Search - John Lee Hooker :: Unknown John Lee Hooker

Oh to have been a fly on the wall!

Steffan Ziegler | Seattle, WA USA | 08/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First, a few technicalities about the listing in the amazon catalog. First, when you obtain the cd, the album name could be "The Unheard John Lee Hooker." DO NOT PANIC. This is the same cd. Secondly, You will note that it has 20 tracks, rather than just the five listed here.I would say that my favorite songs are the duo "Old Blind Barnabus" and "Moses Struck the Waters" about halfway through. These two songs, more than any other, Hooker seems to really enjoy playing. He invests them both with a lot of power and a sort of driving, relentless rhythm. But I think that the whole album is excellent. Of all the CD's I've purchased this year, this would have to be my favorite.I would love to have been present when this recording was made. When I listen to it, through its hiss, its low levels, and the interruptions of the listeners in the attic room coughing and sometimes (heaven forbid,) even chatting, I get an impression of the young John Lee Hooker, alone with his guitar, stomping both his feet and just CHURNING out the old songs taught to him by his father and grandfather. It's absolutely incredible. You feel the power of those generations on your shoulders, you feel THERE.You just will not find this kind of personal power in a modern studio production. In the studio, work is rehearsed, stale notes are cut out, songs are chosen for their hooks and catchy phrases. You get the best performance, whether it has any soul or meaning. Here we get every wrong note, we get every mumbled phrase as Hooker searches his mind for the next verse. But we also get to hear him rushing the tempo, as he gets into a song, sometimes turning a slow spiritual into a wild ride. We get his fantastic off the cuff solos, sometimes single notes with the driving rhythm maintained by a single open string, other times incredible chorded solos, making use of minors and variations on the original chord. His expertise is evident, as well as his talent and enthusiasm. We can hear the power and ambiance that Hooker creates, and we can understand why he was and remains a collossus, a larger than life legend of blues, but we can also hear his humanity, and it brings him closer to us."

Historical relevance, not musical revelation

gigitralaine | 06/16/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Considering the circumstances, this early home recording of Hooker, made by cartoonist Gene Deitch, was able to record with decent sound fidelity. However, the hiss and static are noticably omni-present even at low volume levels. But what remains still is Hooker's characteristic style, making this a record for collectors and not the neophyte listener. The songs are mostly traditionals and spirituals. Please note the rating is mostly for sound quality and is not meant to be a criticism of Hooker's musical offering."