There
was magic in the air as everyone waited in anticipation
of Blues
legend Buddy Guy, who then rocked the SRO house
at the VooDoo
lounge and proved he's still in full control of
his game. Buddy's history spans from his musical roots
in Louisiana, to his tutelage with Muddy Waters on
Chicago's South Side. He's a Rock and Roll Hall of
Fame inductee, a chief guitar influence to rock titans
like Hendrix, Clapton, Beck and Vaughan, a pioneer
of Chicago's fabled West Side sound, and a living
link to that city's halcyon days of electric blues.
He's created a musical legacy, and is the father of
female rapper Shawnna.
Guy
is known for his showmanship; for example, he plays
his guitar with drumsticks, or strolls into the audience
while jamming. This show was no exception, and as
he worked his way through the crowd with his rendition
of 'Rock Me, Baby', everyone in his wake shared in
an incredible musical moment! Buddy exclaimed "I
can play that old stuff too, here's how John Lee Hooker
did it", and worked right into "Boom Boom".
Buddy
added, "that wasn't a British Invasion, it
was the real shit", referencing his popularity
in Great Britain that began with the American Folk
Blues Festival in the 1960s, where young rockers
like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and the Rolling Stones
were seeking out the roots of American blues. His
first trip to the UK was in February 1965, during
which Rod Stewart acted as his valet and Guy shared
a bill with the Yardbirds.
It took the success of the British Invasion for
Leonard Chess (Chess Records) to realize that was
the exact sound he had termed 'noise', and instead
had tried recording
Guy as a solo artist with R&B ballads, jazz
instrumentals, soul and novelty dance tunes and
used Guy mainly as a session guitarist to back Muddy
Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson,
Koko Taylor and others! His resurgence to fame began
by Clapton's request that Guy be part of the '24
Nights' all-star blues guitar lineup at London's
Royal Albert Hall and Guy's subsequent signing with
Silvertone Records!
A
great show, in Guy's trademark style, earns a 5 on
the STLBluesometer!
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