Published on Oct 12, 2000
If you want to get a good introduction to the Chicago blues
sound, Luther Allison is a great introduction. With a listen to his
scorching guitar solos and his raw voice, Allison captured the
essence of Chicago blues: that it is not necessarily a sound, but a
feeling. Being fortunate enough to live in the city that has the
legendary blues bar, the Zoo Bar, I had a good introduction to an
artist who never let a genre peg his style down.
His
Live In Chicago double disc is almost too much to take in.
Allison played the Chicago circuit in the middle and late 1970s
before he relocated overseas. And by listening to
Live In Paris, you get a feeling that Allison was ready for
a change. Unlike far too many live albums,
Live In Paris has the crowd responding politely. In fact,
you never hear a crowd roar. It may be because the recording wanted
to focus entirely on Allison or it could be that the audience was
listening to a sound that they typically don’t hear.
The songs on
Live In Paris have a simplicity that can raise the hairs on
your arms. “Crazy Jealous,” “My Babe” and “I’m Leavin'” showcase
Allison’s straightforward style of blues playing. Allison’s banter
with the crowd is ripe with “thank yous” and “you’ve been such a
wonderful audience.” But coming from his voice and listening to his
electric playing, you believe it.
Many fans and critics are drawn to Allison’s no-frills approach
to music. No glitzy marketing, no computerized samples or beats,
just straightforward playing. However, those appreciate Allison for
just that are missing the point of his style. Yes, his musical
approach was free of some of the many unnecessary elements
associated with making albums. However, Allison’s music is anything
but simple.
His guitar playing is an amazing hybrid of blues, rock and
…something else. It seems that in listening to songs like
“Thrill Is Gone,” “Early In The Morning” and “I Can’t Quit You
Babe,” Allison is playing notes that NEED to be played to convey
his emotions and not necessarily because they fit a traditional
rock and blues method. That is the mark of a gifted guitarist.
Some artists actually do better playing to a non-initiated
audience than to the converted. With the magic captured in
Live In Paris, I have to put Allison in that place. Not that
his blues shows in Chicago or hell, even Lincoln, Nebraska were not
amazing, but Allison was always a musician who enjoyed a challenge.
Sadly, that legacy ended in 1997 shortly after he was diagnosed
with cancer. Luckily for fans of Allison and fans-to-be, his live
albums almost capture the essence of what it was like to be those
smoky, packed, beer and rum soaked clubs that he performed in.