Live In Sweden 1987

Johnny Winter With Dr. John

MVD, 2016

http://www.johnnywinter.net

REVIEW BY: David Bowling

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 10/13/2016

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Johnny Winter (1944-2014) helped fuse the blues with rock and roll. He quickly established himself as a high level guitar technician whose fingers could virtually fly as they crafted his signature sound. His career gradually morphed him into one of the premier blues musicians of the last 50 years.my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250

The 1990s and the years leading to his death were somewhat musically inconsistent, but during the late 1980s he was at the height of his powers. A seven song set, recorded in Sweden during 1987, has been resurrected under the title Live In Sweden 1987. The nearly one hour of music finds Winter backed by the rhythm section of bassist/harmonica player John Paris and drummer Tom Compton. The real treat is the addition of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame musician Dr. John, whose gritty vocals and thumping New Orleans piano style bring some new dimensions to Winter’s traditional sound.

The first three tracks, “Sound The Bell,” “Don’t Take Advantage Of Me,” and “Mojo Boogie” find Winter at his scintillating best. The songs have a good length to them, which allows Winter to stretch out and explore the various melodies.

“You Lie Too Much,” “Sugar Sweet,” and “Love Life And Money” find Winter stepping back and sharing the stage with Dr. John. They rotate the vocals and Dr. John’s piano provides a nice counterpoint to Winter’s guitar. Everything is brought to a close with an energetic “Jumping Jack Flash,” which has been a Winter staple since the late 1960s.

The sound on this disc is excellent for music that has been in the vaults for nearly 30 years. The only negative is the lack of any liner notes whatsoever. But ultimately, Live In Sweden is a nice artifact of not only Johnny Winter but also of a unique concert where he shares the stage with an equally talented musician.

Rating: B+

User Rating: Not Yet Rated


Comments

 








© 2016 David Bowling and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of MVD, and is used for informational purposes only.