Our Blues Roots: Champion Jack Dupree and his guitarists

[Don D.]

Champion Jack Dupree recorded some really great blues in the 1950s. One of the reasons was the company he kept, Larry Dale (born Ennis Lowery, that was the name he used when he recorded with Champion Jack) and Mickey Baker were two of his main accompanists; this Blues Roots is going to focus on the three of them.

If you only have a little time, don’t miss “South of France Blues” in Mickey Baker’s section.

This was the week I had planned to attend the annual Blues and Swing Week at the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College (when this year’s concerts become available online, I’ll do a feature). Meanwhile, life intervened—next year for sure—and instead I’ve heard some great playing at Terra Blues, SaRon Crenshaw and his quartet were playing the best I’d ever heard them, and Bobby Radcliff, playing with an acoustic trio, was electrifying the house, as always. Both of these guys are the best of NYC blues. It isn’t Chicago (or Memphis or St. Louis), but I could do a feature on them and the scene here if there’s interest (the clips below aren’t from this week).

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Champion Jack Dupree was an orphan, a boxer, a veteran, a bluesman and much more (check the link in his name for the Wikipedia overview).

Some of his 1940s–1950s singles, collected in album form.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYDfChDNEIfgFYE5UIABnIfp3Vt42OS0B

A test pressing recorded February 20, 1954 (no guitar, but oh what a sound).

Blues from the Gutter (recorded February 4, 1958), with Larry Dale
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNQbJb-t3lcpIg17gVkUf2TjMsHXCUnrU

Champion Jack’s Natural & Soulful Blues , lots of the English rockers on here, including Alexis Korner (1960)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTxa14jYFBBDiL4a3H4Zo_TMLL3IhNnxo

From New Orleans To Chicago with Eric Clapton playing guitar on the first and last songs, Tony McPhee of the Groundhogs playing wherever else guitar is heard (1966).
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl2fbdg2cxF1cw7OJGIVREd11sDTN3Mr_

Champion Jack Dupree and His Blues Band featuring Mickey Baker (1967). Mickey Baker enters on the fourth song, “When Things Go Wrong” (his take on Tampa Red’s “It Hurts Me Too”), at 7:39—a case study in how to play lowdown blues guitar.

Here’s a page of YouTube albums, about 40, some are likely equal to the ones I’ve highlighted.

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“Midnight Midnight” from The Wildest Guitar, complete album in link (1959). The album is a mixed bag to my ears, some of it is very great, some isn’t—“Midnight Midnight” is one of the coolest instrumentals ever.

“South of France Blues,” top of the top of the top of the top

From The Blues and Me with Arnett Cobb (tenor), Willie Mabon (tenor) and Panama Francis (drums) on “Sweetie Cat”; with Jimmy Rogers (guitar) and The Aces (Louis Myers, harmonica, guitar; Dave Myers, bass; Fred Below, drums) on “Don’t Try to Play Me for a Clown” (1973)

“Blues Before Sunrise” (1975)

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“Feelin’ All Right” (1955)

“Please Tell Me” (1955)

“Drinkin’ Wine-Spo-Dee-O-Dee” (1962)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_m8QwOHJAvA

“Rock a While” (1969)

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Chris Strachwitz , founder, president and owner of Arhoolie Records, is first and foremost a fan and a scholar or the blues. His website contains so much valuable blues-related information, even a casual fan will probably find something that appeals to them.

Here’s the site for Arhoolie Records. Here’s the far more valuable and interesting Arhoolie Foundation website .

This Earl Hooker interview is one of my favorites. If you don’t know who he is, check out this playlist.

[The Arhoolie Archive section, above, is a repeat from an earlier Blues Roots.]

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“High Rise Blues” is the latest addition to the playlist below. Chico Chism (leader, vocals), Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Dawkins (guitar), Billy “the Kid”
Emerson (piano), Smokey Smothers (bass), Lester Davenport (drums), 1979

Don D.

[Don D.]

This is basically Champion Jack Dupree’s band of the time playing with Cousin Leroy (Leroy Rozier; vocal, haromonica, guitar). Champion Jack Dupree (piano when it’s included), Larry Dale (guitar), Sid Wallace (bass), Gene Brooks (drums); New York City, July 1, 1955

All the same, except August 1957

Don D.

[Tremelow]

Thanks for this one, Don. I watched a few of the videos and enjoyed them very much. Great music, will continue listening later.

[Don D.]

Hey Kevin, I’m glad you checked this one out—thanks for letting me know. I hope people won’t sleep through it. While I didn’t spell it out, some of these records were strong influences on the music that followed—stories in the links; here’s an essential one, a discography with links to some of the songs, that I forgot to include.

A lot of people probably remember this blues in G, even if they didn’t have From New Orleans to Chicago, Eric Clapton on guitar.
https://youtu.be/hCYCexPfKP0

She knows it too!

Don D.

[JohnStrat]

Don only time to listen to rock me Baby so far but this sort of playing hits the nail for me Wish i could do it and sing along too.. what a great gift. thanks for the post
JohnStrat

[Don D.]

Hey John, thanks for checking it out. If you can’t listen right now, file some of it away for a rainy day. Those two live B&W clips of Mickey Baker are just incredible if you can squeeze them in (I think all this stuff is incredible, hard to pick favorites, but being able to see him play gives them an edge).

Don D.

[Randy G]

Thank you for the education so much to learn. I never heard of Sharon crenshaw amazing talent.

[Don D.]

Hi Randy, it’s my pleasure! It’s great to see someone new checking this out. SaRon Crenshaw tours around the U.S., and his website with a touring calendar is in the link in his name at the top.

There’s an archive of old Blues Roots in the Forum if you want to look up a favorite or just go flipping through to see what you might discover.

Don D.

[Don D.]

CORRECTION: Of the two “blues in A” above, only one is actually in A.

Junior Wells’ “Just for My Baby” (from one of his great collaborations with Buddy Guy, Pleading the Blues, recorded October 31, 1979) is in F, it starts on the IV chord, which is actually Bb. Experts think he used a capo, because the F acts like an E, with open strings.

Don D.

[James B]

Hey Don, ‘Blues Before Sunrise’ was my favorite. Just Mickey and the acoustic singing the blues. A fine performance.

James

[Don D.]

Hey James, thanks for checking in. I have to agree, great version of a great song. That song would make a good topic for an upcoming Blues Roots.

Don D.

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