Born in July 1913 in Belzoni, Mississippi, Joseph William Perkins became the legendary pianist we know by accident : originally playing guitar, his left arm tendons were badly injured in a knife fight in Helena, Arkansas, in the 1940s. Unable to play guitar anymore, he could have given up music definitely. But Mr Perkins is an obstinate man who loved playing music so much that instead of that he switched to piano ! I don't know if he was a good guitarist or not, but his lucky star decided differently, for the best as far as we are concerned.
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| Earl Hooker |
The original was written by Clarence Smith (1904-1929), nicknamed “Pinetop” Smith. As far as the specialists know, it was the first time the term "boogie woogie" was ever used on a record, and it soon became the moniker for the genre. A genre that Perkins adopted, as confirmed on this album.
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| In Muddy Waters band |
Perkins then relocated to Illinois but, for reasons unknown to me, stayed away from the music business until 1968 when Earl Hooker persuaded him to record again.
Most of the time after the LBB disbanded, he played as a renowned sideman on an impressive numbers of recordings (for example, Buddy Guy & Junior Wells “Drinkin' TNT 'n' Smokin' Dynamite” in 1982).
It's only in 1988 that he released the first album under his name, “After Hours” (with Little Mike And The Tornadoes). “On Top” came out in 1992, featuring among others Jerry Portnoy, Ron Levy and Paul Rishell… Other “Top” albums followed in the 1990s and early 2000s, like “Live Top” (1995), “Pinetop Is Just Top” (1999), and this one “Back On Top” (2000).Altogether he appears as leader, but most of the time as co-leader, on more than thirty albums or compilations, like “Legends” with Hubert Sumlin (1998) or “Eye To Eye” with Ronnie Earl, Calvin "Fuzz" Jones & Willie "Big Eyes" Smith (1996).
A jubilant collection of top-notch titles, this album opens with an Earl Hooker standard : “Anna Lee”. Perkins takes it in a slow rural style, reminding both Perkins and Hooker's Mississippi roots. It is enlightened by Corey Harris' inspired steel guitar, while Perkins' deep and warm soulful vocals (with a slight speech flaw) are just catching.
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| 95 and still playing in the street at a Clarksdale blus festival! |
The version of his own original boogie “Down In Mississippi” which follows is outstanding. His powerful piano playing and definitely seducing vocal tone are underlined by the harmonica of the talented Sugar Ray Norcia and by Corey Harris on guitar. The “Down in Mississippi” chorus sticks to your mind for a long time after the album is finished.
His vocals get more grunting on his barrel-house version of the famous Leiber & Stoller's classic “Kansas City”, Harris adds the sound of his electric guitar, and your feet are gently stomping the tempo.
Perkins gives heartfelt vocals on the slow and intense “Five Long Years” from Eddie Boyd while the excellent Denny Breau brings the appealing sound of his guitar. It's interesting to compare the different approach of this classic, from this Perkins' version to the Buddy Guy's cover I mentioned here lately.
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| Boogie-woogie lesson to Clint Eastwood |
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| A little visit from Mick Jagger |
Perkins' vocals sound almost as excited on the jumping “Just A Little Bit”, a Rosco Gordon song. Harris is on electric guitar and… woodblock for this stirring version.
“Thinks Like A Million”, written by Perkins himself, has also a stick-to-your-mind chorus. Harris and Norcia enrich this mid-tempo boogie superbly played by the young elderly veteran.
For the final, Perkins chose a deep slow blues, one of those in which musicians let all the sorrow hidden in the bottom of their soul flow out : his own “Pinetop's Blues”. No need of words to express such feelings, so this is an instrumental. Perkins piano sounds great and Norcia and Harris are totally in the mood.
Let's salute the two musicians who ensure the flawless beat of the ten tracks : bassist Michael “Mudcat” Ward and drummer Per Hanson.
A good while since I heard an album of such even quality. Not the slightest little bit of shadow of a bad track ! Pure jubilation all along. ■
► “Ida B.” with Bob Margolin, Mountain Stage Festival, Charleston, WV, 2001 : https://youtu.be/lnYxYrPMxo8
► “Mojo Workin'”, Mont-Tremblant International Blues Festival, Quebec, Canada, 2008 : https://youtu.be/DReSRpccc8Q
► With Bob Margolin, Bob Stroger & Sugar Blue, Blues Hondarribia, Spain, 2010 (very capricious video) : https://youtu.be/RHspYYMwTVw |
| R.I.P |
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