Fred McDowell – Mississippi Delta Blues – Arhoolie Records CD 304 

The blues revival was in full swing, and Chris Strachwitz, the visionary behind the famed Arhoolie Records label, was recording all manner of fine artists.  Aligning with field trips to Como, Mississippi, the home of McDowell, Strachwitz captured Delta blues in its most pure form.  Here, McDowell is memorialized with 19 astounding acoustic selections (two with vocals by Eli Green) that encapsulate a magnificent relic of the classic Delta variety where coarse, arresting vocals and bottleneck slide guitar co-exist.  This is McDowell at the zenith of his musical capacities.  An implausible plane of strength and sentiment are attained across this collection.  McDowell’s primal vocals oblige as an idyllic counterpoint to his vibrant slide guitar labors.  This is slashing blues slide guitar, steel on steel, ringing and penetrating, with vocals that sharply emphasize the story-at-hand.  McDowell was an enormous inspiration on rock bands such as the Rolling Stones, plus individual performers such as Bonnie Raitt. 

Below are the tracks on this astonishing CD.

Song Titles

• Write Me A Few Lines
• Louise
• I Heard Somebody Call
• 61 Highway
• Mama Don’t Allow
• Kokomo Blues
• Fred’s Worried Life Blues
• You Gonna Be Sorry
• Shake ‘Em On Down
• My Trouble Blues
• Black Minnie
• That’s Alright
• When I Lay My Burden Down
• Ain’t Gonna Be Bad No Mo’
• Do My Baby Ever Think Of Me
• Brooks Run Into The Ocean (vocal by Eli Green)
• Bull Dog Blues (vocal by Eli Green)
• Frisco Line
• You Gotta Move

Absolutely essential to any creditable blues collection!