Johnny Jenkins - Ton-Ton Macoute!

 I first heard Jenkins on Duane Allman's fab Anthology album where Duane's varied session work is displayed in full force. In fact, this record began as a Duane solo album before he got involved in the Allman Brothers Band, and Duane and other members appear here making this, Jenkins first solo album, almost an ABB/Jenkins hybrid - which certainly is not a bad thing!

By 1070, when Ton-Ton Macoute was recorded, Jenkins had already had a storied vocation, including launching Otis Redding's own career and influencing Jimi Hendrix! More recently, Beck sampled bits of Jenkins' version of Dr. John's "I Walk on Gilded Splinters", so Johnny continues to make his mark even in the modern world!

While known primarily as a blues guitarist and harmonica player, here Jenkins lives the blues but he also rocks'n'rolls, swings a bit and is soulful as can be. He opens with "Gilded Splinters" where ABB members Butch Trucks (drums) and Jaimoe (timbales) create a funky, movin' groove - much more upbeat than Dr. John's wonderfully mesmerizing original - that still captures the sweaty Louisiana feel, but with a bit more crunch. From there, Sleepy John Estes' "Leaving Truck" is a cool, slide-riffin' funk groover and "Blind Bats and Swamp Rats" sounds kinda like if Cream was from New Orleans instead of England! The version of Muddy Waters' "Rollin' Stone" was one of the highlights of the Anthology LP, which features Jenkins on acoustic guitar and foot stompin' (ala John Lee Hooker), Allman on acoustic slide and ABB bassist Berry Oakley keeping the backbeat, cutting a take damn near as swampy as Muddy himself! 

"Sick and Tired" is another nice slice of funkiness, while Bob Dylan's "Down Along the Cove" was yet another highlight of Duane's comp - a hip rocker with Jenkins providing down-home harp and Duane bringing his distinctive'n'excellent slide, "Bad News" is a little less happening, but still swings, John Lee Hooker's "Dimples" is a more upbeat, fun rocker, and the original album's finale, "Voodoo In You" is another head-bobbin', swampy groover. The bonus tracks include the great blues, "I Don't Want No Woman" (I know this from Magic Sam's fine take), in which Jenkins gets to let loose and show off his superior guitar skills, which extend into their take on Otis Rush's minor-key masterpiece "My Love Will Never Die", making for an even better closer than "Voodoo...".

What this all ends up creating is an album full of blues-based, funky, rock'n'soul that is a real keeper! Dig it!