Search - Howlin Wolf :: Live in Cambridge Ma 1966

For Collectors Only

snunns@juno.com | New York | 07/20/1998

(1 out of 5 stars)

"To the collector, "Live in Cambridge, Mass. is probably some sort of wonderful find; one of the few live recordings of one of the great electric bluesmen at the height (or, at least, not long after the height) of his powers, when British kids like The Yardbirds and Canadians like The Band (then known as The Hawks) were making hejiras to meet up with him. In one evening in a Cambridge coffee house, Wolf tore the place apart with a crack group of musicians (some of whom are anonymous on this recording) with his slapping rhythmic grooves and trademark growl.All the same, there's little to attract the average listener to this record, mostly because to the sound quality. Obviously recorded with a portable unit, there is no definition or separation of sound; Wolf himself is sometimes drowned out by the band, and when he's not, his singing (which sounds like it's coming through a tinny PA) is indesipherable. Even the most casual music fan has heard bootlegs that sound ! ten times better than this, supposedly legitimate, recording.The liner notes--which are no great shakes themselves--suggest that the inferior recording quality is simply something to be overlooked and that the historical importance of the recording outweighs such considerations. Perhaps. Indeed, if one manages to wade through the wall of noise, it's hard not to admit that this probably was a magical evening 32 years ago (the audience, which we hear at times better than Wolf, is clearly in love with the man). Nevertheless, with many great Howlin' Wolf collections out there, one can't help thinking that the man himself (who was hardly known as a sweetheart) would have taken the creators of this CD to task for not only misrepresenting his work, but also--dare we say it?--ripping off both the casual and faithful listener."

Rough and Rowdy, Chicago Blues At Their Best

Ron Frankl | Hendersonville, NC | 10/26/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Howlin' Wolf (a/k/a Chester Burnett) was one of the true originals of the blues. His recordings for Chess from the 1950's until his death in 1976 are among the finest Chicago blues recordings of all time. Few vocalists possess the power and passion of Howlin' Wolf, and he's in great form on "Live In Cambridge, MA 1966."This set, recorded live in a small club in 1966, is a treasure. Yes, the sound is rough, very rough in spots, but the performance by Wolf and his small band (featuring guitarist Hubert Sumlin and tenor sax player Eddie Shaw) is intense and exciting. The song selection is a mixture of Wolf's best known tunes and a few blues standards. A highlight is "I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline), a Tommy Johnson original that Wolf recorded memorable in the '50's. Unlike comtemporary Muddy Waters, there's not a lot of live Wolf available, but this CD will suffice for now. If you love the blues, here's my advice to you. Don't worry about the sound. Buy this terrific recording, crank it up and have a great time."