John Lee Hooker On Vee Jay II: Travelin', 1960

Originally posted on September 3, 2008

One more for John Lee Hooker. What was true of yesterday’s disk—that it contained many of his more familiar tunes, is not especially true of Travelin’ (Vee Jay), a 1960 release that also clocks in at 30 minutes.

Many of the songs are a bit more obscure and have to do loosely with traveling—getting there, being there, wanting to go there. As with yesterday’s release, it consists of very solid electric Hooker without the frills. His guitar on “Solid Sender” gives you the paired-down-to-the-bone blues, a perfect response to his irreplaceable vocals. Another great one. Tomorrow we venture into less charted areas. Until then.

John Lee Hooker On Vee Jay: I'm John Lee Hooker, 1959

Originally posted on September 2, 2008

John Lee Hooker was a real presence on Vee Jay records during the ’50s-’60s. Some albums released cuts already on LP, some overdubbed female backup vocalists to try to capitalize on the popularity of soul. He was never less than himself, no matter what they did with his tracks.

The 1959 I’m John Lee Hooker had some of his best, unadulterated with overdubs. “Boogie Chillun,” “Crawlin’ King Snake. . . ,” these were timeless blues classics. Sometimes he made the blues chord changes; other times he stayed with the root and droned hypnotically. Despite the 32 minute time length, there is much great music on this release, available on Collectibles. Tomorrow, one more by John Lee and then we move on. Nothing like the blues to shake off the rust and move into a new season.

John Lee Hooker in Person and the Holiday Blues

Originally posted on December 7, 2007

The blues? Seems appropriate in these times. Not for everybody. But hey, it’s the holiday season and people go up and down like those painted ponies in another Joni Mitchell song. If you watch TV, you get bombarded with those diamond ads. You must give your significant other a $5,000 diamond turd, or better yet, a new BMW. Now who ever does that for anybody for Christmas or Hanukkah? OK, if you do it and can afford it, the best to you. The rest of us? Hey, nothing better than a guitar for that special somebody! Or not.

So I have been listening to John Lee Hooker, a wonderful bluesman who played a semi-hollow most of his career. Hooker made a bunch of albums for VeeJay Records. VeeJay was one of the most important black-owned record companies ever. And you know what made them go bust? They got the licensing deal for the Beatles first album and when it hit big they could not keep up with the orders and went into hock trying to press enough. The same thing must have happened to Swan Records, who got the original deal for “She Loves You,” and then disappeared soon after.

I digress. John Lee Hooker’s In Person (Collectibles), was a live Vee Jay release from the early-mid ‘60s and it’s great. The thing about Hooker’s playing is that he might only play one chord throughout the song, and of course sometimes more, but what he did play was just perfect, always. And his singing. He rocks, big time. He’s so good, your personal blues will go away for a little while. He had the “it” that very few have.