Giles Robson & John Primer – Ten Chicago Blues Classics
Independent Release
10 tracks – 39 minutes
Giles Robson and John Primer are two masters of their instruments. The two teamed up as a duo for the recording of this album. Giles on harmonica and performing vocals on seven tracks with John on guitar, the duo tackle covers from some of the Chicago blues greats.
Giles was born in in the island state of Jersey located in the English Channel in 1978. Hohner recognizes him as one of the best harmonica players in the world today. That recognition led to an appearance on the prestigious blues label, Alligator Records, where he is the only European artist to ever appear on the label. That album was with a teaming of Joe Louis Walker and Bruce Katz in 2018, a collaboration that led him to a Blues Music Award for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year in 2019 from The Blues Foundation in Memphis. That win makes him one of only three European artists to ever win a Blues Music Award. The other two are Eric Clapton and Peter Green. His annual tours take him to many countries around the world.
John Primer is certainly well-known in the blues community. He was born in 1945 in Mississippi. He moved to Chicago in 1963 where he quickly became recognized as a guitar virtuoso. He worked in Junior Well’s Band for seven years, toured with Willie Dixon and The Chicago Blues Allstars, and then joined Muddy Water’s Band in 1979, where he remained until Muddy’s death in 1983. He then joined Magic Slim and The Teardrops for 13 years and finally went solo in 1996. He has been nominated three times for a Grammy Award, has received many nominations and awards from the Blues Foundation’s Blues Music Awards, and was inducted into The Blues Foundation’s Hall of Fame in Memphis in 2023.
Giles organized a “Chicago Blues Legends” tour in Europe in 2023. John Primer was one of the involved legends. He enjoyed working with Giles and so returned for a follow-up tour with Giles and his band in 2024 and a few stops along the way, including in Jersey, where they performed as a duo. This led to a decision for the duo to record an album before John returned home.
The album opens with Muddy Water’s “Blow Wind Blow”. While this song, as well as many of the other songs on the album will be well-known to most blues lovers, the duo capably provides original takes on the songs. Giles’ vocals are strong without trying to shout as Muddy did. John provides a smooth groove while Giles’ harmonica slides in and out through the song. Next up is Little Water’s “My Babe”, written by Willie Dixon. Giles demonstrates his vocal versatility, delivering a soulful take on the song. “Rollin’ Stone” was Muddy Water’s take on an older Delta song, “Catfish Blues” dating back to the 1920’s. Their take on the songs intertwines their two instruments perfectly.
Little Walter’s “Juke” is a jumping instrumental giving both men an opportunity to really stretch out. Sonny Boy Williamson II’s “Let Me Explain” continues the drive with John’s backing of Giles’ jumping harp. The duo returns to Muddy Waters with “Long Distance Call”, a very slow-burn blues with some sharp harp inserts.
John Lee “Sonny Boy” Williamson, the original Sonny Boy is generally recognized as one of the first solo blues harmonica players. His “Dealin’ with the Devil” tells the story of a man who loses the love of his woman after he says, “I should have been sleeping with the devil, my woman doesn’t love me no more”. Giles again shows his proficiency with the harp. Muddy Water’s “Got My Mojo Working” is translated into a second instrumental with the two letting loose on a powerful rendition of the song. Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy” is probably the album’s song that is most closely follows the vocals of the original, but the duo’s prowess still moves it into an original sound. The album ends with a final instrumental version of Little Walter’s “Last Night”. The song allows both performers to have turns at the lead while blending together at points in the song.
The songs presented here are from the late 1940’s to early 1950’s, Giles and John give them all a fresh take that should appeal to lovers of the songs, while keeping their relevance for a new audience. This is certainly an album that blues lovers should give a listen to discover the innovation and energy that can be generated for these older songs.
