Thursday, August 26, 2010

Jimmy Dawkins and the Leric Story: '80s Chicago Blues Lives On


Chicago bluesman Jimmy Dawkins ran his Leric Records in the '80s, turning out a series of sides that carried on the urban blues tradition in fine fashion. Dawkins and a series of key sidemen backed up a number of lesser known but not lesser endowed blues artists on the local scene: Little Johnny Christian, Tail Dragger, Queen Sylvia, Vance Kelly, and others.

Delmark Records has wisely reissued sixteen prime cuts from the labels output on Jimmy Dawkins Presents the Leric Story (Delmark 808).

These are totally committed slabs of pure sanctified blues-soul. Dawkins guitar work sparkles, the singers are putting it out and the backup band knows just what to do. It's the real thing, 1980 style. I was living in Chicagoland in those days and I must say it feels like home to hear these. Now if I could only get some Harold's Chicken Fedexed to my door, WITH the hot sauce, of course.

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