Customer Reviews

Alone & Acoustic

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Okay, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica, how good can it be? Geez, everything must sound the same!
Eh? Well, it can be very good indeed, actually. And it is.

1991's "Alone & Acoustic" is one of the very best of the numerous albums that Chicago blues greats Buddy Guy and Junior Wells recorded together, an intimate, expressive session, and a showcase for Guy's abilities on the acoustic twelve-string as well as for Amos "Junior" Wells' tasteful harp playing.
Sharing lead vocals, the relaxed mood seems to suggest that the two old friends are just sitting down for an hour of easy jamming, but the performances are never sloppy, always tight and done with honesty and conviction.

Buddy Guy and Junior Wells play their own compositions (Guy's "Give Me My Coat And Shoes" and Wells' "Big Boat" are among the highlights), as well as covering artists like Jimmy Rogers (a great "That's All Right"), Sonny Terry (an equally fine "Diggin' My Potatoes"), and John Lee Hooker. There are no fewer than three John Lee Hooker-numbers here, actually, and rather than substituting his own name in Hooker's mini-epos "Boogie Chillen", George "Buddy" Guy lets the narrator refer to himself as "Johnny"!

Okay, so the setting may have been an Alligator Records studio, but this is still acoustic street-corner blues at its best, and one of the warmest, most enjoyable blues records I've ever listened to.

This is simply a great bit of acoustic blues. I highly recommend it for any listening audience.

Everytime I listen to this wonderful performance, I have an urge to offer Junior & Buddy some coffee. The sound of this CD makes you feel like this pair is sitting next to you, playing just for you. And if one could have them play just for him, wouldn't he offer them, at least, some coffee?
The CD is quiet, calm, natural and with the deep voices of the artists makes a great companion for the winter season.
This CD contains a collection of mostly classics tracks, some vocals by Junior and some be Buddy (But no duets but the last track). You'll love this one whether you are a blues fan or not.

Everytime I listen to this wonderful performance, I have an urge to offer Junior & Buddy some coffee. The sound of this CD makes you feel like this pair is sitting next to you, playing just for you. And if one could have them play just for him, wouldn't he offer them, at least, some coffee?
The CD is quiet, calm, natural and with the deep voices of the artists makes a great companion for the winter season.
This CD contains a collection of mostly classics tracks, some vocals by Junior and some be Buddy (But no duets). You'll love this one whether you are a blues fan or not.

I could sit and listen to these two all day. It would be great if more blues albums were made this way. The pure sound of a 12 string guitar and a unamplified harmonica. I think the great vocals of Junior Wells on "Big Boat" would be worth the price of this album alone - but it is just one of the many treats on this album. This album is full of standard blues classics, but the sound is so fresh it is like you are hearing them for the first time.
A treat for anyone, no matter what their favorite style of the blues is.

This CD is at least as good as any CDs by the Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee duo, and its sound quality is better. The singing, acoustic guitar playing, and 'the blues harp' are all crystally pure and innocent. Gee, I love this kind of blues!

I've always heard Buddy in electric mode and I was totally shocked at how he sounded and played unplugged. I must admit that I cheated and listened to this on the internet but I had to buy it after hearing it.

what else can be said? with guy/wells you got a great cd of acoustic/harmonica blues recorded from france.

This CD is simply outstanding. Originally released in 1981, it features blues greats Buddy Guy and Junior Wells unplugged. Two men, one day in Paris, one acoustic guitar and one harmonica with each sharing the vocal duties. While the material is not new it is performed with such individuality and conviction that other interpretations of this same material pales in comparison. There are 15 songs arranged into an hours worth of deep south acoustic blues. This has got to be one of Alligators finest releases and is a must have for any fan of these two giants, fans of acoustic blues and fans of the blues period.

My past experiences with Buddy Guy's music has been with his fender plugged in and turned up.A true blues icon imitated by every guitar player in the last decade so you could imagine my suprise to see this acoustic set with Junior Wells. Let me tell you one thing...I WAS BLOWN AWAY!!! He is a master of the guitar ..plugged in or not.This albulm is the real deal born from the juke-joints of yesterday.Every note he plays takes you furthur back to the days of smoke filled gin joints where hard working folk escaped the oppression of their days. If you only buy one CD this year make it this one. It is the best blues I ever heard. Buddy and Junior keepin it strong and real.Robert Johnson would be proud to hear his blues come full circle .THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!