South Side Reunion [Maison de Blues]

Performer: Memphis Slim
Producer: Philippe Rault; Philippe Rault
Distributor: Ryko Distribution

Notes: Personnel: Memphis Slim (vocals, piano); Memphis Slim; Phillip Guy (guitar); Junior Wells Chicago Blues Band, Junior Wells (harmonica); Ernest Johnson (bass guitar); Roosevelt Shaw (drums, drum); Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); Jimmy Conley (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); A.C. Reed (tenor saxophone). Audio Mixer: George Chkiantz. Liner Note Authors: Philippe Rault; Mike Leadbitter. Recording information: Michel Mogne Studio, Chateau D'Herouville, France (09/24/1970-09/25/1970). Photographer: Christian Rose. Pianist/singer Peter "Memphis Slim" Chatman (1915-1988) enjoyed one of the longest and most successful careers in blues history. His trademarks were hearty, robust singing (somewhat similar to that of B.B. King) and style on the keys that's equal parts earthiness and elegance. Slim moved to France in 1962, and in 1970, fellow blues stars Buddy Guy and Junior Wells were passing through and set aside some studio time with their old friend. SOUTHSIDE REUNION (originally released in 1972) was the result, a set of relaxed but high-spirited performances, notable for unusually restrained yet sweetly stinging guitar work by Guy. In 1970, expatriate pianist Memphis Slim hooked up with fellow Chicago blues great Buddy Guy while the guitarist was touring Europe with the Rolling Stones, and recorded the tracks for South Side Reunion, originally released on Warner Bros. in 1972. Slim's rollicking piano and Guy's guitar-slinging prowess are complemented by Windy City musicians Phillip Guy, Ernest Johnson, and Roosevelt Shaw, plus saxophonists A.C. Reed and Jimmy Conley. While harpist Junior Wells (who was also part of the Stones tour) is listed as if he played a prominent role in this endeavor, he's only heard on the tracks "Good Time Charlie," "No," and "Help Me Some." Both casual listeners and collectors will want to check this out, if only for the two takes of Slim's solo harpsichord jam "Ain't Nothing But a Texas Boogie on a Harpsichord." [Sunnyside issued a (slightly altered) edition of the album in 2007.] ~ Al Campbell

Down Beat (p.65) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Guy and Slim show conviction of a princely sort communicating on 'You Called Me At Last'..." Living Blues (p.66) - "Guy, in 1970, was still in possession of taste and imagination as well as his notoriously incendiary chops, and his interweavings with Slim are alternately pristine and roof-raising."

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