Lightning Hopkins – Po’ Lightnin’ – Arhoolie Records CD 403

In his 70 years of a life well-lived, Houston, Texas blues singer, guitarist, pianist, and storyteller supreme Lightning Hopkins logged an astonishing quantity of releases, and the majority, if not all, really, are matchless assemblages of blues poetry.  My research on Hopkins proposes that he recorded 86 albums, released in excess 130 singles, and emerges on north of 200 anthologies.  Certain evaluations suggest that Hopkins chronicled, either solo or with others, amongst 800-1,000 total songs.

Here reside 19 selections of Hopkins blues brilliancy, laid down between 1961-1969, with the master Houston bluesman proffering the entire broad extent of his musical luminosity on acoustic and electric guitar, plus on organ, an instrument upon which he has historically not been given sufficient credit for his proficiency.

Across the breadth of this collection, as is ostensibly the case with any Hopkins outing, his magnificent output completely slakes one’s blues thirst.  Recorded in an untainted, incisive method (as is the case with any Arhoolie recording), this 1995 release finds Hopkins in inspired vocal shape, interweaving accounts as diverse of subjects to speak to all types of life’s quandaries.  Joining Hopkins on this collection on various cuts are “Gino” Henry Landry on bass, and both Spider Kirkpatrick and Victor Leonard on drums.  But understand that this is Hopkins’ blues romp from front-to-back, and the listener’s attention will always, by necessary and appropriate default, fall to his substantial contributions and bearings.  As is typical with Hopkins, there is not a clunker in this blues cluster.

Any Lightning Hopkins jaunt is worthy of a serious listen and examination.  But, Po’ Lightnin’ is not just any anthology.  Once again, this set finds Hopkins at his optimum, armed with his always-economical-yet-never-cliched guitar campaigns, and his supreme vocal narratives of fate, sorrow, regret, desire, and jubilation.  Any comprehensive personal blues collection should comprise this Hopkin’s CD within it.  This blues manuscript satisfies the need to experience unfailingly first-class Lightning Hopkins blues substance.

Essential!  Pick it up today!