Track Listing

1. Speak My Mind
2. If You Change Your Mind
3. Too Much Pride
4. What Can You Get Outside That You Can't Get at Home
5. Same Mistake Twice
6. 20% Alcohol
7. Hip Shakin'
8. Feeing Is Gone
9. Notoriety Woman
10. Too Late
11. Send Her Home to Me
12. Hawk Squat

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27985 in Music
• Released on: 1994-07-30
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

Chicago-style, straight up
This is the real thing. J.B. was the best slide player in Chicago, but sadly, wasn't one of the beneficiaries of the "blues revival" that came about during the late 60's. The upside is that his sound remained pure, unadulterated, raw Chicago blues at its best. Listening to this album is like being in an "after hours" joint on the southside at 3 in the morning--hot and jumping!

****1/2. The last and greatest of Elmore James' disciples
Hound Dog Taylor and J.B. Hutto were the last disciples of the king of post-war slide guitar, the great Elmore James, and Joseph Benjamin Hutto's main source of inspiration is obvious on this his first studio album, "Hawk Squat". The first track, "Speak My Mind", is in fact a thinly-veiled cover of "Dust My Broom".

But don't let that deter you. This is one of the all-time great Chicago blues albums, recorded between 1966 and 1968, and perfectly showcasing Hutto's raw, slash-and-burn approach without ever getting muddled or losing its sense of restraint.

"Hawk Squat" boasts both powerful, hard-rocking tracks like the awesome "Hip-Shakin'", and the deep-dug grooves of "20% Alcohol" and "Notoriety Woman".
J.B. Hutto and the Hawks are accompanied by sixty-year-old Albert Luandrew, better known as Sunnyland Slim, on piano and organ, and Maurice McIntyre plays tenor saxophone on a few tracks. The sound is good, and the production brings Hutto's loud, wailing, but seemingly effortless vocals to the forefront where they belong.

There are no obvious #1 hit singles on this album - it is not a pop record, after all - but nor does it contain a single weak track. Every minute is worth listening to - and that is rare praise for a twelve-track LP!

20% Alcohol, 100% Loud, Righteous Blues
Another stompin' disc from Delmark records. This is a REAL slice of Chicago blues, and from what I've read about Turner's, not a bad snapshot of the era.

Loose in places, the band is hittin' hard. Sunnyland Slim (piano, organ) is great as always, with Junior Pettis (bass, and only on two tracks) helping tell tales of demon alcohol, and women, women, women.

This is a great sounding disc, with none of the raw power rounded off in the bits. Not having heard the original tapes, this might not be a complaint worth lodging, but... It sure would be nice to hear some of the tracks play out a bit instead of being faded. Maybe have the unedited versions added as bonus tracks.

This is the Blues.