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THE SIEGEL-SCHWALL BAND
The Very Best: The Wooden Nickel Years, 1971-1974 (Varese Sarabande Records/Varese Vintage)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner
The Very Best of the Siegel-Schwall Band, The Wooden Nickel Years (1971-1974) documents some of the best Chicago blues ever recorded. That may be quite a boast, since Carl Sandburg's City of Big Shoulders brought Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon to the world. In four short years on five Wooden Nickel LPs, the Siegel-Schwall Band built up a loyal following at Chicago nightclubs, and Muddy and Willie often sat in on Siegel-Schwall gigs at Pepper's Show Lounge in the early 1960's. The set's live opener, "Corinna," features a band at the top of their game, with Corky Siegel on harmonica, Jim Schwall on guitar and vocals, Rollow Radford on bass, and the late Shelly Plotkin on drums. "(I Wish I Was On A) Country Road" features Jim Schwall's great slide guitar in a traditional Elmore James/Hound Dog Taylor vein, while the rollicking "Always Thinkin' of You Darlin" features some of the best barrelhouse piano around. Another Jim Post-Corky Siegel tune, "Hey Billie Jean" starts off at full throttle, with Siegel pushing the limits of boogie blues harmonica. On this Varese Sarabande/Varese Vintage CD, there's something for every blues fan. When Jim Schwall picks up the mandolin on the country blues of "It's Too Short," he's ahead of the unplugged curve by 25 years, and when Radford shouts "Night Time is the Right Time" he's updating that timeless blues standard. In 1987, the band reunited with blues drummer Sam Lay sitting in for Plotkin, and Siegel-Schwall Band continues to play about a dozen gigs in the Chicago area. If you're lucky enough to catch them live, sleep out overnight for a ticket. They're that good, and this compilation of their Wooden Nickel LPs features some of the best Chicago blues.
Track List:
Corrina * Next to You * (I Wish I Was On A) Country Road * Always Thinkin' of You, Darlin' * Blues for a Lady * Hey, Billie Jean * His Good Time Band * Sick to My Stomach * Something's Wrong * I'd Like to Spend Some Time Alone With You Tonight My Friend * Old Time Shimmy * Traitor From Decatur * Out-A-Gas? * I Won't Hold My Breath * Night Time is the Right Time * It's Too Short
© 1999 - Eric Steiner