November 1998

Mighty Joe Young
Blues With A Touch Of Soul
Delmark Records
Yank Rachell
Mandolin Blues
Delmark Records

By Bill Milkowski

Mighty Joe Young, longtime sideman for Magic Sam, leads his own 1970 session on Blues With A Touch Of Soul (Delmark DD-629; 43:18). With Dawkins on second guitar and John "Big Moose" Walker on piano and organ, Young turns in urgent and earthy renditions of Albert King's "I Walked All Night," Guitar Slim's "The Things I Used To Do" and Bill Doggett's instrumental classic "Honky Tonk." But he digs deepest here on the slow blues, "Somebody Loan Me A Dime." Mandolin is not an instrument usually associated with the blues but Yank Rachell sure deals with the ten-stringed instrument in deep blue shades on Mandolin Blues (Delmark DE-606; 58:14). This 1963 session features country blues masters Big Joe Williams and Sleepy John Estes on guitar and Hammie Nixon on harmonica and jug with a special guest appearance by guitarist Mike Bloomfield on seven tracks. Another important document from Delmark. (Keep 'em coming, boys).