Size: 179,6 MB
Time: 76:52
File: MP3 @ 320K/s
Released: 2002/2013
Styles: Modern Electric Blues
Art: Front
01. Just Keep Lovin' Her (3:11)
02. Denny's Playing The Blues (7:07)
03. Gone, Gone, Gone (3:33)
04. Blues, Blues, Blues (7:33)
05. Freight Train (3:27)
06. Missisippi Fever (3:34)
07. John Henry (2:22)
08. Judy Bell (2:25)
09. Sea Of Tears (5:26)
10. Louisiana Woman (3:01)
11. If I Had My Way (4:52)
12. So Much Trouble (2:55)
13. Papa Told Me Too (3:47)
14. Country Boy (3:03)
15. Meet Me In The Bottom (2:00)
16. Goin' Back To Arkansas (2:33)
17. Try Me One More Time (5:08)
18. I Need You Baby (4:30)
19. That Fast Rollin' Santa Fe (2:50)
20. Time To Go (3:27)
Even when he commenced his musical career more than 20 years ago, Albert C. Humphrey knew exactly: “good old blues is the only real blues! Because blues is life and life is blues”.
In the time the Afro-American entertainer and singer from Los Angeles, resident of Munich by choice, known by his nickname “Blues Bert l”, has staged countless shows andissued numerous albums and, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, at the express wish of Munich Mayor Christian Ude, opened the Oktoberfest with his hymn of peace“Changing Times” and much more. In 1998, Bavarian Television produced a documentary on the life of Albert C. Humphrey entitled “One Either Fights or Runs” that is aired repeatedly.
He has stood on stage with the musical greats of this world, for example José Feliciano, Louisiana Red, Rodger Hodgson, Manfred Mann, Udo Lindenberg, Sonny Terry & Brownie
McGhee, Johnnie Johnson, Angela Brown, Konstantin Wecker. He has also made tours throughout Europe and in the USA.
Excursions into the fields of swing, jazz and gospel are testimony of his versatility, nonetheless there is no way past “good old blues”.
“Today, the term blues is used to describe so many things”, he says, “which really have nothing at all to do with the original concept. One thinks of simple chords and clear song structures, but all too often the most important thing is neglected: feeling. Real blues must not only be played, but also felt and lived.”
And this has now become a type of missionary assign ment for him - recalling the origins. “Albert C. Humphrey & His Roots of Blues”, a fascin ating trio, have not named their new programme and latest CD “Going Back in Time” for no thing. The motto is programme, archaic sounds, only guitar, mouthorgan and song. But performed so captivatingly and originally that it almost takes one’s breath away.
Whereby Albert C. Humphrey is shown not only to be a singer in familiar style with a powerful and highly expressive voice, but also an astute ent ertainer. In his interwoven mixture of German, English and Bavarian he wisecracks, banters and jests that it does one’s heart good. A show within a show.
“Blues doesn’t need to be sad. Even if your wife ha s just left you, taken your car and your last cent. Then it really is time to laugh life in the face.”
A revelation that was no stranger to the old blues heroes Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee and all those other legends in whose tradition Humphreysees himself. “Preserving the memory of these great musicians is alone worthy of our time journey.” And along these lines “Going Back in Time ” both on CD and even more so as live programme becomes an endearing homage to the glorio us times of these musicians. Times when music was still hand-made and when the “super stars” were not picked by some smooth talkers but by the only important criterion there is: the soul. All concerts are always one-time blues premieres that one just has to experience.
The line-up:
Albert C. Humphrey, born in 1951 in Los Angeles/USA, lives in Germany since 1969. Quickly he recognized his talent as singer and entertainer, founded his Backyard Blues Band, his trio Roots of Blues, his gospel choir Voices of Gospel, his Jazz Quartet, his Gala Band Music Magic, becomes scene personality and character. Not withstanding his wisecracking, he has a clear way of thinking: for humanity, peace, tolerance - against (self-experienced and still prevalent worldwide) racism.
John Paiva, born 1943 in Bristol/USA, can already look back on world tours with Chuck Berry, Freddy Cannon, The Drifters, Fats Domino, The Chiffons and the Four Tops. His guitar sound is unmistakeable, wonderfully relaxed but yet very powerful. He sits on his stool like a big teddy bear, like a rock in raging waters and with his art he can call up feelings that are anything but placid and peaceful. Feelings that get under the skin.
Hubert Hofherr, born in 1961 in Zwiesel/Germany, refined his mouth organ skills in close contact with greats like Billy Branch, J. W. Williams, Magic Slim, Eddie Clearwater and Alabama Red. His roots lie in Chicago Blues, his am bitions tally with those of Albert C. Humphrey. Voice and mouthorgan blend into a perfect team, gladden at the reciprocal interplay and in complementary perfection give rise to delightful surprises time and again.
Blues Is Life