At a height of 6-feet-3-inches, and weighing in at almost 300 pounds, Chicago blues legend Chester Burnett, a/k/a Howlin' Wolf was a heavyweight by any standard. Throughout the 1950s, the Wolf recorded a string of blues hits for labels like Sam Phillips' Sun Records, RPM and Crown. It was with Chess Records, however, that Wolf earned his legendary status as one of the greatest Chicago bluesmen, Burnett signing with Chess in 1953 and recording for the label until his death in 1976.
The Blues Hit Europe: 1964
Howlin' Wolf was in Europe during the fall of 1964, touring as part of the third American Folk Blues Festival along with Sonny Boy Williamson, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Sugar Pie DeSanto. The tour couldn't have come at a better time for the bluesman. The Rolling Stones had just scored a #1 hit with their cover of Wolf's "Little Red Rooster" and interest in the blues legend's music was high in England and the rest of Europe. Just a few months after this tour, Howlin' Wolf would appear on the American TV show Shindig at the insistence of the Stones, who were scheduled to perform on the program.
Howlin' Wolf's Rockin' The Blues
Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 is a welcome document of a previously-unreleased in America performance that showcases the larger-than-life bluesman at the top of his game. Wolf is backed by a veritable all-star blues band that featured guitarist Hubert Sumlin, bassist Willie Dixon, pianist Sunnyland Slim, and drummer Clifton James. This recording is of similar style and vintage to that preserved by Chris Barber Presents Lost & Found, Vol. 3, differing in that Wolf used his full band for this performance...
...and what a performance it is! This is primo Wolf, the master in his prime. Just about every song here is a gem, ranging from full-blown rave-ups to subtle, emotional heartbreaks. For instance, the slow, shuffling "Love Me" balances between Howlin' Wolf's tearful vocals, set against Slim's delicate ivory backdrop, and Sumlin's dignified, albeit powerful guitar tone.
Elmore James' Dust My Broom
On the flip side of the coin, the Wolf's take on the Elmore James' classic "Dust My Broom" is a rollicking number with Slim's fleet-fingered piano-bashing, Sumlin's roaring six-string work, Dixon's fast-walking bassline, and James' clever brushwork on the drums. The title track is a mid-tempo instrumental stroll, heavy on Dixon's low-rumbling bass and featuring the sort of elegant pickwork that has earned Sumlin a reputation as one of the finest guitarists in the blues.
Sunnyland Slim provides the raucous soundtrack behind Howlin' Wolf's tale of woe on "Going Down Slow." The bluesman spits out the lyrics here in a mostly spoken-word style, his voice occasionally ringing above the mix in a mournful wail, the singer's pain punctuated by Sumlin's slashing guitar notes.
The Reverend's Bottom Line
Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 was originally released in 1988 on import vinyl LP as Live In Europe 1964, and on compact disc at some unknown later date. Nevertheless, Howlin' Wolf's Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 is a welcome addition to the blues giant's catalog, a rare and inspired live performance caught on tape for prosperity.
Live albums are few-and-far between for many modern-era bluesmen - their labels just didn't think that they'd make money, and on-location recording costs were expensive - so when a gem like this rolls around, you should grab it fast. The sound quality here is just a notch beneath what most consumers expect from CD, but given the age of the recording and the primitive techniques used to put the performance to tape, it sounds pretty good.
Although I don't believe that this would be the best place for a new listener to discover the Wolf...I'd recommend picking up Moanin' In The Midnight, which can often be found as a "two-fer" with Howlin' Wolf's first album, as a place to start instead. But for the seasoned listener that can dig beneath the album's few flaws, Rockin' The Blues: Live In Germany 1964 is a fine example of early-period Howlin' Wolf, featuring dynamic performances of some of the blues legend's most beloved songs.
