Pinetop Perkins
Pinetop Perkins
and Friends
Telarc
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95 Years old and still singing and playing the blues piano better than men a third of his age, or maybe even two of them pressed together. His list of credits and the musicians he has played with are distinguished and a virtual who’s who of the blues; from Robert Nighthawk, and Sonny Boy Williamson, guitar acrobat Earl Hooker, and over 10 years with Muddy Waters after Otis Spann left. In 1985 he put together his own band and has been touring since. He was asked whom he would like to pair up with on a disc, and look at some of those who said yes and supported him. B.B. King, who he has known from the early days in Memphis, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughn, and under-recorded rising star Nora Jean Brusco, teams up with him on a number of vocals. This is a man that may have to build an addition on his house just for the number of Handy Awards, and Piano Player of the year, etc. etc. awards and
recognitions he has won. He plays on this disc with his usual Rhythm Guitarist, Paul Diethelm, Bassist Bob Stroger, and Bill Willis on Hammond B-3. On drums he has Willie Smith, Leon Smith, Kester Smith, Kenny Smith, and I’ll leave it to you to sort out the relationships but there are fathers, sons, and other relations in there. For a man that has smoked cigarettes since he was 9 his voice is in remarkable shape and his energy is unflagging. This is a chance to listen to one of the great ones surrounded by many of his legendary friends in a disc where he is absolutely scintillating and his playing is nonpareil.