Champion Jack Dupree

Recorded in London in 1971, this is Champion Jack Dupree with a small group of unknown British blues musicians. Sonet, begun in the '50s as a company to issue and distribute American jazz records in Sweden, had grown considerably by 1970. They approached blues historian and documentarian Samuel Charters to produce blues records for them -- Charters, who had done blues records in the '60s, had been producing rock artists at the time. Nonetheless, this Sonet Blues Story session is 15 tunes strong and presented here in 24-bit remastered glory. Dupree is playing piano and singing, with Hughie Flint on drums, bassist Benny Gallagher, guitarist Peter Curtley, and harmonica player Paul Rowan. Dupree is in amazing form here. His playing is brilliant, deep in-the-pocket, carrying much of his native, New Orleans stride in his style. Curtley is a little busy and high in the mix, but it's clearly Dupree who carries the day. The two takes of "Vietnam Blues," are both high points on the set, and the bonus tracks -- four of them -- are truly bonuses, rounding out a loose, powerful set where Dupree is clearly enjoying himself. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide