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gentle, restrained take on Bessie Smith’s ‘Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out’ featuring

mainly Stainton’s piano, then it’s a similar take on ‘Golden Ring’ from his ‘Backless’ album. Eric
then pays tribute to old mate Peter Green with both his ‘Black Magic Woman’ and also ‘Man of the
World’ — again Eric is playing mainly acoustic rhythm with Stainton’s piano being the lead
instrument.

The album carries on in similar fashion alternating between old album tracks — ‘After Midnight’,
‘River of Tears’, ‘Tears in Heaven’ etc. and blues classics — ‘Key to the Highway’, ‘Rock Me Baby’,
‘Going Down Slow’ etc. And if we’ve heard these songs many times before in many different
versions at least the versions here are different in this mellow, acoustic format — often with the

piano as lead instrument. The versions of ‘Layla’ and ‘Tears in Heaven’ are very like the
‘Unplugged’ versions but ‘Bell Bottom Blues’ works surprising well in this stripped back take and I
also liked the acoustic versions of the blues classics, with Chris Stainton’s piano to the fore in ‘Key
to the Highway’ and ‘Going Down Slow’ having a radical overhaul. Then with Muddy Waters’ ‘Long
Distance Call’ Eric plugs in and for me things definitely pick up, although this isn’t Eric in extreme
electric mode, he’s very much in traditional Chicago blues territory. Ditto ‘Bad Boy’ from his first
solo album and we close with a chugging version of Muddy’s ‘Got My Mojo Working’ (wot no
harp?).

I’ve been a Clapton fan since The Yardbirds but you’d be hard pressed to argue that this is an
essential release — like many other recent albums it came out of lockdown restrictions, although

thankfully Eric doesn’t air his anti-vaccination nonsense here. It is however an example of a
mature artist delivering a round-up of some of his favourites amongst his own and other artists’
songs in a subtle and considered manner and he is in great voice throughout. The band also play
their part in supporting him, especially Chris Stainton whose keyboard playing is excellent.

Graham Harrison

Corey Harris—The Insurrection Blues—M.C. Records ASIN :
B09G5G9N51

Corey Harris started out as a street singer in New Orleans in the
early 90s with a repertoire of early acoustic blues and his first
couple of records carried on with this material as well as his own
songs in a similar style, while subsequent records expanded his
style into different areas. This new album recorded in Italy during
Lockdown returns to an acoustic repertoire with just Corey and
his guitar, plus Lino Mudio on mandolin on the delicious old-
timey ‘When Did You Leave Heaven’ and Phil Wiggins on
harmonica for the instrumental ‘Afton Mountain Blues’.

The album starts with the gospel song ‘Twelve Gates to the City’
in the style of Reverend Gary Davis, ‘Some of These Days’ is a melodic poignant blues and then we
head to West Africa for ‘Toubaka’, ‘Mama Africa’ and ‘Sunjata’ before a lovely version of Skip James’
‘Special Rider Blues’ brings us back to the States. And back in the USA the album’s title track
(subtitled ‘Chickens Come Home to Roost’) reflects on the events of 6 January 2020. When the
Capitol Building in Washington, DC was stormed. The mood then lightens for two gentle country
blues the ‘Freight Train’ sounding ‘Boats Up River’ and ‘By and By’ with its nice slide guitar. We
also have two Blind Blake tunes ‘You Gonna Quit Me Baby’ and ‘That Will Never Happen No More’.
Corey has obviously used his time in Lockdown to good effect revisiting his love of traditional
country blues, his West African heritage and he also has time to comment on current issues back
home.

Graham Harrison