Sonny Terry – Whoopin’ – Alligator Records ALCD 4734

Terry was indeed a titan in the blues world.  His long association with guitarist and fellow singer Brownie McGhee saw the pair perform for multitudes of fans everywhere.  Terry enjoyed a 60-year musical career, one that modestly began by busking on the Carolina streets and eventually found him gracing the stages of international venues. 

In his mid-teen years, Terry lost his ability to see, with his father teaching him how to play the harmonica.  This led to Terry’s street playing where he befriended the highly influential blues guitarist and vocalist Blind Boy Fuller, resulting in a partnership that eventually found the two recording for the Vocalian label. 

Terry was an acoustic blues harmonica artisan whose trademark style was fashioned in a piercing and “whooping” manner that was and continues to be adopted by blues musicians the world over.

On this ten-cut release, Terry is paired to very great effect with Texas blues rock guitarist Johnny Winter, legendary blues bassist and songwriter Willie Dixon, and drummer Styve Homnick.  Terry’s signature warm harmonica tenor is on full display in all its terrific and engaging glory.  The humble instrument, in Terry’s hands, is a rhythmic driving force, always framed within his astounding control, with his pleasing throaty vocals conveying his blues expressions, all the while his signature audible harmonica ”whoops” gracing his contributions. 

It’s as if Terry finally found his latter-day blues allies among all involved, with Winter highly reverential on guitar and piano, and Dixon laying a rock-solid low-end framework.  Homnick’s percussion is ideally constructed.

In many ways, this is Terry’s ultimate work, a three-day recording project that endures for its quality and excitement 41 years later.

Highly recommended!