ONE EVENING in the long, hot summer of 1976. The 100 Club, long regarded as London's home of the blues, stalwart Detroit artist Eddie 'Guitar' Burns, then a frequent visitor to Britain, playing a pleasing set. Ah, he's taking a break. Okay, off to the bar. Hang on, another artist's taking the stage. Tall, slim, younger. MC Ron Watts is announcing him. Luther Allison. Luther Who?
On the evening, Luther Allison proceeded to stamp his name indelibly on the mind of everyone present.
Hip, lithe, strutting the stage, tearing tortured, swooping clusters of notes from his guitar to underline his rich singing, he raised the already high temperature towards boiling point.
I've caught his act a time or two since, and each performance confirms my suspicions: this man has one of the hottest stage acts of any modern blues artist. No matter whether he's rocking through 'Messing With The Kid', getting low down on 'You're Gonna Need Me' or conducting a humorous conversation with his guitar on his own 'Cat Blues', the intense blues feeling of this son of Mayflower, Arkansas, raises the heat to an almost incandescent level.
He and his band were doing their usual fiery show at the Other Side Club in Peoria Heights, Illinois in April, 1979 when the microphones captured their music: the pick of the evening's entertainment is right here on the enclosed CD.
Luther previously had records on Gordy, Delmark, Free Bird, Black and Blue, Blue Sound and more, each one enhancing his growing reputation, but the majority of them studio recordings. Here's Luther in the environment in which he performs best, in front of an audience, dazzling them with his guitar virtuosity and turning up the musical thermostat. Come on in and get warm. (Mick 'Frenchie' Atherton Christmas Day, 1981)
Tracklist:
01 - Strokes
02 - You're Gonna Need Me
03 - You Upset Me Baby
04 - Movin' On Up
05 - The Thrill Is Gone
06 - Cat Blues
07 - Messin' With The Kid
Download
Mirror
Enjoy the music!
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