[Slowhand] Hubert Sumlin: About Them Shoes

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Hubert Sumlin: About Them Shoes

Cover album from legendary bluesman and Howlin' Wolf guitarist Hubert 
Sumlin, with songs from the repertoire of Wolf's Chicago arch-rival in the 
'50s and '60s, Muddy Waters. Recorded in New York in the fall of 2000 and 
spring 2001, the album features guest appearances by rock stars and blues 
aficionados like Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Levon Helm of The Band, 
Waters sideman Bob Margolin, bassist Mudcat Ward of the J. Geils Band and 
many more. Officially released by Warner/WEA in the winter of 2003.
Levon Helm also appeared together with David Johansen, Jimmy Vivino, and 
Mike Merritt on Sumlin's guitar instruction video The Blues Guitar of Hubert 
Sumlin, recorded for Homespun Tapes in 1999.
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Hubert Sumlin's About Them Shoes is a refreshingly pure blues recording 
which comes at a time when others are distorting the genre with various 
"contemporary" elements. The songs are from the repertoire of Muddy Waters . 
seven tunes written by Waters (McKinley Morganfield), four by Willie Dixon, 
one from Carl C. Wright, and a beauty by Sumlin to close things out. Dixon's 
"I'm Ready" starts things off with Eric Clapton on lead guitar and vocals, 
the drums of Levon Helm, and Paul Oscher's oozing harmonica filling in 
nicely with David Maxwell's piano. It's bouncy and shows a side of Clapton 
not often present on his own albums. Sumlin's lead is tasty, giving way to 
Oscher's equally gritty wail. Waters' own "Still a Fool" has Keith Richards 
on lead vocals and sharing the guitar chores with Sumlin. It's got that 
Rolling Stones-ish ragged edge that producer Rob Fraboni knows so well; 
Fraboni's guiding hand never gets in the way of the musical process that 
flows across the CD. James Cotton's harp comes in to spice up "She's Into 
Something," which features percussionist George Recile on lead vocals and 
Helm back on the skins. Helm plays drums on eight of the 13 tracks, Recile 
on four, with the final number, Hubert Sumlin's only original, "Little Girl, 
This Is the End," closing the set without percussion. "Little Girl" features 
a charming interplay between Keith Richards and Sumlin's guitars, while Paul 
Nowinski adds a full-bottom bass to round things out. It's Sumlin's only 
vocal contribution to the disc, and that voice swims in Fraboni's mix of 
upfront guitars. This particular song was premiered on Holly Harris' Blues 
on Sunday program on December 15, 2002, a few months before the album's 
release, and played next to the remastered "Love in Vain" from Let It Bleed, 
one could see why the distinctive Richards style is such an important 
component of the Rolling Stones' success. The two Keith Richards tracks as 
well as the two contributions from Clapton will get immediate attention, and 
they do not disappoint, but Blondie Chaplin's vocal on "Look What You've 
Done" as well as Paul Oscher's on "Come Home Baby" deserve to not get lost 
in the shuffle. Nathaniel Peterson and George Recile also get to take the 
mic (with David Johansen about to add some vocals at press time), but none 
of the changing voices disrupt the vibe or take away from the fun. These 
blues aren't sad, they are charging, energetic performances from musicians 
who catch the groove and drive it for all it's worth. Maxwell's piano on 
Waters' "Come Home Baby" adds frills behind the guitars of Sumlin and Bob 
Margolin, while Oscher's harmonica just screams. It's a stunning blend of 
tension and dynamite, and one of the disc's highlights. About Them Shoes 
could have taken the marquee talent and gone for a glitzy platform to bring 
Hubert Sumlin into the mainstream. Instead, they dive headfirst into what 
this music is all about, and in doing so have come up with a 
mini-masterpiece. It's one of those records that can run endlessly in the CD 
player and keep entertaining. Hopefully it will expand the audience of this 
deserving virtuoso
--Joe Viglione, All-Music Guide

http://theband.hiof.no/albums/hubert_plays_muddy.html