Swamp Blues Vol.2

Baton Rouge Blues
and R&B Musicians
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Vol. 2

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Recorded by Nelson Blanchard and Mike Shepherd at Techno Sound, Baton Rouge, La 6. 4. 1990 Produced by Wolf records, Austria, Titels 7,10 and ii by Stephen Coleridge Mixed by Alex Munkas at Tonart Studio, Vienna Photos and Linernotes by Stephen Coleridge and Andrea Maria Folterbauer Layout by Andrea Maria Folterbauer Blues enthusiasts should subscribe to: Living Blues magazine, Center for Studies of Southern Culture Mississippi MS 38677, USA

Louisiana Swamp blues - Vol. 2

1.) Big Mamou - Rudi Richard, voc. + accordion; David Hal, bass; Jess Kenchin, drums
2.) Blues Won'T Let Me Rest - Henry Gray, voc. + piano; Jess Kenchin, drums
3.) King Bee - Rudi Richard, voc. + guitar; same personnel as 1
4.) Gold Chifls - Henry Gray, voc. + piano; same personnel as 2
5.) Talkin' About You - Henry Gray, voc. + piano; same personnel as 2
6.) Bad Luck & Trouble - Rudi Richard, voc. + guitar; I same personnel as 1
7.) Tee Ni Nee Na Nu - Rudi Richard, voc. + guitar; Andrea Curbelo 2 nd guitar, Backing vocal; Harmonica Red, harp; A.G. Hardesty, bass; Pick Delmore, drums produced by Stephen Coleridge
8.) '\Vhen My First Wife... - Henry Gray, voc. + piano; same personnel as 2
9.) Come On Here - Henry Cray, voc. + Piano; same personnel as 2
10.) Good For The Goose - Rudi Richard, voc. + accordion; same personnel as 7, produced by Stephen Coleridge
11.) Honky Tonk - Rudi Richard, voc. + guitar; same personnel as 7, plus T-Bone Singleton, guitar This CD is dedicated to the great SLIM HARPO

Henry Gray was born 19.1.1925 'in Kenner, LA. He grew early interested in music and taught himself piano at the age of eight. 1945 he settled in Chicago, where he worked together with Little Walter Group, junior Wells, Eagle Rockers, Dusty Brown and Howling Wolf. 1969 he moved to Baton Rouge, LA, where he often play in Tabby's Blues Box. Henry's style is characterized by his life in Chicago and Baton Rouge - he has created a fascinating explosive sound of his own. On this record session Henry Gray plays his original songs like Gold Chills' and Blues won't let me rest'. His rough voice agrees with the deep piano playing and Slim Harpo's drummer, Jess Kenchin, gives Henry the best background for his piano- playing. Henry Gray, influenced by Howling Wolf, is the last great Blues piano player in Louisiana and he is still in great form.

RUDI RICHARD
By Stephen Coleridge '
With the legendary- Slim Harpo's band, guitarist Rudi Richard played in the blues clubs throughout the Baton Rouge area. Today, you can still find him there.
Slim Harpo stands out from the other three kings of Louisiana (read" Crowley) swamp blues in his depth of texture, his non-reliance on the 12- bar format, his occasional starting on the IV, the complexity of the bass and guitar parts, and above all, he could write the best tunes.
Jay Miller's studio band may have played on many of the classic sides (not as many as certain compilers of discographics claim, however) but on the live gigs, it was the King Bees-Rudi Richard guitar, James Johnson bass, Sammy K. Brown drums, and Pro on sax-played that stuff and played it right.
I used to hate waiting for that sting on 'Kingbee' man, says Rudi Richard, "for
I thought I was going to miss it. Never did. though." And he's still playing blues today. Richard's guitar is not the straightforward Mississippi/Lightning Hopkins style often associated with Louisiana" but is an amalgam of Louisiana and East Texas, with ninths and augmented chords that are seldom heard between the Mississippi and Sabine rivers. His highly developed technique does not tempt him to resort to ego tripping or tastelessness and his rhythm work always abides by the maxim that it be like the vanilla in ice cream, you should only notice it when it's not there.
Richard's picking is perhaps the most influential amongst contemporary Baton Rouge players and he has been credited as in influence by Kenny Neal and Troy Turner (see Living, Blues, No. 91, May/June 1990). Now he is playing several times a week in Baton Rouge. This interview took place on a Thursday evening before his regular gig there.

***Read more about the interview in the CD booklet