Jimmy Dawkins - Fast Fingers

I am continually amazed at the amount and quality of older blues music that I have yet to discover and how damn cool it is when I do. Again, not sure how I stumbled upon Jimmy Dawkins (Facebook, maybe?) but glad that I did! This CD includes tracks recorded in Chicago in '68 and '69 with "Fast Fingers" on guitar and vocals, Eddie Shaw on tenor sax, Lafayette Leake on piano, Might Joe Young on guitar (wow to all!), Joe Harper and Ernest Gatewood on bass and Lester Dorsie on drums.

The sound here is cool, soulful Chicago blues, in the Magic Sam vein, with skillful, biting guitar licks and runs throughout and Jimmy's edgy but melodic voice. Really great guitar stylings here, with surfy staccato, smooth frills, and standard blues riffs taking on new life. The band grooves and pulses behind him and get their own moment's in the spotlight, but mostly, this is all about Jimmy - and rightfully so!

Most of the material here is swingin', upbeat, jumpin' blues, but he does slow it down occasionally, like the BB King-ish "I Finally Learned a Lesson" and "You Got To Keep On Trying", although his style is rawer and more potent than even BB! Again, he most reminds me of Magic Sam - who is a favorite of mine - and his combination of blues and soul.

Another stellar find! Highly recommended.