Bob Stroger & The Headcutters – Bob Is Back!
Delmark Records
12 tracks – 45 minutes
Bob Stroger was born in Hayti, Missouri on December 27, 1930. The 94-year-old bass player and vocalist keeps on performing with his second solo release on Delmark Records. At 94, he is certainly one of the oldest artists currently still performing surpassing his junior performers Bobby Rush at 91 and Buddy Guy at 89. He started his career as a jazz guitarist using the name Joe Russell first with a family band, The Red Tops, and later as Joe Russell and The Blues Hustlers. He later played with jazz artist Rufus Forman. But he changed his direction to start playing blues with Eddie King and changing his focus to the bass guitar. He has an unrivaled career subsequently playing with many of the blues greats including Otis Rush, Sunnyland Slim, and in the band Mississippi Heat in the late 80’s and 90’s. He was nominated for the Blues Music Award for Best Bass many times and has won three times, most recently at the May 2025 Awards. He was also inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in 2025.
Bob released his first Delmark album, That’s My Name, in 2019. His band, The Headcutters, are a Brazilian band that backed him on that previous release. They return for this second outing. The band includes Joe Marhofer on harmonica, Ricardo Maca on guitar, Arthur Catuto on bass, and Leandro Cavera on drums with guest Ben Levin on piano and organ on all but one track. Of course, Bob plays the bass and provides the vocals.
Five originals with seven covers kick off with Elmore James’ 1961 “Look Over Yonders Wall” with Ben’s honky-tonk piano, Ricardo’s guitar and Joe’s harmonica establishing the album’s direction with Bob’s strong vocals. Muddy Water’s 1977 “Champagne and Reefer” is next, complementing the first song with another fine, solid blues. The first original, “Jazz Man Blues”, rocks out with Bob noting that “Jazz ain’t nothing but a bluesman blowing his horn” with Ricardo playing some very jazzy riffs, Leandro tossing in a nice drum roll and Ben’s organ underpinning the whole thing.
Tampa Red’s 1940 “Don’t You Lie to Me” is the next cover. Ben’s piano really rocks out on this track. Two more originals follow with “My First Love”, a leisurely stroll in Bob’s history as he sings about his first love when he came to Chicago. He begs to “Loan Me Train Fare”, “but not another dime”. “I’m going away to get you out of my mind”. ” I will pay it back to you when your troubles get like mine”.
Amos Milburn’s 1952 “Thinking and Drinking” is next as Bob also notes he is “thinking about drinking”. Ben’s piano is again a driving force in the song with Ricardo’s guitar rocking it. Another original “Bob Is Back in Town” announces his return to his “pretty baby” and asks her “to do the things we used to do” in a slow blues with Joe’s harp commanding. Candice Ivory and Renee Gros join Bob on vocals on Little Milton’s 1970 “Love You Baby”, which was co-written by Joe Brown.
He briefly announces “Bob Is Back” in a funky original instrumental. Jimmy Roger’s 1973 “Gold Tailed Bird” moves into a very smooth, slow blues burn. Louis Jordan’s 1946 “Let the Good Times Roll” ends the album with a rollicking, party atmosphere.
Bob is still delivering solid old times blues with a stellar band supporting his every direction.
