(49k). January 21, 1996 - Rosa's Lounge, 3420 W. Armitage, Chicago, Illinois 60647 (312-342-0452)
Click on the image to see the cool postcard announcement for this
concert.
(49k).
This was one of the biggest concentrations of Chicago blues musicians I have ever seen. The vibrations were really fine, honoring a fallen friend, doing good deeds by helping the family pay for the funeral, and celebrating the life of an important blues musician. Michael Frank (President of Earwig Records) was the MC. He produced many of Jimmy Davis's recordings and helped his family arrange for the funeral. He is a real mensch.
Chicago blues talent were out in force. Among the musicians were Sugar Blue, Melvin Taylor, Lurrie Bell, Willie James, Mack Simmons, Maddog Lester Davenport, Willie Kent, Little Ed, Dave Weld, Andy Wahllof, Mr. H., Shirley King, Lord of Lightning, Dave Anderson, Eddie C. Campbell, and Pinetop Perkins (Muddy Waters's pianist).
There was a diverse audience, including many old timers from Maxwell Street and visitors from as far as Sweden and Japan. The crowd was there to savor the tradition and jive with the music. In some ways, it was also a wake for the old Maxwell Street Market.
I got to meet L.B. Thomspon, brother of Maxwell Street Jimmy Davis. He told me his brother taught him how to play music and he played with his brother for several years under the name of Good Time Larry.
All the music was great but my personal favorite number was Shirley King's earthy and sensual rendition of Hoochie Koochie Woman, jumping from the bandstand and strolling the length of Rosa's, dancing and singing to the audience. I even got my rear patted!
Mr H, Barron of the Blues, told me that Maxwell Street Jimmy encouraged him to play and helped him get right up on the stage at Maxwell Street to jam with the "resident musicians." About the old market he said,"The funk is gone. The University and the City destroyed the heritage. I was only there for the blues. I really miss the blues tree." This was a tree in an empty lot in the market where a lot of music was played.
Dave Anderson played a duo-set with Abdul Hakim and included a song he wrote about Maxwell Street Jimmy. Anderson told the crowd, "Ten years ago I shook his hand and he never let it go. He dragged me all over the West Side of Chicago to play music with him and on to a European Tour in Belgium."
Willie James played a fiery set. He played with Maxwell Jimmy right on Maxwell Street. Mr. James told the audience that a few years back, based on advice Maxwell Jimmy got at church, he decided to stop playing the blues. Mr. James said that he tried to change Maxwell Jimmy's mind telling him,"your blues playing is a gift from God and it should be shared ... it's not what you do but how you do it that counts." Maxwell Street Jimmy did go back to playing the blues and playing on Maxwell Street, and played in the Delta Blues Festival the year before he died.
A suburban couple told me they came to be part of a celebration, in the Southern tradition, of a famous musician. "We wanted to be part of this. He has amazing friends. He was well loved." When asked about the demise of the market that Maxwell Street Jimmy played in, they said," It's terrible. They will never recapture that glory."