J.B. Hutto - Bluesmaster: The Lost Tapes (2015) [CD Rip]

I worked with JB Hutto twice. Two sets of gigs at London's 100 Club. This would have been the very late 1970's into the very early 1980's when great Americans like him were coming in regularly. JB was a lovely man and a great performer who should have been a major legend.

When I had the chance to acquire the rights to this session I did it with enthusiasm. Who had the tapes? Max Jones. You may recall Max as the Melody Maker's resident blues and jazz writer. He knew everyone and, it seemed, everything.

Of course, I then approached JB's widow, Lulabell Hutto, to make sure all was fine with her and double- check the legalities. She was pleased to see this set released.

The origins of the session are slightly obscure but the music gives us no mysteries - just good, rock solid JB Hutto Chicago Blues. Added to the six tracks on the album tape was a live track from the 100 Club, a really tough slow blues.

As a bonus there are three tracks by another Chicago slide great, Johnny Littlejohn. Later, he recorded a great Soto Studio album for me.

All this material is on CD for the first time. I doubt if the original releases went to pressings of much more than a thousand or so, two thousand maximum, so the originals are not common. ~John Stedman