Boogie Chillun [Charly] (CD - 1972)

All tracks recorded on November 2 & 3 and 8-10, 1962. Tracks 1-10 originally released as LIVE AT SUGAR HILL on Galaxy (8205). Tracks 11-19 originally released in 1972 on the album BOOGIE CHILLUN on Fantasy (24706). Includes original release liner notes by Tony Glover.

Since maximum playing time of a single CD could not accommodate the entire length of the original double-album release, one selection ("Matchbox") has been deleted.

Recorded live in November 1962 in San Francisco, this dates from the period in which Hooker often presented himself as a sort of blues/folk singer for the coffeehouse crowd, toning down his volume and aggressiveness somewhat. There's something of a muted "unplugged" feel to these solo performances (though an electric guitar is used). It's not ineffective, though not among his best work; it's the kind of Hooker you might want to put on past midnight, just before going to sleep. Hooker's never been bashful about recycling songs, and "Boogie Chillun" appears here in one of its many versions, as does "Dimples" (retitled as "I Like to See You Walk"). He also tackles the rock/soul standard "Money," changing the title to "I Need Some Money," for which he also somehow gets awarded the songwriting credit on the sleeve. ~ Richie Unterberger

This version of BOOGIE CHILLUN, originally a live album recorded in 1962, also includes the disc LIVE AT SUGAR HILL, also recorded live in that same year. These two solo concerts are from the beginning of Hooker's "rediscovery" period. The early-'60s folk boom brought blues artists of Hooker's generation back into vogue and gave them a new audience. For Hooker it was more than a chance to cash in on his reputation. He took the opportunity to pare his music down to its essential elements for a harder, more focused sound than that of his '50s band recordings.

Hooker's voice is deeper and richer, full of hard-earned wisdom, and his trenchant guitar accompaniment is all that's required for the delivery of these hard-hitting tunes. The bleakness of "T.B. Is Killing Me" and "This World" are offset by the randiness of "I Like to See You Walk" and the world of endless possibility presented in "I Got the Key to the Highway." The ability to balance the good and the bad in this manner is the earmark of a blues genius, a title Hooker undoubtedly deserves. minimize