As it happens, this weekend was a good one for me to have the blues. That is to say, it was a good weekend for me to have all the VG condish, quality 1960s blues records I could find in Folkestone for a pound a piece!
His raggedy style was pretty well established by this point, but, as with Monk’s post-Blue Note Riverside and Prestige sides, John Lee Hooker’s post-Modern Records approach was still idiosyncratic enough, even in early maturity, to effectively be a sub-genre unto itself. His trademark fluid regard to measure counting certainly baffled his sidemen, who had great difficulty following the great man’s changes.
You’re Leavin’ Me, Baby, also available as That’s My Story – John Lee Hooker Sings the Blues, is particularly interesting as it features our hero in ‘authentic’ acoustic mode. At least, that’s how producer, and Riverside boss, Orrin Keepnews reckoned The Hook should be heard.
In fact, JLH sounds like JLH no matter the setting: you could char-broil that shizzle and it would still sound like JLH.
Thrifty Vinyl 