Pryor, SnookyMojo Ramble2003Electro-Fi RecordsElectro-Fi 3381

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Pryor, Snooky - Mojo Ramble - 2003 - Electro-Fi Records - Electro-Fi 3381

Written by John Taylor

"I'm old but I'm hell!"

Really, what more can one say about this remarkable octogenarian that Snooky himself hasn't said in this oft-quoted declaration?

Pryor spent most of his career on the sidelines, his modest success overshadowed by the giants of the genre. This, despite his claim to be the first to play amplified harmonica over his army unit's PA system during WWII. Yet in the last decade or so, he's roared his way into the front ranks, finally getting the acclaim he's long deserved as an innovative harmonicist, powerhouse vocalist, and staunch upholder of tradition.

Pryor is in fine form for this outing, recorded live at the L'il Big Horn Saloon in Cambridge, Ontario. It's home turf for transplanted Mississippian Mel Brown, whose Homewreckers - bassist Leo Valvassori, drummer Jim Boudreau, with John Lee on keys - have backed Pryor on several previous occasions.

All provide utterly impeccable support, yet despite being subtitled "Live In Concert," this is anything but a sedate listening experience. An unofficial celebration of Pryor's 80th birthday, it's every bit as loose and lively, as raucous and as rowdy as the blues should be.

Pryor blasts his way through a straight forward, no-nonsense set of tough Chicago blues, his trademark vocal quaver very much intact and his harmonica work undiminished in its power and precision. There are only two covers - Joe Morris' Shake My Hand and Hudson Whittaker's It Hurts Me Too - and only eight tunes in total. But all but one clock in at well over the seven-minute mark, with a couple over nine minutes - ample room for Pryor, Brown, and Lee to provide object lessons in the intelligent construction of a solo. And while longer versions don't always work as well on disc, here things seem just right.

On the surface, this is music as subtle as a sledgehammer, with the visceral impact of a punch to the gut. But the apparent simplicity belies an intricate and highly developed ensemble approach. Every note is an integral part of a tightly woven tapestry, and the level of musical intelligence on display here is simply breathtaking. Whether it's the admirable economy of expression, the unerring logic in every solo, or the intuitive sympathy each displays in support of the others, this is music of the masters.

Yet years of experience haven't diminished the essential enthusiasm these wily veterans still bring to the table. Pryor is clearly having the time of his life, his whoops and wails evidence that age is simply a matter of mind, and bluesmen, like fine wine, really do improve with age. His energy is astonishing, and I'd venture to say that even at 80, his Mojo's intact. Hell indeed!

Blues has always been music of the moment, with spontaneous expression and the intangible bond between artist and audience at its very essence. Live recordings don't always capture that magic, but Mojo Ramble joins the ranks of the few that stand as milestones.

This is what it's supposed to sound like. An absolutely definitive recording, Mojo Ramble is essential listening.

Copyright 2004. Review by John Taylor.

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