The Real Folk Blues
A star recording artist for most of his long life, whose wicked persona embodies the music he plays, John Lee Hooker is the undisputed boogie man of the blues. With his gut-pumped guitar and dark, snarling vocals scoring hit after hit since million-seller "Boogie Chillen" in 1947, Hooker's groove appeals to blues, rock, and pop tastes alike. The Real Folk Blues represents his second set of sessions forChess Records. It was recorded in 1966, when his single "Dimples" was climbing the British charts, and Hooker laid down tracks that quickly became fixtures with vanguard 1960s bands likethe Doors,the Animals, andthe J. Geils Band. Here, the funk begins with the horny howler "Let's Go Out Tonight," featuring John Lee at his obstreperous best. This set also demonstrates the bluesman's considerable depth of feeling with "The Waterfront," a brooding tale transcending the blues form, and his slow, sinister "I'm in the Mood."--Alan Greenberg