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Magic Sam’s former bassist hasn’t been slim for decades, but he does have his own brand of Chicago-juke-joint sorcery, and that’s made him one of the Windy City’s most popular and enduring journeyman players. There’s nothing fancy about tales of heartbreak and lust like "Please Don’t Dog Me" and "I Need Lovin’," but he’s developed a propulsive style that’s heavy on rock-like grooves with occasional flourishes of funk. Slim has also built plenty of room for keening, edgy guitar improvisations into his arrangements, and this bear of man with a growling voice to match is most captivating when he sits down to deliver one of his gnawing solos. All of which is captured in this concert video shot at the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California, without fancy camera angles or visual trickery. And that’s perfect for Slim’s music — a personal, no-frills distillation of the lessons he learned from Sam, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and the other legends of the genre who were holding court on the stages of his home town’s South and West Sides when he was coming up. The bonus interview isn’t always the whole truth, but it’s entertaining, with Slim’s shy personality and deep love and knowledge of the music shining through. BY TED DROZDOWSKI
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Issue Date: August 26 - September 1, 2005 Back to the Music table of contents |
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