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Detroit Blues Club Revue

Detroit Blues Club Revue image
Parent Issue
Day
17
Month
December
Year
1975
OCR Text

Detroit Blues Club Revue At Ethel's Cocktail Lounge, Nov. 20

Featuring Bobo Jenkins, Charlene Newkirt, Jesse Williams, L.C. Nelson, Little Junior Cannady, Chicago Pete, and Little Mack Collins.

The Thursday night blues sessions held at Ben's Hi-Chaparral since the Afro-American Festival last summer have been moved over to the even more perfect blues showplace, Ethel's Cocktail Lounge on Mack just east of Grand Blvd., where Bobo Jenkins and the Detroit Blues Club kicked off the new series with a stellar Thanksgiving night show.

Working principally with Bobo's excellent new band - Chicago Pete, bass, and Henry Knott, drums - a succession of Motor City Blues favorites contributed to a long set of continuous (and continually interesting) music, starting with Bobo's Mississippi-based guitar and vocals on "She Wants to Sell My Monkey" and "Shake 'Em On Down." Charlene Newkirt did the evening's first version of "Stormy Monday" before Bobo joined her for a reprise of "Shake 'Em On Down," with the hard-dancing L.B. -Nets responding vigorously to the musical command from the bandstand.

Harmonica blower Jesse Williams stepped up for a hot "Hoochie Coochie Man" and a smoking harp feature, followed by singer L.C. Nelson and his band, the Blind Jesters, for another try at "Stormy Monday" and a segue to the Roosevelt Sykes number, "Driving Wheel." Chicago Pete and Henry Knott returned to back up the exciting Little Junior Cannady, a popular . guitarist/vocalist who continues to improve and grow within the bounds of the blues form he has taken for his own.

Little Junior opened with a long, moving guitar solo before breaking into "Why I Sing the Blues," the first in a medley of three songs by the young guitarist's idol and friend, the great B.B. King. "The Thrill Is Gone" and a swinging "Sweet Sixteen," with Little Mack Collins slipping in on rhythm guitar, brought the show up to Chicago Pete's spot, which was filled very nicely by two original numbers - sad to say , something of a rarity the rest of the night.

Little Junior switched to rhythm and Little Mack to lead guitar for the final stretch, which had Mack singing his own "Ghetto Woman," a reprise of "The Thrill Is Gone," the popular "Whole Lotta Lovin'," and Joe Turner's classic "Chains of Love," Bobo Jenkins came back up for the ending, and as the music faded into the night everybody was talking about coming back next week. For a deuce at the door, it's a hot tip even for the poor.

It was also a sort of dress rehearsal for the big Blues Weekend at the 20 Grand coming up December 19-20-21, when Little Mack Collins will take Little Junior, Jesse Williams, Johnnie Jones, Joe L., and numerous of others into the Bonfire Room at the westside hotspot. Blues fans would not miss either of these super treats, and you can also get on the Detroit Blues Club mailing list by contacting the Club's president, Bobo Jenkins himself, at his Big Star Recording studios, 4228 Joy Road, 491-7465. Do it today! --John Sinclair

photo:  Barbara Weinberg

Little Junior Cannady   Grover Washington Jr.