Eddie Kirkland – I’ll Move You Baby – Bluesin’ In Detroit 1950-1961  – Jasmine Records JASMCD3189

Released in March, 2022, this expansive 28-cut collection features 20 of Kirkland’s outings under the Eddie Kirkland, Little Eddie Kirkland, and Eddie Kirkland And His Houserockers names, plus seven delicious selections that find him in support of deep bluesman John Lee Hooker.  Kirkland’s recordings indeed hail from the 1950-1961 era, while the Hooker tunes come from the 1951-1953 period.

Kirkland was unique in that he was a Jamaican-born bluesman who had the distinctive experiences of having recorded with the aforementioned Hooker and soul great Otis Redding.  A flamboyant and passionate stage performer, Kirkland’s skills on the guitar and harmonica, plus his strong singing, earned him high respect and praise from both audiences and fellow blues artists.

This superlative release is important because it collects Kirkland’s prime-period solo releases on one CD (a very difficult place to find his early cuts), with many of the sides unreleased at the time of their recordings.  Plus, Kirkland’s contributions to fellow Detroit bluesman Hooker’s offerings indicate both how musically cohesive the pair were together, and just how viable the Detroit blues scene was at one time.

If you are unaware or only have a peripheral understanding of Kirkland’s mighty brand of blues, this one is a great place to begin.  He made many additional solid recordings over the course of his career, but this one stands out for highlighting Kirkland at his earliest and rawest best.

Highly recommended!