Sunnyland, who played on the originals of many of these selections. There may still be a few piano players playing blues like this, but none with the heart and stamina and the breadth of styles – learned directly from the masters – of Barrelhouse Chuck. No one’s done his homework quite like Chuck, and unfortunately, no one ever can again.” One of the best CDs in the last 15 years! Return to more Press -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- E-mail comments to Webmaster: mnblues@aol.com Web Design & Hosting: BluesOnStage.comRead full review
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