This is roughly the current Korner band plus guest vocalist Duffy Power (though I believe Chris Pyne is now with Humph’s reshaped group). Power is a refugee from the rock ’n’ roll era (as the name may suggest) and is a good example of a British ‘blues shouter’. As usual it’s all very forced. A little goes a long way, and the harmonica playing is of that curious ‘white’ variety that can never shake loose from the busking tradition – though I must admit there are odd phrases that remind one of Junior Wells. He is best on the reflective Louise, backed by Korner’s strong acoustic guitar, and Ooo-Wee Baby, where his tendency to over-emote is thrown into listenable relief by band riffs. Korner gives out with his usual raspy vocals, and he is also best when the trombone and tenor are behind him, as on River’s Invitation (the same Percy Mayfield tune that attracted Stanley Turrentine on his excellent ‘Joy Ride’ album), which boasts a bossa-nova style beat and on which Alexis sounds not a little like his old skiffle-buddy Ken Colyer! Quite attractive.
The (c) tracks are without doubt the best, with Pyne’s Jimmy Knepper style trombone outstanding, and echoes of Sonny Rollins in the work of Alan Skidmore. The rhythm team are good throughout, and Danny Thompson comes on like the composer in his solo on Mingus’ Prayer Meeting. Honesty is a good swinging blues theme by Dave (Ginger?) Baker, broken up by free form intervals – it is a success, thanks again mainly to Chris Pyne, though I missed Korner’s eccentric solo which he occasionally performs on this tune. A pity the whole LP was not devoted to this forward-reaching style, which proves that it’s not so strange after all that Archie Shepp should be quoted as enjoying the work of B. B. King. The (g) tracks are acoustic guitar solos which show well the influence of fellow guitarist Davy Graham (though perhaps it was the other way round?) – Floating has an Indian sound allied to the basic drive Korner picked up from Big Bill. Not a bad album then (with aforementioned reservations), but lacking the overall quality of the all-instrumental Ace Of Clubs release, ACL 32 1187.
Discography
(a) Long Black Train; (b) Rock Me; (a) I’m So Glad; (c) Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting; (c) Honesty; (c) Yellow Dog Blues (25 min) – (b) Let The Good Times Roll; (d) Ooo-Wee Baby; (e) River’s Invitation; (b) Money Honey; (b) Big Road Blues; (f) Louise; (g) Floating; (g) Anchor 5 Miles; (g) Daps Dance (25 min)
(a) Duffy Power (vcl/hca); Alexis Korner (g); Danny Thompson (bs); Terry Cox (d).
(b) Korner (vcl/g); Power (hca); Thompson; Cox.
(c) Chris Pyne (tbn); Alan Skidmore (ten); Korner (g); Thompson; Cox.
(d) as (c) plus Power (vcl/hca).
(e) as (c) – vcl by Korner.
(f) Power (vcl/hca); Korner (g).
(g) Korner (g).
London, 1965.
(Spot JW 551 32s. 2d.)
