From the moment he walked into a recording studio in 1948 and cut “Boogie Chillen” until his death in 2001, John Lee Hooker was a dominating presence in the blues world.
Throughout his career, he enjoyed nothing better than a baseball game and sharing the stage with his multitude of friends. And several of those best moments are captured in this set, which originally appeared in 1998 and has been lovingly re-engineered for new ears.
The roster here is as deep as it can get with appearances from 12 of the biggest names in the industry. Not only are Carlos Santana, Bonnie Raitt and Eric Clapton here, but so are Ry Cooder, Van Morrison and Charlie Musselwhite, too. Throw in piano master Charles Brown, Ben Harper, Los Lobos, Booker T. Jones, Jimmie Vaughan and Robert Cray and you truly have something special.
Delivering the fat, propulsive boogie runs and warm voice that took him from Detroit and took him around the world, John Lee’s the true star here with backing from talents that begin with guitarists Johnny Lee Schell, Roy Rogers and Rich Kirch, include keyboard wizards Johnnie Johnson, Jim Pugh and Ike Turner, bassist Richard Cousins and dozens more.
It’s only natural for “Boogie Chillen” to open the set. The original, raw country feel is no where in sight with Clapton in tow and delivering it as an uptempo roam that picks up speed and intensity throughout. Bassist Nick Lowe and drummer Jim Keltner lay down a funky beat for “This Is Hip” as Hook trades licks with Ry and Jimmie provides impeccable fills. Santana enlisted his band mates for backing on the smoldering, Latin-tinged “The Healer” before Morrison shares the mic, adds guitar and Booker T. organ for the slow-and-steady “I Cover the Waterfront.”
The boogie’s back in style for the familiar “Boom Boom,” which gives Vaughan and Pugh space to shine and builds from embers and grows into a raging fire as it flows. The unmistakable slide of Raitt opens the sultry “I’m in the Mood.” She travels vocals with John Lee throughout with Rogers adding a third guitar. The heat’s on high for the hard-driving “Burning Hell” next. It’s amplified by hypnotic solos from Harper and harp lines from Musselwhite.
Hooker gets intimate for the hypnotic “Tupelo,” going solo throughout, before Cray’s on board for the funky “Baby Lee,” which pleads with a lover, requesting that she not do him wrong. David Hidalgo and Los Lobos along with harp player John “Juke” Logan provide the backing to “Dimples.” It’s a tribute to John Lee’s wife, which first appeared on the Vee Jay imprint in the mid-’50s.
Santana is back and the Latin feel returns for “Chill Out (Things Gonna Change)” before Cooder, Turner and a horn section take charge for “Big Legs Tight Skirt.” “Don’t Look Back,” which features Brown, Morrison and guitarist Danny Caron, follows before the bonus track, “Up and Down,” gives space for Johnson and guitarist Michael Osborn and brings the disc to a close.
Sure, there’s a lot of familiar material here. But don’t let that dissuade you. John Lee Hooker was a true American treasure whose voice and six-string fueled the blues world for more than five decades, and – in these modern times – it’s easy to go for the “now” and ignore the past. One listen to this, however, and you’ll know it’s special.
