BOB STROGER AND HIS
CHICAGO BLUES LEGENDS
In the House (Crosscut Records)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

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Germany's Crosscut Records has released a live CD from the 1998 Lucerne Blues Festival in Switzerland featuring bassist Bob Stroger and the Ken Saydak Trio. In The House sounds like it was recorded in a Chicago blues bar instead of half a world away at the Casino Luzern. Stroger's long been a go-to Chicago blues bassist, with a career that has included work with Otis Rush, fellow bass giant Willie Kent, Snooky Pryor and his Mississippi Wrecking Crew, Sam Lay, Sunnyland Slim, and a bunch of other first-rank players. There's 11 prime Chicago blues cuts on In the House, including Jimmy Rushing's "Going to Chicago," Jay McShann's "Keep Your Hands Off Her," and Stroger's own "Talk to Me Mama" and "Loan Me Train Fare." Joining Stroger are guitarists Billy Flynn and James Wheeler, piano man Ken Saydak, harp player Ron Sorin, and drummer Marty Binder. Crosscut promises that this is the first of many Lucerne Blues Festival recordings, and if the others are as good as this one, they'll find their way into the homes of blues fans worldwide.

Track List:

Introduction * Talk to Me Mama * Stranded in St. Louis * Lovin' Man * Extension 309 * Gonna Make Some Changes * Loan Me Train Fare * Heads Up * Thinking and Drinking * Going to Chicago * Keep Your Hands Off Her

© 2003 - Eric Steiner