“Whatever you do, do it with feeling.” Those are words to live by and few live them better than veteran Chicago bluesman, John Primer who is considered, along with Lurrie Bell, as one of the best traditional blues electric blues guitarists. If you’re unaware, the two-time Grammy-nominated Primer’s lineage is staggering. Before striking out on his own in 1995, he was the band leader for Jr. Wells, Willie Dixon, Muddy Waters, and Magic Slim. So, he’s had the best mentors and he continues to carry the torch. Primer proves that blues is clearly about that certain feeling and groove on Hard Times. Guitar and vocal histrionics are unnecessary. He prefers to “get back in the alley before some of y’all were born” to unearth and revitalize the ‘real deal’ material, dubbing his band, The Real Deal Blues Band.
They are the same three gentlemen that play with Primer on the road, fiery harmonicist Steve Bell, (son of legendary harmonicist Carey Bell and brother of aforementioned Lurrie), drummer Lenny Media, and bassist Dave Forte. Guests include Rick Kreher on rhythm guitar, Johnny Iguana on piano and organ, and his daughter, Aliya, making her recording debut on “Tough Times.”
Primer stayed as busy as he could during the pandemic shutdown, streaming programs every week. He also took the time to review the many songs in his catalog with producer Rick Barnes to shape this album which delivers over an hour of raw blues. As a friend said after he and this writer witnessed a recent performance of Primer and his band, “Every so often we need to hear Primer to be reminded how the blues should really sound.”
Unfortunately, Primer’s deep Chicago blues is a dying art form. The album, as indicated by the photographs that were taken at the legendary blues club, B.L.U.E.S. on Halsted, is dedicated to the shuttered club which never may reopen. Sad events like that make albums such as this one that more important. From the vibrancy of the opener, “You Got What I Want,” filled Primer’s guitar picking, authentic vocal delivery, and Bell’s harp to the joy of the closer, “Whiskey,”(“I drink my whiskey when I get drunk, smoke my reefer when I want to get high”) with its closing line “Let’s get to the point, roll me a big, fat joint,” this is Primer’s way of getting us through difficult times. They take an instrumental turn on the shuffle “Don’t Wait Too Long” with strong spots from the leader, Bell, and Iguana on piano. We first hear Primer’s Muddy Waters-like slide replete with Iguana’s Otis Spann-like piano in the title track, one that is steeped in that glorious ‘60s Chess sound and topical theme, speaking about having lost his job.
“Blues, Blues, Blues” takes us into the deep, bone-chilling slow blues, ideal for Bell to cut loose on his harp and Primer again on his piercing slide. The band revs up for “I Won’t Sweat It,” with Primer picking to Iguana’s pounding piano and Bell’s wailing. The distinctive Chicago blues shuffle doesn’t get any better than on “Chicago,” as Primer sings fondly of his hometown. Not surprisingly, 17-year-old daughter, Aliya, brings power and grace to the uplifting standout track “Tough Times” with Bell and Primer revealing their melodic sides in support.
“All Alone” hits hard with that stomping Chicago shuffle sound, featuring blistering slide guitar, great piano, and, of course, Bell, who is essential to the sound on every track. Primer sings with authentic conviction about the homesickness of the road warrior musician. “My Sugar Mama” and “You Mean So Much to Me” retain the driving tempo, unleashing all three soloists, Iguana included. The band returns to the searing slow blues in “Try To Make You Mine” with Primer’s extended guitar intro backed by Iguana on the organ. After Primer delivers a couple of vocal verses, Bell launches into orbit on a trademark solo with Primer eventually capping it with more scintillating picking. More slow blues come with “Hot Meal “- “Now I know what I want, some good ol’ cornbread, neck bones, and black-eyed peas,” sung with the conviction of a bluesman born on sharecropper’s land. Running at almost eight minutes, this one allows for extensive slide soloing, never hurried, just in that deep, deep groove that few can match.
Chicago blues just don’t get any better in these times, hard as they may be. This is indeed the REAL DEAL.
