Hubert Sumlin
Last night I went to see hometown Shreveport boy Kenny Wayne Shepard kick off his tour in support of his cd/dvd Blues from the Backroads. The CD and tour is one of those deals where your young whipper-snapper type teams up with a team of 'under-appreciated' elder bluesmen type characters. Incredibly enough, along for this ride is Hubert Sumlin, the guitarist from Howlin' Wolf's band.
Sumlin played on 6 songs, taking the primary role in such classic tracks as "Spoonful," "Sittin' on Top of the World," and "Rockin' Daddy." Yes! I would have never expected an opportunity to see Hubert Sumlin in person. His powerful vibrato-laden stabs, his darkly moaning sustained notes, his complex chord vamps — Hubert is one of the key figures who shaped the modern idiom of blues-based electric playing.
At 75 or so, he's still a room full of guitar smoke. Several times during the obligatory everybody-on stage numbers at the end of the show, he just stepped forward in those big shoes of his and, well, took over. To his credit, pyrotechnic Kenny Wayne played the respectful accompanist at such times. Sumlin's powerful mojo was apparent, both to guitar whiz kids and to casual observers alike.
I've been aware for a while that I'm often trying to channel Sumlin whenever I play dark, warbly notes on my dulcimer or guitar. What a damn treat to to be there for the real, original deal. I feel pretty freakin' inspired — there's going to have to be some music happening this weekend.
Could be a spoonful of gold, with any luck.
