Buddy Flett (born Bruce Mechlin Flett in 1951) is a survivor : he spent several years recovering from a nasty viral encephalitis which required a medically-induced coma followed by a month-long intensive rehabilitation in hospital. He contracted the virus while on a blues cruise playing with the famous Mississippi-Arkansas bluesman Hubert Sumlin (1931-2011), his master, his mentor, his friend, himself mentored by the legendary Howlin' Wolf during the two decades spent as his first guitarist…
From his long recovery fight to reach back his full musical potential, Flett emerged as a better artist than ever, filled with a unique soulfulness. He is not one of those flashy guitar technicians, but is a true blues singer from head to toe, as this magnificent album proves.
The shadow of Sumlin is haunting specific titles like the classic “Bad Luck and Trouble” and of course “Born In Mississippi (Mr. Hubert)”, but his influence shows on most of the tracks, as the gritty-greasy “Third House On The Left”, the appealing “Honky Tonk”, the heartfelt “Nothin' Easy”....
The album's material was recorded live and solo for most of it, with Flett alone on his amplified acoustic guitar, open tuned and often slide, his fingers hitting hard on the strings while his foot stomps heavily on the bass drum. The twelve tracks have been finely recorded by the sound engineer (unfortunately I couldn't find his name) in different music venues or studios through Louisiana (in his native Shreveport), Arkansas (Little Rock) and Mississippi (Water Valley).
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| David Egan |
His instrumental soberness leaves the way wide opened for his bewitching voice and his sense of melody. Two songs are co-written with his long-time accomplice pianist and talented composer David Egan (1954-2016) : the poignant “First You Cry” (covered by Percy Sledge in 1994) which has a diffuse echo of “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (Procol Harum), and the pounding blues “Good To Ya Baby” (covered by Tab Benoit in 2007).On most of his blues-based songs, Flett brings his very personal melodic touch, for example on his delicate version of Duane Allman's “Lil' Martha”, the only instrumental number of the album.
This moving blues opus closes with “Sylvie”, a fine country blues from the legendary Louisiana bluesman Huddie Ledbetter aka Leadbelly (1888-1949).
Once again, the most impressive instrument featured on “Rough Edges” is Flett's voice, filled with rare emotional intensity. His very personal blues approach reminds me that of another Louisiana artist : Johnny Sansone. And God knows this is a true compliment ! ■
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| Sumlin with Howlin' Wolf |
► Huddie William “Lead Belly” Ledbetter died in 1949 in New York City and is buried in the Shiloh Baptist Church Cemetery in his native town of Mooringsport, Caddo Parish, Louisiana.Videos
► Also at the Cajun Steamer Autumn Jam Fest., Longview, TX, 2015 : 
► "Tenaha” & “Mississippi Sea", Shedhead Festival, Fort Bayou, Ocean Springs, MS, 2013 : https://youtu.be/4I2wrQFQ3GM |
| On stage with Hubert Sumlin |
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