The following live review appeared in Blueswax Ezine, in the May 4th, 2005 Issue.
Hubert Sumlin
With Tom Holland and The Shuffle Kings
State Theater, Kalamazoo, Michigan
By Tom Hyslop
A good-sized house in Kalamazoo, Michigan, witnessed a sterling performance by one of the elder statesmen of the Blues on a wintry January night, when the State Theater, an ornate movie palace dating from the 1920s, presented Howlin' Wolf's guitarist of choice as part of its Budweiser Blues series.
Hubert Sumlin, who wore a gray suit set off by a close-patterned gold tie and a black snap-brim hat, looked every inch the Bluesman. Concerns about his health (he had a lung removed and faced a life-threatening coma not so long ago) were immediately dispelled as he strode to his place on stage and began to play. Sumlin moved animatedly behind his guitar, bending and straightening, leaning into and pulling away from the notes he coaxed out of his gold top Gibson Les Paul. Of all the noted guitar stylists in Blues, Hubert seems the most likely to hear something completely different and unexpected, and the most able to make it happen and work. Expressive, impressionistic swatches of sound characterize his sound, with inimitable, almost vocal phrasing incorporating staccato bursts and legato passages. Weird bent notes left hanging in the high register alternate with clusters of funky bass notes. Sumlin did it all without a pick, playing through a 1960s blackface Fender Vibrolux Reverb Amp.
Not primarily known as a vocalist, Sumlin nevertheless acquitted himself well, showing enthusiasm and personality, with close adherence to the requisite pitch. He opened with a trio of Howlin' Wolf standards: "Howlin' For My Darling," "Little Red Rooster," and "Killing Floor," before playing a series of originals - a slow Blues, a "Caledonia"-style jump, a funky bump, and the indescribable "I Did What I Could." Tom Holland sang two songs, a sizzling "Walking Through The Park" and a slow-burning "Long Distance Call," from Sumlin's new album of Muddy Waters tunes, before Sumlin closed with "Sweet Home Chicago." The encore was an uptempo Sumlin shuffle that quoted a bit of "Dust My Broom" along the way. Sumlin was clearly in good spirits throughout; he announced that at 73 years of age, having given up smoking, he feels "like a baby," and mentioned drinking only water. Judging by his frequent smiles, gestures, and laughter, he enjoyed the Shuffle Kings' accompaniment as much as the crowd's response.
Prior to star time, the band played five warm-up numbers. "I'm Just Your Fool" swung easily, and shuffles like "Worry and Wonder" had a perfect flat-tire feel. "For the Love of a Woman" and "Think" pushed the beat beyond Chicago jump, and showed that the band could drive a harder groove while staying rooted in the Blues idiom. Bassist Greg McDaniel elicited a convincing upright sound from his electric bass, and locked tight with drummer Bob Carter (veteran of the Mighty Blue Kings and Floyd McDaniel's Blues Swingers). Handling vocals and guitar was Tom Holland, an excellent guitarist whose wiry, creative leads, perfect for a trio format, always advanced the rhythm. Holland's no-nonsense approach showed that he learned well from his stints in the bands of Byther Smith, Eddie "The Chief" Clearwater, and especially John Primer. Holland's dues-paying has paid off with the growing recognition that he is one of the most capable and authentic young guitarists on the Chicago scene, and resulted in recent dates with James Cotton and this opportunity to play with, as he put it, "the guitar player's guitar player," Hubert Sumlin.
Tom Hyslop is a contributing writer at Blues Revue. This is Tom's first contribution to BluesWax. Tom may be contacted at blueswax@visnat.com.
Tom Holland & the Shuffle Kings
