I found this video actually on the blog link on Adam Gussow's top ten all time blues harp greats page.
I had never seen it before but it is my favorite now.
Junior Wells and Buddy Guy, "Cryin' Shame", I think it definitely speaks volumes to Junior's playing and his place as one of the true greats of blues harp.
It's from a great film called Chicago Blues. It's worth owning if you dig Blues. If you like harmonica music, it may not hold your attention. The soundtrack is excellent and it includes some tunes by Koko Taylor and Mighty Joe Young that didn't make the film
By the way, the name of that tune is "Country Girl."
Last Edited by on Sep 06, 2010 2:57 PM
I always thought Junior Wells had the coolest sounding voice of any of the great harp players. In my opinion, once he started "trying to be James Brown", the bottom fell out of his act though. He was a top action hitter...no question about that.
@Joe Lee - I saw Junior several times during his last few years. He could really bring it.
In CA, his horn section went to the wrong club. He was backed by two guitar players (George Baze and Steve Ditzell), bass and drums (Willie Hayes). He played nothing but old school, traditional blues that sounded just like the live stuff he did for Vanguard. His last couple of tours here, he played a ton of Blues and a lot of harp. He made every note count.
I used to see him around Chicago a lot during the 80's. They should have made him the king of the city. Nobody ever cut Junior's head. Ever. He was the King of Cool.
I liked the funkier stuff he did, too. I'd rather see Junior do his thing, than 95% of the current crop of harp players.
@ shanester-Same here as blues harp influences go-I was attracted by the fast attack and notey runs both players seemed to favor. I've got an audio cut of a super-funky Junior Wells tune(no harp)called That's What Love Will Do To You(I think), and man, that band is jumpin'! Free-flowing horns all over the place. He really shined as a band leader, even without blowing harp. ----------
Crescent City Harmonica Club Todd L Greene, Co-Founder
I guess I will always hang on to the past re:jrwells of course buddy guy is still going strong but glad there are those that want to carry on the traditionalist way
That's a tough one to answer, schaef6o, because his sound to me is so recognizable.
When I first heard him I didn't know who he was and I loved his sound then.
I know he wasn't a super verbose technical harp player, which tends to bore me from a musical standpoint when overdone, but a less is more kind of guy, which I tend to prefer, but to my ears, what he played and how he played was very tasty.
@schaef6o - Yes. His execution is excellent. His phrasing and tone is fantastic. Most importantly, his vocals are top notch and he is in complete control of the band. His interaction with Buddy Guy is exquisite.
Maybe no one ever "cut" Junior's head-but he did get smacked in the head by Muddy after pulling a knife on him. Junior accused Muddy of letting one of the renters skip by rent free in Muddy's house-pulling a knife to get his point across. Muddy caught an unsuspecting Well's later that night,smacking him in the head-Buddy Guy asked Junior if he thought of fighting back-he said "no,I'm not going to mess with that old man"-you gotta admit-it takes HUGE ones to pull a knife on Muddy.
Last Edited by on Sep 07, 2010 6:07 PM
Great singer, not a very good harmonica player. His tone is very weak and the phrasing is awkward and boring. Nothing impressive about his playing, people are just reacting to the name. Why is he even on the top ten list? Amazing singer though ---------- WORLD CLASS HARMONICA PLAYER
works for me...all his playing i've heard seems to fit the song spot on...that hoodoo man blues album is the duck's guts for me...and the live work with buddy guy...i dunno...great team i thought
not a good harp player?....wonder how he got his legendary status?apparently the vast majority of the blues world thought he blew harp pretty good
Last Edited by on Sep 08, 2010 10:17 AM
I saw him live a bunch of times in the 80's. I never thought he was a great harmonica player, but I never felt the need to say he's uninspiring. Anyone that is tring to learn how to play octaves could get alot hours out of hoodoo man! He was a great entertainer!!!! That was his whole thing. He loved the music and had fun doing it! That to me is worth the price of admission!
to all the big posters take gussows messin with the kid lesson probably just a warm up for you then post your best effort--thats a challenge dont write cheques with your post that you cant back up with your gob
When you listen to Junior do you actually think, whew, that's great singing, I just wish he got Big Walter on harp?
I think to most who appreciate his music, his playing is equally important.
One could look at him as primitive and say "I could play that", and I'm sure they could, but would they, and would what they did come up with provide the same power to the song?
I think the kind of great playing that I am speaking to and that he represents to me is taste, space, and a signature sound all his own, sort of the dark side of the moon of musicality, not near so analyzed as the technical side.
Taste is definitely subjective, but his playing totally drove, enhanced the music and pulled greatness out of his fellow musicians.
eric clapton said that little walter was his fav harp player but that his skills were raw even on harp but his passion and delivery were so explosive-I dont think jr was the best ever but will not pick the greatest ever its way too objective
i really like it. the thing i wonder about most is where he grabs the neck of Guy's guitar at the end of each solo. It almost seems a sign of disrespect and control, but it could just be part of the show they agree on. Anybody know the story on that?
Also when you think about it that abrupt stop really added something, brilliant.
Most guys after their lead kind of fade into the song or play some parting notes. The absence of that made a difference, it would be hard to communicate in the moment.
Maybe they agreed in advance or not, but I would guess Buddy respected Junior's command of the song either way... ---------- Shane
@Zack no you did not say you were better than jrwells and I think little walter was better also-it just came across that jrwells did not deserve his legendary status--no doubt in my mind he does-but why keep score? that way nobody wins or loses
Junior Wells is a great harmonica player, and for me it is the Hoodoo Man Blues album that seals the deal. This live clip does not make or break his reputation ( though I think it shows both the strengths and weaknesses of his playing). No harmonica player has been badder than junior on that record album, so what if he is trying to be soul brother number # 2 on snatch it back and hold it. Listen the transparency of his tone, the breathiness and physicality; the presence of his breath flowing across the reeds. I've never heard anything like it. I saw him a couple of time with Buddy Guy in the 70's and it was nothing to write home about. But the Hoodoo Man Blues album is for me a benchmark of great Chicago Blues.
I think Junior was a lot like Albert King. He did a lot of things that are deceptively simple, yet know one is capable of re-creating what he did. Even fewer could sing like he did. He also wrote some great classic tunes.
Some players, I wouldn't cross the street to see. I've driven hundreds of miles to see Junior Wells. In my opinion, Junior was the complete package and the Real Deal[tm].
If he couldn't play, Muddy Waters wouldn't have hired him. If he couldn't play, he wouldn't have recorded with Bonnie Raitt. If he couldn't play, he wouldn't have toured with the Rolling Stones. In his later years, he was operating on only one lung.
He was an American musical legend, who happened to be a damn fine harp player.
Agree with Joe, Jr. Wells = the complete package. Better than one might think (see Adams lessons) and a hell of an entertainer. Techincal prowness on the harp ain't all it takes. That alone, bores the hell out of me. ---------- Rob
Yes, that breathiness, is huge part of it...he had a way of emoting through the harp that was so Blues and so powerful in dynamics.
His sound reminds me of Rocky all beat up, eyes swollen shut, face covered with blood, pulling himself up on the ropes on the count of eight, shaking it off, beating his gloves together and jumping back in the ring and saying "I ain't done yet". (If a sound could say that, lol) ---------- Shane
I think Butterfield was THE singer/harp player. And Joe, I am going to see Charlie soon which should be pretty darn cool. Maybe he's one of those acts that are better live?
Zack - Charlie is cool. I've met him a couple of times. He's got a tight band and those guys are friends of mine. They are some of the baddest players in the business.
I am convinced a musician cannot be at his or her best in an intoxicated state-it can cause them to be booed off stage-alcohol negatively impacts coordination,timing,judgement you name it goes south-that being said and I know it may be hearsay but jrwells and walter horton were not consistent due to showing up intoxicated
Zack if you haven't seen charlie before then your in for a treat! He is one of the nicest people on the face of this rock. If anyone on this board uses ET tuned harps then you owe it to yourself to buy two CD's from charlie: ACE OF HARPS and SIGNITURE. He played Lee Oskars back then. LO's came out in 82' and they were a big deal back then. I played them from 88' to 96'. It was perfect timing for me. I put alot of hours on those two CD's. If you play JI tuned harps then THE HARMONICA ACCORDING TO CHARLIE MUSSLEWHITE is a good CD also. Every time I talked to Charlie he was a very nice person!!!!! Technically I would put him way above Junior! If you disagree that's fine, but listen to the two Cd's I mentioned then go back and listen to Junior.
