Live At The Airport Grocery
Mempho Records 8546600012
Just Messin' Around/Love Everybody/Honey Ain't Sweet/Hoochie Coochie Man/Janie On My Mind/Promise Me Love/Goin' To St Louis/My Dear Old Dad/Willie's Boogie
A good many of you must remember "Mississippi" Willie Foster's trips to NZ, the first with the Midge Marsden Band and the second with his own band. Sadly now Foster is in poor health, effectively blind and has lost both legs to diabetes. In his younger days, he had a brief spell in Chicago and a short time in the harmonica chair of the Muddy waters Band.
Recordings of Foster a few and far between. When I saw this one available at Amazon.com, I just had to have it. After all, though he never achieved the heights of Little Walter or Sonny Boy Williamson he's still the 'real deal'.
This album was recorded live, at the venue that gives it its title, in Clevedon, Mississippi.
When you hear this CD, forget the old-man-in-a-wheelchair. Foster may be 76 but his grooves and harp skills are still those of a young man. The voice may be a little tremulous but that only enhances his singing style. "Love Everybody" has little funk in the groove with an infectious riff. Foster plays acoustic sounding harp, ie, like Junior wells, not like Little Walter. Yet his style is deep Mississippi, his licks not derivative of anyone elses. He has a wonderfully expressive tone, and an economy of notes, so that it's deceptively simple yet sublimely full of artistry. The covers are well done. There's a Jimmy Reed like "Honey Ain't Sweet" , with squeaky 1st position harp like Reed. Muddy Waters' "Hoochie Coochie Man" gets a reverential treatment "Muddy Waters raised me" says Foster in his introduction. The band holds down the groove in a good Chicago style, too. Nice 3rd position riff on ""Goin' To St Louis" - this man still has all his chops!
Kiwi fans will sit up and listen when we get to track six. "Promised Me Love" is without doubt better known in NZ than the USA. It is featured on Midge's last CD, 'Travellin' On". It's powerful single chord riff and propels Foster's vocals and harp playing until he sounds half hiss real age.
To be honest, I didn't expect to give this CD such a glowing revue. But, I've played it many times over and it's an excellent album - just how a harp led band should play blues. It oozes feel. Congratulations to the small label, Mempho Records, for capturing the venerable Willie Foster on a well recorded, atmospheric CD. And a shame on bigger USA labels for ignoring such a genuine talent.
