BOB MARGOLIN
BOB MARGOLIN
VIZZTONE VT-SRR03
ONE MORE DAY–I SHALL BE RELEASED–DETROIT—MERCY–BEST I CAN DO–BLUES BEFORE SUNRISE–DALLAS–HOW LONG HOW LONG BLUES–PEACE OF MIND–SHE’S SO PRETTY–LOOK WHAT YOU DONE–HEAD HELD HIGH–GOIN’ AWAY BABY–MY ROAD–ONE MORE MILE
It was Saturday night, October 10, 2003, and still, for us, it was the best single musical experience we have ever had. We were interviewing Bob Margolin, Carey Bell, Mookie Brill, and Dave Agerholm on behalf of the old Music City Blues Society, as they were playing the recently-opened B. B. King’s Blues Club down on Second Avenue that night. Being “backstage” with those guys and listening to their stories was the highlight of our blues life. And, as sometimes happens with a newly-opened club, the night did not go totally without glitches, but, once the blues started flowing through those players, it made for one special night, indeed. We’ve been friends with Bob for fifteen years tonight, and, on his latest, self-titled album for Vizztone, Bob revisits some of the songs from his musical friends who have, sadly, passed, but left a lasting impression on him. He also offers up some fine new material, as well, and played, sang, produced, recorded, and mixed every note on the album.
Leading off is one of those originals, where Bob asks only for more time to play the blues, “One More Day.” He cranks up a couple of cool Leroy Carr tunes, too, that he played while in Muddy’s band, “Blues Before Sunrise,” and “How Long How Long Blues,” the latter given a decidedly-Fifties’ feel through his guitar work. His original, “My Road,” the title of his 2016 album, is both poignant and bittersweet, as he recalls his life as a musician. He closes with a song made popular by James Cotton, “One More Mile,” presented here in a dirge-like, deeply-personal blues.
We had three favorites. “I Shall Be Released” is done in tribute to the last song from The Band’s “Last Waltz” concert film, in which Muddy and Bob were prominently featured. You gotta love Bob’s take on Muddy’s shufflin’ “She’s So Pretty,” with that dead-stop ending, done totally, as Muddy so succinctly put it, “to f(oul) up the dancers!” And, Bob takes a stinging look at today’s society in “Mercy,” where “we could do so much together–is there still hope for you and me?”
Bob Margolin introduces excellent new material along with songs from old friends in this self-titled album. We want to thank you, Bob, for fifteen years of friendship and a lifetime of great blues! Until next time…Don and Sheryl Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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