Magic Sam's Boogie: Smokin'!

[Double Stop]

I guess I've been living under a rock because I'm hearing this for the first time, but hot damn, this is absolutely smokin'!

The tone, the syncopation of the right/left hand, it's just friggin' alive, man!

 

[Back at it]

I saw it when a YouTube guy tried to break it down... that’s some bad ass playing

 

[VonBonfire]

Serious playing and serious tone.

This is why I quit wasting my time on rock and roll.

*ducks

 

[Gimble]

Magic was not a misnomer!

 

[ChicknPickn]

Why do I not know this guy???

 

[VonBonfire]

Why do I not know this guy???

He died fairly young unfortunately. There are many great bluesmen that the guitar playing public at large is not always aware of. This is why I love blues as sometimes you gotta be in the know to know, you know?

 

[BroGreg]

Jaw dropping performance right there.
I went on a search after noticing the guitar Magic Sam was tearing up. It appears to belong to Earl Hooker, another lesser-known but outstanding player.

Couldn't find out where the recording took place, more than likely the Chicago or Ann Arbor blues festivals of 1969. Tragically in December, Magic Sam had a heart attack and died at age 32. Hooker was hospitalized soon after and died of tuberculosis at the age of forty. A real joy to be able to hear both these men just make those guitars scream, and be inspired to chase after what these gentlemen had.

 

[BroGreg]

Watching the clip again I notice at 1:25 in, what appears to be a wallet bouncing on top of the drum?

 

[elihu]

Watching the clip again I notice at 1:25 in, what appears to be a wallet bouncing on top of the drum?

I figure it's either there because he likes the way it deadens the drum head or he just has to keep an eye on it. I used to play in a blues band where the drummer never used his floor tom. That's where he set his drinks and sandwiches.

 

[middy]

Watching the clip again I notice at 1:25 in, what appears to be a wallet bouncing on top of the drum?

It was fairly common in the 60s and 70s for the drummer to use his wallet for a damper on the snare. Also makes the stool more comfortable…

 

[ruger9]

Yeah the wallet thing is an oldschool trick to calm down the snare. JD McPherson and Jimmy Sutton, IDK if you are familiar with their music or not but it's not only old school in style, but also in recording techniques- they used very old gear (Jimmy Sutton's studio) to get the tones... check it out (wallet on the snare is in the first :30)



I read an interview with Brian Setzer where he, when he started the big band project, he had his drummer use a certain type of drum head for the snare- I forget what it's made out of, but it's something that sounds more dead than a regular snare.

As for Magic Sam, I've known about him but never went and explored him. He's "on the list" tho.

 

[Chiogtr4x]

I guess I've been living under a rock because I'm hearing this for the first time, but hot damn, this is absolutely smokin'!

The tone, the syncopation of the right/left hand, it's just friggin' alive, man!

What a fantastic groove and tone!
Was that a Hagstrom?
I don't think it was a Les Paul ( could be wrong)

 

[adjason]

Now that fires on all cylinders!

 

[johnny k]

Yeah. cool tune. And not even playing his guitar.
edit and probably not even rehearsed since he is giving cues to the band.

 

[Resojazznblues]

What a fantastic groove and tone!
Was that a Hagstrom?
I don't think it was a Les Paul ( could be wrong)

It is a Univox. Originally owned by blues and slide great Earl Hooker from Chicago.

 

[Resojazznblues]

Why do I not know this guy???

I don't know, Here is a quick fix though, one of his best albums:

 

[Chiogtr4x]

View attachment 940370 It is a Univox. Originally owned by blues and slide great Earl Hooker from Chicago.

Thanks!

I went to a Catholic boarding HS in the 1970's, and the 2 electric guitars in the Folk Group ( which I would join later), were matching Univox guitar and Bass.
I would learn many years later that they were Mosrite Ventures model copies!
We didn't know anything other than they were electric guitars, and we got to play them! ( though I actually played acoustic in the group)

( the bass amp was Univox, and guitar amp, a SS 15" Standel)

 

[Resojazznblues]

Jaw dropping performance right there.
I went on a search after noticing the guitar Magic Sam was tearing up. It appears to belong to Earl Hooker, another lesser-known but outstanding player. View attachment 940286

Couldn't find out where the recording took place, more than likely the Chicago or Ann Arbor blues festivals of 1969. Tragically in December, Magic Sam had a heart attack and died at age 32. Hooker was hospitalized soon after and died of tuberculosis at the age of forty. A real joy to be able to hear both these men just make those guitars scream, and be inspired to chase after what these gentlemen had.

American Blues Festival 1969

 

[dblues]

He put out two great albums on Delmark: Black Magic and West Side Soul and probably others I missed. Really great singer as well. I remember reading a glowing review of those two albums in Downbeat magazine when they came out and I had never heard of him so I was skeptical. A few years later I heard one of them and immediately went and bought them both. He does a similar “boogie”song on one of those albums called Mama Talk to Your Daughter. The other guitar player on those albums was Mighty Joe Young who stayed active on the Chicago blues club circuit for many years after Magic Sam passed. Some good friends of mine got to know him really well and I got to meet him a few times. Really sweet man and another great performer.

 

[rand z]

Magic Sam, along with Buddy Guy and Otis Rush, as electric guitarist's and singer's, really helped establish the "Chicago Blues."

Of course, there were other's too...

imo.