Big George Brock
Round Two
Cat Head
75-year-old Big George Brock knows the blues. And, he shares them unselfishly on Round Two. Recorded live with no overdubs on
May 12th and 13th, 2006, at Electric Catfish Studio in Oxford, Mississippi for Cat Head Records, Brock does what he does best –
sings and blows the blues.
The CD kicks off with an eight second intro from Brock "Yeah, I learned to sang the blues out in the cotton fields…out in them
lonesome cotton fields where I learned to sang the blues". And after the work was done (and that would be when the sun decided the
day was done), he went out and did just that. This is not music for broad daylight. Something here demands dusk to dawn play, low,
maybe even bad lighting, the smell of smoke and whiskey. One listen to this CD, and I had a theory that the slow, sexy grooves
would work even when the lights were out. (I was right, by the way.)
In addition to Brock on vocals and harmonica, the session included legendary Howlin’ Wolf guitarist Hubert Sumlin on two tracks,
"So Long" penned by Brock and "Shake For Me" the classic Willie Dixon Song. The two hadn’t hung out since those days long ago
when Sumlin played with Wolf, so the musical sparks flew between the two and were, thankfully, captured here.
This CD is for those who love blues harp, who like to kick their shoes off when they dance and for people who aren’t ashamed to
have a good time no matter where they are.
Brock wrote 9 of the 13 tracks, and also arranged the traditional tune "Burden Down". No need to try to label this one kind of music
or another – this is the kind of blues a real bluesman plays when he’s doing his thing, letting it flow real and natural to be what it is.
And what it is - well, it is great stuff! Traditional in style, basic in structure so the voice and the lyrics carry the tunes. Unpretentious.
Unvarnished. Unbelievable. If that’s how you like your blues, turn down the lights and turn up these tunes.
- Blue Lisa -
Southwest Blues CD Review - June 2007
Current Reviews - 2007 Reviews - available at our store
