Willie "Big Eyes" Smith
Big Eye Records BE394
When I Left; Rub My Back; Money Talk; Ain't That a Shame; Old Woman Sweetheart; Dreamin; Sitting Here Drinkin'; Born in Arkansas; World in An Uproar; I'm the Creeper; Can't Rest for Worry; Believe Me; Overcoat Mama
For two decades, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith was Muddy Waters' drummer. But a native of Helena Arkansas he grew up listening to harmonica genius Sonny Boy Williamson's radio show. Moving to Chicago at the age of 16, inspired by Water's harp player, Henry Strong he formed his first band, leading it on harmonica. He played for the late, great Bo Diddley on "Diddy Wah Diddy". But he found more work as a drummer, and that became his instrument for several decades, recording his first album with Muddy in 1960.
Now he's returned to being a band leader in his own right, playing some tasty blues harp, tasty vocals and writing 12 of the 13 cuts on this CD. After more than 50 years in the blues music business, Smith is not sitting back on his reputation, but moving ahead, creating new blues in a solidly 50s Chicago style.
With Billy Flynn on guitar and Bob Stroger on bass plus Barrelhouse Chuck there's no shortage of experience in the line-up and Willie's son, Kenneth "Beedy Eyes" Smith, lays down some serious back beat.
Smith plays cross and chromatic harp styles, always sparingly and always right on the button. The guitar players have a handle on a variety of styles. The album doesn't tell who does what. As well as Billy Flynn, there is also Little Frank Krakowsk on guitar. Between the two of them there's tasty slide, both in regular tuning and Elmore James-feel open tuning right down to mandolin - or maybe guitar played to sound like one.
Smith manages to write songs that sit right there in that early Chicago tradition but they're also fresh, genuine new songs. Just listen to Smith's lyrics - "I'd rather be a old woman's sweetheart than a young woman's fool…" this 72 year old blues man still has something new to say. It's the 'real thing' alright - and an excellent album.
