Since parting ways with longtime guitar partner Buddy Guy, harmonica legend and rough hewn vocalist Junior Wells has sought to establish himself as “The Godfather Of The Blues,” a nod to James Brown and to his own Southside Chicago roots. On Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends (Telarc 83412; 58:10), he comes out smoking like J.B. on a “Sex Machine” -styled groove entitled “Broke And Hungry.” A three-horn frontline adds punch to classic Wells fare like the swaggering “Messin’ With The Kid,” the deep blues of “Hoodoo Man,” the hot-blooded audience participation number “Little By Little” and the Chicago showstopper “Got My Mojo Workin’.” Wells settles into a sensuous vibe on Al Green’s silky smooth “Sweet Sixteen,” reserves his most impassioned vocals for Lowell Fuslon’s “Love Her With A Feeling” and turns Merle Haggard’s “Today I Started Loving You Again” into a brassy, goodtime Southside Chicago party vehicle. An exhilarating live set by the 62-year-old living legend. And on a purely sonic note, the sheer presence of this live performance is astounding.
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