John Hammond - I Can Tell (1967)

John Hammond to jeden z ostatnich gigantów białego bluesa korzystającego obficie z tradycji "korzennego" bluesa znad Delty Mississippi. Praktycznie każdy album tego wykonawcy jest godny polecenia. Ostatnio jednym z jego "komercyjnych" sukcesów było nagranie albumów, których producentem był Tom Waits. "I Can Tell" to pierwszy album nagrany dla wytwórni Atlantic w 1967 roku. W tej wersji CD wzbogacony o 4 nagrania z płyty "Southern Fried" z 1968 roku. Kogóż my tu mamy w składzie - proszę zobaczyć:

John Hammond - guitar, vocal, harmonica
Robbie Robertson - guitar
Rick Danko - bass
Bill Wyman - bass
Duane Allman - guitar
Barry Beckett - keyboards
Charles Otis - drums
and many others

John Hammond Jr.’s career spans more than four decades. He was one of a mere handful of musicians that were front and center at the time when one of the most incredible Blues renaissance scenes got underway in the late 50’s and early 60’s. In the following decades, the Blues--in all its glorious permutations--has spread open its wings, and Hammond has fully kept apace of emerging trends, although he'll always be known as the embodiment of the quintessential acoustic Blues troubadour, always serving tradition by pouring his heart and soul into full-bodied interpretations of the classics through the simple combination of brilliant guitar, rack harmonica, and intensely expressive vocals. He has released over two dozen albums, earned a stellar reputation as one of the most compelling live presences, and always sought out new avenues of expression in unison with the enduring spirit of the Blues. His career has revealed an artist at ease in roots genres like R&B, Blues Rock, and Country.

Born 1942 in NYC, the son of famed Columbia Records talent scout John Hammond Sr. John Jr’s immersion into the Blues was sparked by a fascination with slide guitar, when he first started to learn guitar. After witnessing Jimmy Reed at New York’s Apollo Theatre his career path was revealed with clairvoyant certainty. The mid-60’s emergence of electric Blues ensembles caused Hammond to adapt accordingly, and he started recording with artists like guitarist Robbie Robertson, Charlie Musselwhite, and Dr. John. There are many excellent recordings to check out, such as John’s self-titled debut on Vanguard, and other titles include I Can Tell (recorded with Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones), Southern Fried (1968), and Sourcepoint (1970). On 1992’s Trouble No More, co-produced by JJ Cale and featuring Little Charlie & the Nightcats on backup, The program included selections by Amos Milburn, Little Walter, Howlin’ Wolf, and Mose Allison. Hammond's 90’s releases have enticed a new generation of admirers to his fold. Two such efforts include Got Love If You Want It, and Found True Love, produced by David Hidalgo of Los Lobos. On Wicked Grin, Hammond provided such a perceptive take on the incisive songs of Tom Waits, that he’s now considered to be at the vanguard of interpretative voices of Waits’ material. His legacy remains as the vibrant extension of predecessors such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters.

John Hammond's 1967 debut for Atlantic, "I Can Tell", comes after a five-year stint at the blues and folk purist label Vanguard, where he was never a comfortable fit. Hammond knows the blues inside out, but he's always been aware that he is a record producer's son from New York City and not a Mississippi sharecropper, and therefore claims of "authenticity" are entirely beside the point. "I Can Tell", featuring Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman, Rick Danko and Robbie Robertson of the Band, and journeyman drummer Roger Hawkins, is akin to the Paul Butterfield Blues Band's East/West or John Mayall's Bluesbreaker's --first-generation blues-rock, when the term meant taking Chicago-style electric blues and adding the wallop of a first-rate rock rhythm section behind it. The 12 tracks are all covers, with a heavy emphasis on the Chess Records catalogue, and the performances are uniformly ripping even if none are definitive.

Contains all of "I Can Tell" and 4 tracks from "Sounthern Fried".

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