Buddy Guy – ‘The Complete DJ Play My Blues Session’ – JSP Records JSPCD 203

The parties can be deeply divided when it comes to Buddy Guy.  Legions of blues fanatics are partial to the 1960s era Buddy Guy, where his guitar work was grounded to a larger scale upon touch, tone, and more measured volume, which is particularly different than the auditory assaults most frequently presented in his modern-day recordings.  Though, that ruckus may lay upon a shaky basis, as there is no denying the at-times feverish vocal and guitar attacks that Buddy afforded during his Chess Records time.  That’s always been a chunk of the lure of Buddy Guy; the fire.

The opposing Buddy Guy group appears to find its origins dating to the beginning of Buddy’s affiliation with the Silvertone record label, an alliance that launched in 1991.  Buddy’s Silvertone sides were molded in such a way as to carry the voluminous rage and boldness that he brought forth in performance to his zealous audiences.  Uncountable blues devotees want to face and “feel” the undeniable wallop of a contemporary Buddy Guy show, and the Silvertone recordings transport that sonic scale. 

However, the Silvertone productivity was not in fact the original passage into that aural bluster.  Early in the 1980s, Buddy made recordings for the British JSP Records label, and most specially, his commanding 1981 seven-track recording, D.J. Play My Blues, it remaining a substantial ideal of Buddy Guy caught at his supremely most untamed.

This ten-cut follow-up collection, offered five and one-half years after its predecessor, saw the label requesting of Guy that he provide additional tracks in a strict blues vein with absolutely no overtures toward commercializing the music by perhaps veering into a funkier style. 

And that’s exactly what Guy delivered, with him continuing to totally tower above the others on the three new selections, with only his brother Phil taking a turn on two vocals. 

Otherwise, across the satisfying expanse of this collection, it’s Buddy, his guitar, and vocals, with Phil also lending guitar support and the aforementioned singing, Doug Williams also checking in with guitar backing, Mike Morrison on bass, and Ray Allison on drums.

Perchance, this is truly Guy at his rawest best, intensely slashing and tearing with his guitar proficiencies, howling and braying away, with his sounds seemingly exploding from somewhere way down inside of him.  There is no negotiation whatsoever in Buddy’s approach here; it just seems profound and served rare.  This isn’t Buddy seeking the wider following he eventually enjoys.  No, this feels out-and-out pure.

Buddy Guy; undeniably!  What a notion!  A highly recommended CD!