Yet if Rogers revisits Delta classics with such energetic virtuosity, this album is clearly a Delta Blues one as confirmed by the three additional Johnson's numbers (“Judgment Day”, “Terraplane Blues” and “Kindhearted Woman”) and two from Skip James (“Devil Got My Woman”) and Elmore James (“Shake Your Moneymaker”). Rogers also included four exciting self-penned originals : “Hot To Trot/Ready To Go”, “Guilty Of Lovin' You”, “Feel So Blue” and “One More Time”.
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| Roy Rogers and... Roy Rogers |
I don't know if Rogers (not the actor) is “the best”, “one of the best” or just an excellent slide guitar player, all I know is that this album is really superb ! Rogers is amazing on guitar, his very personal slightly nasal vocal texture is quite appealing after a little time of adaptation, and last but not least the album is magnificently produced, recorded and mixed with an impressive work to get the best possible sound from each instrument as well as a great job on the arrangements of each track (for example the Afro-tropical percussion in the background of the Bo Diddley hambone beat “Guilty Of Lovin' You”). The result is irresistible !
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| With John Lee Hooker |
On fast rocking tracks or softer numbers, Rogers' guitar work, often produced by multiple overdubbing, sounds absolutely great. On his outstanding versions of “Judgment Day”, “Devil Got My Woman” where his dobro sounds particularly rootsy, and the lively “Terraplane Blues”. As well as on his own songs : “Hot To Trot/Ready To Go” and the excellent “Guilty Of Lovin' You”, both delivering a solid groove; the superb and sorrowful “Feel So Blue”, a song that sticks to your mind like glue; or the energetic version of “Shake Your Moneymaker” with his long-time pal Norton Buffalo shining on harmonica. Rogers never lets his incredible virtuosity take him on unwanted paths and he knows exactly what the word “groove” means. The man is brilliant !
It's not surprising from a musician who played during four years in the late John Lee Hooker's Coast to Coast band. He left in 1986 and released the present album the following year, before going back to Hooker, this time to produce four of the best-selling albums of the boogie king :“The Healer”, “Mr. Lucky”, “Boom Boom” and “Chill Out”.
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| With Bonnie Raitt |
To tell the truth, these last days I listened to this outstanding album over and over again, almost non-stop, totally addicted ! ■
Audio Interview, 2003 : https://youtu.be/YBhegNx7LdI
Live concerts
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| With Norton Buffalo |
► “Down Home Girl”, Mendocino, CA, 2004 : https://youtu.be/0s9Xwcne2tY
► Cruise Cafe, San Diego, CA, 2010 : |
| With Carlos Reyes |
► With Carlos Reyes, Telluride Blues & Brews Festival, CO, 2015 :
► “Baby Please Don't Go”, 2017 : https://youtu.be/RzgN6Bp_aHM
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