Hard Drivin' Blues is an album by blues musician Roosevelt Sykes with Homesick James Williamson recorded in 1963 and released by the Delmark label the following year.[1][2][3][4][5]
| Hard Drivin' Blues | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1964 | |||
| Recorded | January 27, 1962 and May 17, 1963 | |||
| Studio | United Recording Studios, Chicago | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 45:39 | |||
| Label | Delmark DL-607 | |||
| Producer | Robert G. Koester | |||
| Roosevelt Sykes chronology | ||||
| ||||
Reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
AllMusic reviewer arwulf arwulf stated: "When the music heard on this album was recorded in January 1962 and May 1963, Sykes was in the process of ripening into a sanguine creature even more interesting and provocative than his earlier selves had been. ... Sykes had enjoyed one hell of a comeback as an internationally acclaimed master of the blues; he toured extensively, playing tiny saloons and massive music festivals, even recording at times with electrically amplified instrumental backing. All throughout the second half of the 1970s, the one-man, one-piano Hard Drivin' Blues album was warmly received by those lucky enough to have caught Sykes live and in person, and it still stands as one of the very finest recordings in his entire discography ...There are plenty of Roosevelt Sykes albums to choose from; this one is essential, fundamental, and indispensable.".[6]
Track listing
editAll compositions by Roosevelt Sykes
- "Kickin' Motor Scooter" – 2:51 Additional track on CD reissue
- "Red-Eye Jesse Bell" – 2:44
- "I Like What You Do" – 1:46
- "New Fire Detective Blues" – 2:51
- "North Gulfport Boogie" – 3:03
- "Watch Your Step" – 2:22
- "Ho! Ho! Ho!" – 3:00
- "Key to Your Heart" – 2:26 Additional track on CD reissue
- "We Gotta Move" – 2:58
- "Dresser Drawers" – 2:44 Additional track on CD reissue
- "Living the Right Life" – 2:43
- "Run This Boogie" – 2:29
- "Slidell Blues" – 3:27
- "Mistake In Life" – 2:33 Additional track on CD reissue
- "You So Small" – 2:29 Additional track on CD reissue
- "Concentration Blues" – 2:56
- "She's Got Me Straddle a Log" – 2:17
Personnel
edit- Roosevelt Sykes – piano, vocals
- Homesick James Williamson – guitar, bass (tracks 6, 9, 10, 12, 13 & 16)
References
edit- ^ Delmark Records: album details accessed November 13, 2019
- ^ Wirz' American Music: Delmark Records discography accessed November 13, 2019
- ^ Both Sides Now: Bluesway Album Discography accessed November 13, 2019
- ^ Wirz' American Music: Roosevelt Sykes discography accessed November 13, 2018
- ^ Both Sides Now: Discography of the Delmar(k) Label accessed November 13, 2019
- ^ a b arwulf, arwulf. Roosevelt Sykes: Hard Drivin' Blues – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved November 13, 2018.