Johnny Winter - Roots

 

This 2011 covers album was Johnny's first studio record in seven years (and his second to last release ever) but he comes out strong on some of his favorite blues songs with the aid of his brother, Edgar, along with Derek Trucks and a number of other guests. Funnily, there are quotes from critics talking about how surprising it was that he was so energetic at 67 years old, just a few months older that I currently am! But, Johnny was not in the best of health and he did die a few years later. All that considered, he does a terrific job on both his singing (although it is not as strong as in his younger days, especially his bluesy wails) and on guitar. Of course, with the number of different guests, it's not always apparent who is taking the leads, but Johnny certainly makes his mark throughout the album.

He starts off with T-Bone Walker's "T-Bone Shuffle" with guest guitarist Sonny Landreth, a great jump-blues number, with both Johnny and Sonny taking lead breaks and Johnny's is as tasty as ever as he mixes slide and traditional solos. "Further On Up The Road" is a nice, mid-tempo blues by Joe Medwick with guest guitar by Jimmy Vivino, there's a pounding take on Elmore James "Done Somebody Wrong" with Warren Haynes on guitar, a rough'n'ready version of "I Got My Mojo Working" with Frank Latorre on harmonica and some scorchin' git-work, a slow'n'sleek take on Little Walter's "Last Night" with John Popper on chromatic harmonica, giving it an unusual, but cool, sound, and their "Maybelline" is more of a jump blues (with some blazing git-work from Johnny and Vince Gill) than the rock'n'roll of Chuck's original version in a neat variation.

Jimmy Reed's "Bright Lights, Big City" is given a pretty straight, although more fleshed out, reading, complete with great female backing vocals (ala Reed's original) and guitar from Susan Tedeschi, brother Edgar joins in on honkin' sax for the hand-clappin' take on Clarence Gatemouth Brown's groovy instrumental dance number, "Honky Tonk", with Johnny matching Gatemouth's guitar lines, and of course this collection has to include Robert Johnson's slide masterpiece, "Dust My Broom" with Derek Trucks adding a fine second slide to the proceedings There's a kinda laid-back take on Larry Williams "Short Fat Fannie" that has Paul Nelson guesting on guitar (surprised that Edgar isn't pounding the piano on this one as he did on other Little Richard cuts in the 70's, although this isn't as high energy as those earlier albums), and the CD closes with the slow, sultry blues of Walter Davis' "Come Back Baby"  with John Medeski on organ (Mike Dimeo plays the keys on the rest of the album), harkening back to some of Johnny's earlier Ray Charles numbers, although he doesn't have the gospel wail that he used to use to great effect any longer.

Solid backing from Scott Spray on bass, Vito Liuzzi on drums and Paul Nelson on guitar throughout the record that gives a great foundation for the album and Johnny's work, while maybe missing a little of the fire'n'fury from his youth, is still pretty damn terrific and still kicks most guitarist's asses mightily. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of this one - recommended!