David Kimbrough Jr. – Say You Don’t Love Me: The Last Recordings of David Kimbrough Jr.
8 tracks (7 songs)
David Kimbrough Jr is the eldest son of Junior Kimbrough, the legendary Hill Country blues man. This is a monolog analog recording was done by Dan Torigoe on David’s front porch in Holly Springs, MS in October 2017. This is Kimbrough’s first and only solo recording and it is the last music he ever recorded. He died of cancer at age 54 in 2019. This CD features an introduction and 7 of his father’s songs. The title track has never been recorded before.
David Jr began playing with his father at age 6. He became an R&B artist in Chicago after leaving home at age 15 but later returned home and played at his father’s juke joint in Chulahoma, MS. A life of some ups and downs was also reflected in his musical career, but he was an outstanding multi-instrumentalist with many fine recordings and accolades. His passing from cancer at an early age robbed us of one of the finest current hill country artists. His brother and the sons of RL Burnside continue to fan the flames of the music their fathers made famous.
The title track is the first song after the introduction. Here and throughout Kimbrough strums and picks his acoustic guitar with gusto, This cut is a gem that has finally seen the light of day on a recording. He sings with passion as he begs his woman so he can return home. Next up is “Done Got Old,” one of my personal favorite Junior Kimbrough songs that truly describes the aging process and expresses the feelings of an old man. Well done! “Half Past A Monkey’s Azz” is next. Kimbrough sit’s recalling the song at first and then breaks into it in fine form. His vocals are truly sweet and his guitar work is well done. Next is “I’m Leaving You Baby,” a cut where Kimbrough moans out the vocals and again give an impassioned performance.
“Meet Me In The City” offers another great track. The recording ends suddenly as if the tape broke, leaving us looking for more of the nice fingerpicking. “Poke That Pig” is another one where Kimbrough gives us some slick picking and makes your head bob to the beat he keeps. The album concludes with the haunting “Lonesome Road Lord Have Mercy On Me.” Kimbrough takes us to church as he again sings with great emotion and picks out some pretty stuff for the listener.
Dolceola has done a number of modern day Field Recordings since 2015. Here he get to hear the final recordings of Junior Kimbrough’s eldest son thanks to their work. If you are a fan of authentic hill country music then this one is for you.
