Pee Wee Crayton: Early Hour Blues

From the ridiculous to the sublime, blues lovers will want to pick up on Pee Wee Crayton’s Early Hour Blues. A collection of material from the guitar great’s final two albums, recorded in 1983 and 1984 for the small California Murry Brothers label, it features the influential West Coast bluesman ripping it up on a set of shuffles (“Head ‘N Home”), slow blues (“Come On Baby,” “When I’m Wrong”), jump blues (“You Know Yeah”), funk (“Blues at Daybreak,” “E.T. Blues”) and real rock ‘n’ roll (“Barefootin'”). Supporting cast includes second guitarist Doug MacLeod, pianist Honey Piazza and West Coast blues harp ace Rod Piazza, who produced this final document of his blues idol.

Originally Published November 1, 1999