Robert Nighthawk – 'Live On Maxwell Street 1964'

 

Graphic by Bob McGrath

Robert Nighthawk is one of the pioneers of Electric Chicago Blues, and the successor to Tampa Red, and added his own significant variations to Tampa's style.  To say he was a great slide player is an understatement, that he was a great singer is indisputable.  Unfortunately, due to Robert's lack of interest in recording, his recorded legacy is quite small.  Because of this, every recorded album/compilation of Robert's is an essential component of the early electric blues era.

'Live On Maxwell Street 1964' captures Robert Nighthawk in his element, live on the street at Chicago's Maxwell Street Market, with all the market's commotion going on around him. You'll hear cheers of encouragement from the Robert's friends, fans, people talking, babies crying, car horns and truck engines. It was not done in a studio with 157 takes and then technologically enhanced.  This is the vibe John Landis and Dan Aykroyd tried to capture with John Lee Hooker's performance in the film, 'The Blues Brothers'.

Listen to his "Cheatin' & Lyin' Blues", "I Need Your Love So Bad" or medley "Anna Lee/Sweet Black Angel" (the latter erroneously credited to B.B. King) and you'll hear where Muddy Waters was found his inspiration.  Robert Nighthawk's voice is a separate story. Powerful, smooth and raw, blended with his guitar playing.  Many, many, bluesmen follow Mr. Nighthawk even without knowing it.

On most of the songs he is only accompanied by Robert Whitehead on drums, and Johnny Young's rhythm guitar.  While on some tracks appear such great Chicagoans as Carey Bell on harmonica, "Big" John Wrencher (a.k.a. One Arm John) also on harmonica, and "Blind" Arvella Gray on guitar.

This kind of blues is like the record of a lost civilization - gone so long that we've almost forgotten how much it accomplished in its prime.  In the 60 years since this album was recorded, electric-guitar blues has been buffed and polished to a high shine, and the rough edges that got sanded away took with them the very texture of the blues.  I'm reminded of the old adage, "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater".  If that strikes a chord with you, grab this freeload - and it will grab you right back.  It's rough, raw and gritty - a musical snapshot of the streets on which it was recorded.  This is the real deal blues stained with sweat, nicotine, street food and cheap beer on a hot summer afternoon - it's delicious!

For the freeload, tell us who's your singular favorite guitarist (not a list of favorites, just one) .