''LOUISIANA SWAMP BLUES VOL. 2 - HENRY GRAY & RUDI RICHARD''
1990
41:09
1 Big Mamou 02:26
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
2 Blues Won't Let Me Rest 04:01
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
3 King Bee 05:29
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
4 Gold Chills 04:13
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
5 Talkin' About You 02:50
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
6 Bad Luck & Trouble 04:38
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
7 Tee Ni Nee Na Nu 03:13
Performed by: Rudi Richard, Andrea Curbelo, Harmonica Red
8 When My First Wife 04:28
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
9 Come On Here 02:41
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
10 Good For The Goose 03:08
Performed by: Rudi Richard, Andrea Curbelo, Harmonica Red
11 Honky Tonk 03:56
Performed by: Rudi Richard, T-bone Singleton, Andrea Curbelo
Andrea Curbelo - Guitar, Vocals (bckgr)
Pick Delmore - Drums
Henry Gray - Piano, Vocals
Anthony Hardesty - Bass
Harmonica Red - Harp
David Hill - Bass
Jess Kenchin - Drums
T-Bone Singleton - Guitar
Rudi Richard - Accordion, Vocals
REVIEW
by Steve Leggett (AMG)
Dedicated to Slim Harpo, this brief album, recorded in Baton Rouge, LA, in 1990, is a split affair, with blues pianist Henry Gray alternating tracks with guitarist (and accordion player) Rudi Richard in a nifty little swamp blues collection. Although one wishes the two musicians had done some of these songs together, their approach to the blues (different as they are) complement each other well, and the sequence doesn't suffer for this split format. Gray, in particular, has an intriguing sound, adding a certain intangible bayou sensibility to his Chicago piano style, and his rough, everyman vocals on sides like "Talkin' About You" and the self-penned "Gold Chills" carry a degree of authenticity, particularly with Slim Harpo's drummer, Jess Kenchin, pounding away. Richard is less distinctive as a vocalist, but as Harpo's longtime guitarist (he put the guitar sting in "I'm a Kingbee," and if you've heard the song, you know about the sting), he, too, has an authentic claim to this material, and while his version of the bayou chestnut "Tee Ni Nee Na Nu" essentially seems to be by the numbers, his sleek, angular version of "Good for the Goose" is a solid delight. Again, it would have been nice if Gray, Richard, and Kenchin had all worked together on a few of these tracks, but even without that, this set still functions pretty well as a simple and unassuming introduction to Louisiana swamp blues.
1990
41:09
1 Big Mamou 02:26
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
2 Blues Won't Let Me Rest 04:01
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
3 King Bee 05:29
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
4 Gold Chills 04:13
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
5 Talkin' About You 02:50
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
6 Bad Luck & Trouble 04:38
Performed by: Rudi Richard, David Hill, Jess Kenchin
7 Tee Ni Nee Na Nu 03:13
Performed by: Rudi Richard, Andrea Curbelo, Harmonica Red
8 When My First Wife 04:28
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
9 Come On Here 02:41
Performed by: Henry Gray, Jess Kenchin
10 Good For The Goose 03:08
Performed by: Rudi Richard, Andrea Curbelo, Harmonica Red
11 Honky Tonk 03:56
Performed by: Rudi Richard, T-bone Singleton, Andrea Curbelo
Andrea Curbelo - Guitar, Vocals (bckgr)
Pick Delmore - Drums
Henry Gray - Piano, Vocals
Anthony Hardesty - Bass
Harmonica Red - Harp
David Hill - Bass
Jess Kenchin - Drums
T-Bone Singleton - Guitar
Rudi Richard - Accordion, Vocals
REVIEW
by Steve Leggett (AMG)
Dedicated to Slim Harpo, this brief album, recorded in Baton Rouge, LA, in 1990, is a split affair, with blues pianist Henry Gray alternating tracks with guitarist (and accordion player) Rudi Richard in a nifty little swamp blues collection. Although one wishes the two musicians had done some of these songs together, their approach to the blues (different as they are) complement each other well, and the sequence doesn't suffer for this split format. Gray, in particular, has an intriguing sound, adding a certain intangible bayou sensibility to his Chicago piano style, and his rough, everyman vocals on sides like "Talkin' About You" and the self-penned "Gold Chills" carry a degree of authenticity, particularly with Slim Harpo's drummer, Jess Kenchin, pounding away. Richard is less distinctive as a vocalist, but as Harpo's longtime guitarist (he put the guitar sting in "I'm a Kingbee," and if you've heard the song, you know about the sting), he, too, has an authentic claim to this material, and while his version of the bayou chestnut "Tee Ni Nee Na Nu" essentially seems to be by the numbers, his sleek, angular version of "Good for the Goose" is a solid delight. Again, it would have been nice if Gray, Richard, and Kenchin had all worked together on a few of these tracks, but even without that, this set still functions pretty well as a simple and unassuming introduction to Louisiana swamp blues.
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