GL Crockett and Big Walter Price - Rockin With the Blues

 

I definitely picked this one up after I learned that Big Walter Price originally performed "Pack Fair and Square" - made famous by the J. Geils Band - and this was one of the few releases of his that is currently available. It doesn't seem that GL Crockett had anything to do with Price - the scant liner notes included do not indicate any relationship - but his handful of cuts are a welcome addition to this collection.

Opening the CD is Crockett's "Look Out Mabel" which is pure, rockin''n'boppin' rockabilly, and I'm surprised that this wasn't a hit for him, while he gives a heartfelt slow blues in "Did You Ever Love Somebody" (there's two versions of both of those tunes) and "It's A Man Out There" is a fine take on Sonny Boy Williamson's "One Way Out". He gets positively funky in "Watch My 32" and goes for the deep, soulful blues for his remaining cuts.

For Price's contributions, there’s a little bit of everything here - slow blues, jump blues, Jimmy Reed-style swamp blues, and a bit of everything in between , even a Fats Domino like stroll and an Andre Williams-ish talkin' blues! The piano-playing Price also has some church organ on his blues, giving them a different feel, and Albert Collins appears on some of the cuts, as well, with some stinging lead guitar. Of course, one of the highlights is the horn-driven, Big Joe Turner-ish jump-jive of "Pack Fair and Square"! I love the r'n'r take that Geils did, but this really swings!

I didn't know too much about either cat before copping this one, but it's a ripper!