PINETOP PERKINS AND JIMMY ROGERS
GENUINE BLUES LEGENDS
WITH LITTLE MIKE AND THE TORNADOES
ELROB RECORDS ER 15235
KIDNEY STEW–HIGH HEEL SNEAKERS–HAD MY FUN–FOR YOU MY LOVE–BIG BOSS MAN–ALL IN MY SLEEP–THE LAST TIME–WHEN I LOST MY BABY–PINETOP’S BOOGIE WOOGIE–PINE AND JIMMY’S JUMP
We have the highest regard for Little Mike And The Tornadoes. Not only have they stood the test of time as a fantastic blues band over the last forty years or so, but they’ve also had the great fortune to play alongside some of the best blues players who ever lived. (Go back a few weeks on this Blog and check out our review for Little Mike And The Tornadoes with Zora Young for a good example!).
Go back with us now to May 21, 1988, at the Grand Auditorium in Ellsworth, Maine. On that night, Little Mike backed two of the greats–Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins and Muddy’s original rhythm man, Jimmy Rogers. (born James A. Lane, for you historians!). Their set that night has been preserved for all blues fans with the release of “Pinetop Perkins And Jimmy Rogers: Genuine Blues Legends With Little Mike And The Tornadoes,” on the ELROB label.
Fans, it “just don’t get no better than this,” as far as real-deal blues goes. Pinetop and Jimmy were on the absolute top of their game during this time, and Mike and the Tornadoes brought out the best in them. There are ten cuts, roughly divided into three sections. The recording is raw, given the era in which it was recorded, but that’s part of what makes it so much fun.
Pinetop leads the first four cuts with his good-time piano standards such as “Kidney Stew,” which features an extended harp solo from Mike, and one of our favorites of Pinetop’s slow-blues, “Had My Fun.” Cuts five thru seven feature Jimmy on vocals and guitar, and he and Mike give a great read of one of Jimmy’s tough, slow blues, “All In My Sleep.” Our favorite of Jimmy’s cuts, tho, was one of his Chess classics, “It’s The Last Time I’ll ever fool around with you!”
Jimmy and Pine close the set, with Pinetop’s signature theme song, “Pinetop’s Boogie Woogie,” and a smokin’ instrumental that gets everyone involved, “Pine And Jimmy’s Jump!”
Little Mike, we sincerely hope that Santa brings you everything you want this Christmas, because you’ve made the holidays a lot brighter for us as well as blues fans everywhere with the historic recording of “Pinetop Perkins And Jimmy Rogers: Genuine Blues Legends With Little Mike And The Tornadoes,” live from 1988! Until next time….Sheryl and Don Crow.
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