Bring 'Em In

Performer: Buddy Guy
Engineer: Don Smith; Jim Gaines; Jared Miller
Distributor: BMG (distributor)

Notes: Personnel: Buddy Guy (vocals, guitar); John Mayer (vocals, guitar); Anthony Hamilton, Tracy Chapman, Bernie Worrell (vocals); Keb' Mo', Keith Richards, Danny Kootch, Carlos Santana (guitar); Robert Randolph (pedal steel guitar); Jim Horn (flute, baritone saxophone); Andrew Love (tenor saxophone); Ben Cauley (trumpet); Jack Hale (trombone); Willie Weeks (bass guitar); Steve Jordan (drums, background vocals). Buddy Guy's 2005 release, BRING 'EM IN, has--for better and worse--all the trappings of a "music's elder statesman" album. In the tradition of seasoned professionals entering the glorious autumn of their careers, Buddy Guy has invited lots of guests to play on a record filled with well-worn chestnuts. With the exception of one tune by Guy ("What Kind of Woman is This"), the majority of the set comprises R&B classics by Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, Bill Withers, Wilson Pickett, and Eddie Floyd. John Mayer appears on Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams to Remember," which fits nicely alongside an even-handed treatment of "Ain't No Sunshine" with Tracy Chapman. Keith Richards and Carlos Santana show up to chop heads with Guy on Keb Mo's "The Price You Gotta Pay" and Screamin' Jay Hawkins's "I Put A Spell on You," respectively. The overall feel of the album is exceedingly comfortable and safe, yet Guy still plays and sings with a great deal of vitality, proving that his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame was no accident.

Uncut (p.104) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Buddy Guy's unmistakable tone is as rich and fiery as ever..." Living Blues (p.38) - "[A] cover of Bill Withers' 'Ain't No Sunshine' plays well with breathy folkie Tracy Chapman serving as the perfect conduit for Guy's restrained fretwork."

Eric Clapton once called Buddy Guy "the greatest blues guitarist ever." Guy, along with contemporary Magic Sam, took the sounds of Chicago blues of the 1950s and ratcheted them up a notch, in the process creating a new form of controlled blues mayhem. Born in Louisiana, he moved to Chicago as a young man in 1957 and served an apprenticeship with Chicago blues king Muddy Waters while getting his own solo career underway. Guy's frequent collaborations with harmonica player Junior Wells are among his best work.

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