A man's redemption
 |
| In the early times |
The next twelve or thirteen years were a long depressing fall into cheap jobs, alcohol and homelessness, in Nashville were he moved in 1975 then in New Orleans from 1982. The story says he was sleeping in an old abandoned car at one time, and sometimes had to sell his plasma for a few dollars to survive...
 |
| "Little Melvin" Underwood |
Then a beam of hope on his hard life when he met New Orleans producer Carlo Ditta who asked him to sing on some demos he was working on in exchange for a job on Bourbon Street. A single was released in 1983 under the name Mighty Sam with the songs "Pray" and “Dancin' To The Music Of Love” (both will be re-revisited very differently three years later in the "Sledgehammer…" album), and in 1986, the Ditta recordings came out on a five-title mini-LP, "Your Perfect Companion", featuring in particular a deep soul cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" (and re-issued with a sixth track in 1994 on Ditta's Orleans Records).
 |
| Carlo Ditta |
 |
| Wayne Bennett |
 |
| John Harley & McClain in studio |
Harley was working with the AudioQuest Music label (later renamed Sledgehammer Blues) and their collaboration gave birth to the albums Give It Up To Love (1992), Keep On Movin' (1995) and Sledgehammer Soul & Down Home Blues (1996), all featuring Katz with some of his regular musicians, and Journey issued later in 1998 by AudioQuest."
 |
| Sandra McClain at a tribute concert a few weeks after McClain death |
From 1996, after getting rid of his alcohol addiction (he would have just stopped one day !), McClain had started to take control of his career, first by managing himself through McClain Productions, and later by launching with his wife Sandra his own label, Mighty Music, on which he released "One More Bridge To Cross" (2003), Betcha Didn't Know (2005) and his ultimate album, Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey) in 2008.
With Mahsa Vahdat
 |
| With Knut Reiersrud |
From 1995 Sam started to work closely with the multi-instrumentalist Pat Herlehy, who also became his co-arranger, engineer and co-producer. They remained close friends for 20 years and their last collaborations were released posthumously : Time And Change (Last Recordings) in 2016 on a Norwegian label, and A Diamond In The Rough in 2018 on Sledgehammer Blues (ex-AudioQuest).
In June 2015, McClain had lost his long battle against cancer and passed away at age 72.
____________________________
 |
| Bobby Bland with Wayne Bennett |
McClain's march to recognition was long and marked by tragic moments. He was almost 50 when his strong will and tenacity, with a little help from fortune (and a Japanese promoter), finally paid off in 1986 with a series of concerts in Japan with guitarist Wayne Bennett, both backed by a Japanese band, culminating in Tokyo where Live In Japan was recorded.
 |
| Sam Cooke, who created "A Change Is Gonna Come" |
He let all the frustrations of his dark years flow out through his voice. Here blues is not a concept but "the real thing" as they say. This opus has a global retro flavor, partly due to McClain covering some of his R&B songs recorded in the 1960s ("Sweet Dreams", his first success from 1966, "Talk To Me, Talk To Me", "Fannie Mae", "Dancin' To The Music Of Love"…)
This latter song and "Forgive and Forget" are the only titles co-written by McClain. Most of his repertoire comes for outside sources but the most important are McClain passionate interpretations, like for his outstanding version of "A Change Is Gonna Come" forged by his own experience. In his next album, he will sing mainly his own songs.
Nevertheless this live recording foreshadows the recurrent themes that will mark his later work : love seen almost as redemption, faith in God, revolt against social injustice… Actually, a number of tracks ("Sweet Dreams", "Pray", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Forgive And Forget", "Dancin' To The Music Of Love") will be re-recorded in his later albums. As for his voice it's already all there, warm, intense and deeply emotional.
His first real studio album "Give It Up To Love, recorded in 1992 and released by the end of the same year, is simply a masterpiece, a quintessence of what the blues is : not just a music but a cry from the soul. This is perfectly illustrated by his singing on "What You Want Me To Do", "Got To Have Your Love" or "I'm Tired Of These Blues", among other examples. Each one of the eleven tracks is just a superb moment where McClain transform poignant autobiographical experiences into universal messages.
 |
| Bruce Katz |
Instrumentally he is served by excellent musicians who sound as they understand perfectly what he wants to express. The band is led by the great Bruce Katz on piano and B-3 organ, and Lorne Entress' bass brings a deep warm flavor to the sound helped by Kevin Barry on guitar.
The lyrics of nine of the eleven tracks are signed McClain. From now on, he will pen all the lyrics of the songs featured on his albums, keeping just two or three tracks for significant covers, and from now on also, gospel inspiration will underlie most of his work.
Carried by organ and guitar, like the previous "Give It Up To Love", Keep On Movin' marks the discreet arrival of an additional four-piece horn section led by trumpet player and horn arranger Walter Platt, not yet baptized "Mighty Horns". From now on, all McClain's work will feature such a section enhancing his R&B and soul sound.
 |
| Kevin Barry |
Recorded in 1994 and released in 1995, this third opus sees McClain sign nine of the eleven tracks, like on the previous opus. The remaining two titles are covers of Al Green's "Lord Will Make a Way") and Ronnie Earl's "A Soul That's Been Abused".
If the album is maybe standing a small step below "Give It Up To Love" despite some outstanding gospel inspired blues tracks, it still belongs to his iconic trilogy of the mid-1990s.
The album features outstanding moving titles like "I'm So Lonely", Al Green's "Lord Will Make A Way", "Hold On To The Dream", "Don't Worry About Me", and the superb soulful version of Ronnie Earl's "A Soul That's Been Abused". Even his love songs often move to religious reflections.
The last part of the album is made of more energetic R&B like "Keep On Movin'", "I'm Sorry", and "Let's Have Some Fun" (a kind of revisit of the opening track), before ending with the slow melancholic "This Is All I Have To Say".
With this beautiful album, McClain confirms, if need be, that his vocal signature definitely places him among the greatest and most authentic soul blues singers.
Always directed by Platt, the horn section is now busier than ever, standing next to some fine newcomers : keyboardist George PapaGeorge replaces Katz on four tracks while guitarist Peter Giftos takes Kevin Barry's place on five tracks.
 |
| Peter Giftos |
Once again McClain wrote nine songs and co-wrote two, while he covers only one : Cranston Clements' "Bridge Of Faith". And he is delivering magnificent vocal performances on all tracks.
From the horn-filled R&B favored blues of the opening title track (message of universal love included) to the final late night romantic soul "Don't Write Me Off", McClain's voice is definitely the most thrilling instrument in the studio.
He takes us through great songs among which the pounding R&B "Where You Been So Long", an intense questioning on love, the outstanding swamp blues "When The Hurt Is Over" featuring great slide from Giftos, the two slow horn-filled blues "They Call Me 'Mighty'" and "If You Could See".
 |
| L to R: Earl King, Peter Giftos, McLain and RL Burnside |
A very made-in-New Orleans funk appears on engaging tracks like "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Dancin' To The Music Of Love", "Hey Miss Bea" and "Bridge Of Faith", while McClain revisit his 1984 song "Pray" with an appealing reggae beat.
"Sledgehammer Soul & Down Home Blues" is just sumptuous and certainly stands on the contest line with "Give It Up To Love" for the gold medal of McClain's best album.
1997-98 was his most productive year with two albums : "Journey", recorded in September 1997 and out in March 1998, and "Joy And Pain (Live in Germany)", captured in October 1997 and released in July 1998.
On Journey, McClain has lost nothing of his emotional intensity. Again backed for one part by Katz with his B-3 churchier than ever, and his guitarist Julian Kasper, and for the pother by the other guitarist Peter Giftos and keyboards player George PapaGeorge, these 12 new tracks have a deep gospel and funk flavor.
The "journey" is an allegory for McClain's chaotic early life that has been recounted above. Dramatic songs as "Thank You", "Hanging On The Cross (Between Heaven And The Blues)", "Somebody Help Me" or "A Change Is Gonna Come" (re-recorded in studio eleven years after the Tokyo concert) exhale as much despair as hope of redemption through faith in God. McClain expresses all this with a unique vocal poignancy.
He is carried by the same appealing musicians as on "Journey", with the exception of Katz and Kasper, and Tim Ingles' roaring bass is particularly impressive, bringing an oppressing pounding feeling.
 |
| George PapaGeorge |
Most of the titles stretch from 6 to 10 minutes, with outstanding versions of the boogie "What You Want Me To Do?", the swampy "Where You Been So Long", the soulful slow blues "I'm So Lonely" and most of all "A Soul That's Been Abused", with the hornful R&Bs "Forgive And Forget", enlightened with the fine sax solo of Paul Ahlstrand, and "Lord Will Make A Way". And last but not least, the great "Long Train Runnin'", one of McClain's staples.
Let's say it, this live is much better than the 1986 one. Lucky Germans !
The two Telarc albums might sound a bit disappointing to many ears, as they do to mine. Not that they're musically bad, no, but simply because we got used to the high energy of McClain until now and that the two Telarc albums, though sill produced by Joe Harley, miss some of it.
Recorded in September 1999, released in June 2000, Blues For The Soul is more devoted to blues as its title announces. Katz is back mainly on piano, Ingles is still on bass and the guitar is now in the hands of Kevin Belz, particularly efficient on slide.
 |
| The musicians of the Blues For The Soul sessions in studio: click to enlarge and read the caption |
The main subject of the songs is love, a Christian conception of love meaning love for the others. McClain is now 56 and seems to have reached a peace of mind globally reflected by the calmer and slower pace of the tracks.
Personally, I find this opus a bit less exciting than the previous albums although McClain remains a very appealing singer but the sparks of vocal energy of the past have vanished somehow, despite a few musical stand-outs like "Going Back To New Orleans" (my favorite), "Mighty's Prayer", the jazzy "Can't Stand It" or "Not I".
It is also a very Christian album, but that isn't the reason of my lower appreciation.
Sweet Dreams (recorded in December 2000, released in 2001) confirm McClain new quieter style despite the appealing horn section and excellent tracks as "Standing in the Wings".
Fortunately One More Bridge To Cross, released in 2003 on McClain's own label Mighty Music, shows a surge of the energy of the first works. Is it due to McClain self production ? To his new label ? To his collaboration with a new group of musicians (his friend Pat Herlehy, now in the Mighty Horns, took charge of the horns arrangements and plays saxophone, Chris Tofield on guitar…) ? The fact is that McClain's energy is back, with exciting titles like "Are You Ready For Love", "What's Your Name" and its slight Latin beat...
The funk turn is definitely confirmed with the excellent Betcha Didn't Know, recorded in the autumn 2004 and released in 2005, from the gripping horn-filled opener "Can't Stop The Funk". But the gospel spirit is still ready to flow out as soon as the chance comes up. And it comes up on the next equally gripping "Lift Me Up". Herlehy is irreproachable on his jazzy-flavored guitar ("Betcha Didn't Know"). And perfectly deserving their name, the Mighty Horns are as impressive, each instrument of the holy trinity of horns being doubled : two trumpets, two trombones and two tenor saxes !
Other record, no less than 16 singers from a gospel choir baptized "The Funky Divas of Gospel" (!) provide the backing vocals on a couple of tracks, and hip-hop singer Jesse "Apesh**" Lanoo raps on "Never Go Away", "Things Ain't What They Used To Be", "Free" (rather reasonably, fortunately for people who don't appreciate rap much like myself).
Already performed on the 1988 live release "Joy And Pain", the studio version of the boogie "What You Want Me to Do?" is one of the best moments of the album. Punctuating the songs with "Hoos !", McClain's vocals are always faultless. No matter the beat, the melody or the style, he's completely in control. And as usual, he has the ability to introduce religious matters in love songs, for example in "Funky Love.
This appealing album ends with two muscular gospels, "Hold On To Your Dreams" and "Be Ready", sung with the energy of a live concert.
 |
| Multi-instrumentalist Pat Herlehy |
Continuing to mix heavy funk music and gospel lyrics into a very dancing album, McClain wrote all the 14 titles with his multi-instrumentalist friend Pat Herlehy who on this sole album, plays guitar, tenor sax, flute, clavinet, B-3 organ, percussion, no less !
In the middle of the album, "Rock My Soul" is a kind of homage to the pope of funk James Brown, and like in McClain's previous work, God is never far even in soul love ballads.
This ultimate opus released during McClain lifetime is interesting, but just on step behind the previous one and those from his mid-1990s period.
Time And Change, recorded in the months preceding McClain's passing but not yet released when he died, is the result of his friendly collaboration with Herlehy. A look at the rear CD cover indicates that all the songs were copyrighted in 2014. Indeed not the kind of posthumous work dug out from the rejected tapes basket.
It's all new material, except a revisited version of "Here I Come Again" from the album "Sweet Dreams", and it includes a superb 6-minute homage cover of "You Worry Me", a song from his very first partner from the early 1960s "Little Melvin" Underwood.
McClain vocals are as intense and emotional as ever, and Herlehy's guitar is openly jazzy. Punctuated by some funky synth keyboard, sometimes hip-hop-spiced as on the appealing "Praise", and carried by the unavoidable horn section so dear to McClain, these eleven tracks are deserving as much attention as McClain lifetime albums.
This second posthumous release, in 2018, is appropriately titled A Diamond in the Rough. The laconic liner note summarize exactly the content : "[,,,] stripped down and backed by not much more than an acoustic guitar, Sam's legendary voice shines alongside his collection of blues, soul and gospel songs."
 |
| Herlehy on guitar this time |
Acoustic versions of previously published numbers ("When the Hurt is Over", "Love Me if You Want To") or demos of new songs with what sounds like temporary titles (most times a simple word), this collection puts McClain's voice under a new light backed by Herlehy's acoustic guitar with just short interventions of a sax here, a flute there. Love and religious matters mingle closely as usual with McClain, and even blues history and religion on the final "Holy Ghost Fever" ending with a fit of laughter ! A magnificent and deeply moving recording.
As a conclusion, let me quote this excerpt of an article published in 2015 on American Blues Scene : "Sam’s importance within the cultural and artistic realms of American music was largely misunderstood by the music business establishment and even by many fans. He was a living bridge between the deep historic roots of African-American gospel music, the old-school sounds of rhythm and blues, soul and funk, and the cutting edge, which is reflected in the body of his work." ■
(1) Joe Harley : "Remembering the Mighty Sam McClain" : https://www.valley-entertainment.com/blogs/news/remembering-the-mighty-sam-mcclain-joe-harley
Audio Discography
All the audio playlists of the following albums can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkQGh6L0VxA6Jt3w--WGfvw/playlists (except "Live In Japan" for which I indicated the proper link)
→ "Live In Japan" (1986) : https://youtu.be/lcZGrJktrts
→
"Give It Up To Love" (1993) → "Keep On Movin'" (1995)
→ "Sledgehammer Soul & Down Home Blues" (1996)
→ "Journey" (1998)
→ "Joy & Pain" (1998)
→ "Soul Survivor (The Best Of Mighty Sam McClain)" (1999)
→ "Blues For The Soul" (2000)
→ "Sweet Dreams" (2001)
.jpg)
→ "One More Bridge To Cross" (2003)→ "Betcha Didn't Know" (2005)
→ "Too Much Jesus (Not Enough Whiskey)" (2008)
► Posthumous releases
→ "Time And Change (The Last Recordings)" (2016)
→ "A Diamond In The Rough" (2018)
► With Mahsa Vahdat
→ "Scent Of Reunion : Love Duets Across Civilizations" (2009)
→ "A Deeper Tone Of Longing : Love Duets Across Civilizations" (2012)
► With Knut Reiersrud
→ "One Drop Is Plenty" (2011)
→ "Tears Of The World" (2015)
Videos
► With Wayne Bennett on guitar, Tokyo, Japan, 1986 :
→ "A Change Is Gonna Come" : https://youtu.be/VmaBUdN_K6k
→ "The Blues Is Alright" : https://youtu.be/vtUmKeM9iu8
→ "Fannie Mae"'/"The Blues Is Alright" : https://youtu.be/vtUmKeM9iu8
► Mighty Sam McClain and The Fitzwater Express, The Roxy, Washington DC, 1988 : https://youtu.be/-oTrq8t7tdY?t=590
► With guitarist Peter Giftos, The Palace Theater, Manchester, NH, 1996 : https://youtu.be/zNOd8bfkETo► Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, 1997 :
→ "A Soul That's Been Abused" : https://youtu.be/p4Yfb15hUKc
→ "A Change Is Gonna Come" : https://youtu.be/89h1cRdtn9A
► "The Blues Is Alright", Sestri Levante Blues & Soul Festival, Italy, 1997 : https://youtu.be/-gNWl7D-HHw
► Boston, MA, 2003 :→ "New Man In Town" : https://youtu.be/s_yxMItTbZE
→ "Without Love (Long Train Running)" : https://youtu.be/8r65pIgh7q0
→ "Here I Come Again" : https://youtu.be/nWIGoGu0hEw
→ "Nobody Can Take Your Place" : https://youtu.be/3FEuasNBjpQ
→ "Why Do We Have To Say Goodbye" : https://youtu.be/EYE5-WSQwik
► Waidhofen, Austria, 2004 :
→ "Hanging on the Cross" : https://youtu.be/8Fj0p6OXbrs
→ "Jesus Got The Blues" : https://youtu.be/MY9liZ2-E-Y
► "New Man In Town" , Lowell Folk Fest., MA, 2006 : https://youtu.be/LU_80-nR0RY► Halle, Germany, 2007 :
→ "Can't Stop the Funk" : https://youtu.be/KQASI6umoUE
→ "Betcha Didn't Know" : https://youtu.be/bsIZJsa7DCo
→ "Higher Ground" : https://youtu.be/wMKrVEp0wbQ
► "All We Need Is Love" with Pat Herlehy on guitar, Lowell Folk Fest., MA, 2009 : https://youtu.be/y_gWcuDwA1g
► With Mahsa Vahdat, Oslo, Norway, 2009 : → "Earth" : https://youtu.be/-prsHJG3wXk
→ "Imprints" : https://youtu.be/8HMA97Bnf6Q
→ "Silent Song" : https://youtu.be/lbvlx-5eLoc
► German Tour, 2009 :→ Colos-Saal Club, Aschaffenburg : https://youtu.be/jkIPl_IcBfQ
→ With The Mighty Horns : https://youtu.be/2UOWTjgT2zc
→ "Witness" : https://youtu.be/Q8aOub-YIzc
→ https://youtu.be/MIq9P5K1850
► "Amazing Grace" with Mario Frangoulis, 2010 : https://youtu.be/kyTiiUdqgnQ
► With Mahsa Vahdat, Olavsfest, 2010 : https://youtu.be/HFRpfrymrcc
► The Stone Church, Newmarket, NH, 2011 :→ "The Thrill is Gone", with Pat Herlehy on guitar : https://youtu.be/4Fs_2r_PxL4
→ "Saint James Infirmary" : https://youtu.be/2BBMX2-a5ko
→ "A Change is Gonna Come" : https://youtu.be/wvxGTUZp5DM
► With Knut Reiersrud, studio session, 2011 :
→ "Can U Stand The Test Of Love" : https://youtu.be/uGrIJ1nCWwQ
→ "Life" : https://youtu.be/K9cNXUD0VX8
► "A Deeper Tone Of Longing" with Mahsa Vahdat, Washington DC, 2012 : https://youtu.be/sd_H1j2b29s► "Sun of Iran" with Mahsa Vahdat, 2012 : https://youtu.be/PCB2VwIHF44
► Richmond Folk Festival, VA, 2013 : https://youtu.be/fvHexK_TXBs
► Blues Masters at the Crossroads, 2014 : https://youtu.be/1KsVxEkdX0I
► The Extended Play Sessions, 2014 : https://youtu.be/w05D_XXMmVs?t=77
► Jesień z Bluesem Festival, Poland, 2014 : https://youtu.be/VPPeDTOhDSs
► "Tears Of The World" with Knut Reiersrud, promo clip, 2015 : https://youtu.be/Xa5Bemjzf3E
Mighty Sam McClain, 1943-2015
No comments:
Post a Comment