mp3: Junior Kimbell - Tram?
mp3: Junior Kimbrough and Charlie Feathers - I Feel Good Again
mp3: Junior Kimbrough - Done Got Old
mp3: Junior Kimbrough - Tomorrow Night
mp3: Junior Kimbrough - I Feel Alright
mp3: Junior Kimbrough & The Soul Blues Boys - All Night Long
mp3: Junior Kimbrough - My Mind Is Rambling
mp3: Junior Kimbrough - Most Things Haven't Worked Out'The beginning and end of all music', is how Junior Kimbrough was described by his friend, Sun Record's mystery man, Charlie Feathers. I like his music to be described as North Mississippi slash-and-drone trance blues, which might be how Robert Palmer, the author of Deep Blues, characterized it. Ten years ago today Junior Kimbrough got done with being old so it seems like the right time to highlight some of his work.
I thought I had all of Junior's legitimately released material until Office Naps did
this post. For reasons unbeknownst to me, Junior released his first record, a fine version of Lowell Fulson's 'Tramp', as Junior Kimbell. Containing Junior's distinctive electrified rhythms, it came out in 1968 on the Philwood label out of Memphis and sold well enough to warrant a second pressing.
Charlie Feathers is best known for hiccuping rockabilly tunes that were recorded in the fifties and featured on the Kill Bill soundtracks not too long back. Like Kimbrough, he was born near Holy Springs, Mississippi, just two years Junior's junior in fact. He claims Junior as his earliest influence and the two of them recorded 'I Feel Good Again' together in 1969.
Junior didn't record much in the seventies. Perhaps he was too busy playing the juke joints. But in the eighties he cut a few songs with his band, The Soul Blues Boys, for the High Water label run by the ethnomusicologist, Dr. David Evans. A session from 1988 was released in 1997 as Do The Rump, from that I've taken one of his signature songs, the devastating 'Done Got Old'. 'Tomorrow Night' was recorded in the early eighties but didn't get released until 1999 when it featured on a High Water compilation entitled Deep South Blues. Sometimes, with blues, the rawer the recording the better. Another posthumous release from 1999, the superbly lo-fi Meet Me In The City, was recorded at Junior's home. From it I've taken 'I Feel Alright' and it sounds like you would have too if you were there, for sure.
All Night Long was Junior's debut album and his first release on Fat Possum Records. It was an important album not just for Junior, but for the label and the blues as well as. Somewhat impressively at the time, it garnered a shining four-star review from Rolling Stone magazine. Produced by Robert Palmer (the writer), All Night Long was released in 1992, just six years prior to the heart attack that would take Junior's life. He was 62. From it comes the title track.
Junior Kimbrough only recorded two more albums, both on Fat Possum. From 1994's Sad Days, Lonely Nights I've picked 'My Mind Is Rambling', and from 1997's, Most Things Haven't Worked Out, I've again gone for the title track. Junior was the master of playing the one droning note, or series of notes, over and over and over, quite hypnotically. Any changes to the pattern have a profound impact. Even at six minutes long these songs aren't long enough, once you're in the groove they could happily go on and on.
All Night Long - Rolling Stone reviewAs an extra added treat here's a bootleg recording from 1994. The sound quality is fair to poor so this is just for the Junior Kimbrough enthusiasts.
BONUS mp3: Junior Kimbrough - Lord, Have Mercy On MeLabels: blues, cover version, mississippi
