Willie Dixon & The Chicago All Stars: Willie Dixon, Carey Bell, Junior Watson, Butch Dixon, Freddie Dixon.
Recorded live in Long Beach, California in 1991.
Personnel: Willie Dixon (vocals); John Watkins (vocals, guitar); Carey Bell (vocals, harp); Willie Dixon Band (vocals); Butch Dixon (piano); Sgt. C. Jackson, Calvin Jackson (drums).
Liner Note Author: Ron Bartolucci.
Recording information: Long Beach, CA (1991).
Photographers: Kurt Hriczucsah; Ron Bartolucci.
In 1970, Willie Dixon released an album entitled I AM THE BLUES. It was a brash claim, but if anyone in blues history could stand up to this bit of bravura, Dixon was the man. Over the course of his career, he penned a suitcase full of tunes that defined Chicago blues--easily the most influential strand of the blues in the post-war era.
This 1971 live set--apparently recorded for a radio broadcast from a club in Long Beach California--finds him in fine form, backed by some younger Chicago musicians, including Carey Bell on harp and none other than Butch Dixon (a relation, of course) on piano. Dixon, who sounds like he's having a terrific time, lectures the highly appreciative crowd about the history of the blues and serves up fine versions of his classics "Built for Comfort" and "Rock Me."
