Search - Howlin Wolf :: In Concert

Great music, mediocre sound, lousy packaging

Docendo Discimus | Vita scholae | 09/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It's a shame that this recording of Howlin' Wolf's November, 1964 concert in Bremen, Germany is plagued by mediocre fidelity. If the sound had been just a little better, "In Concert" (which has been issued under at least four different titles) would be one of the greatest-ever live blues albums, right up there alongside "Muddy Waters At Newport".



Wolf is backed by his legendary lead guitarist Hubert Sumlin, drummer Clifton James, pianist extraordinaire Albert Luandrew (Sunnyland Slim to you and me), and supposedly Willie Dixon on bass, although not all sources agree about that. It does sound like Dixon's upright bass, though. And this impressive combo, which has Wolf himself playing rhythm guitar and a bit of harmonica, groove their way through a tough set of the grittiest electric blues you'll ever hear:

A driving "Shake It For Me", featuring some jackhammer drumming by Clifton James, opens the set, followed by the slow grind of "May I Have A Talk With You" (which Wolf introduces as "Love Me"), and tremendous renditions of "Dust My Broom" and "I Didn't Mean To Hurt Your Feelings". The latter is one of the most amazing slow blues I have ever heard...Sunnyland Slim is fantastic, Sumlin plays a terrific solo, and the rhythm section is rock-solid yet wonderfully supple.



The swaggering instrumental "Rockin' The Blues" is a nice showcase for the band, and the second half of the album features the up-tempo shuffle "All My Life", and a slow, stately "Going Down Slow" (Willie Dixon is credited for "bass & speech", and he did do the spoken intro on Wolf's - inferior - studio version, but this live rendition has the Wolf himself doing all the vocals.)

"Howlin' For My Darling" is a swinging, riff-driven steam engine, and the album winds down with a wonderful seven-minute "Forty-Four" which doesn't overstay its welcome one bit. Great piano part again by Sunnyland Slim.



Turn up the volume, and after a little while you won't hardly notice the lack of 21st century fidelity. Any semi-serious blues fan should listen to this wonderful recording of Howlin' Wolf in his prime...but if I were you I'd go for the recent Acrobat reissue which is more attracively packaged with less hideous layout and a little bit better sound as well."