Memphis Slim
An amazingly prolific artist who brought a brisk air of urban sophistication to his frequently stunning presentation, John "Peter" Chatman -- better known as Memphis Slim -- assuredly ranks with the greatest blues pianists of all time. He was smart enough to take Big Bill Broonzy's early advice about developing a style to call his own to heart, instead of imitating that of his idol, Roosevelt Sykes. Soon enough, other 88s pounders were copying Slim rather than the other way around; his thundering ivories attack set him apart from most of his contemporaries, while his deeply burnished voice possessed a commanding authority.
As befits his stage name, John "Peter" Chatman was born and raised in Memphis; a great place to commit to a career as a bluesman. Sometime in the late '30s, he resettled in Chicago and began recording as a leader in 1939 for OKeh, then switched over to Bluebird the next year. Around the same time, Slim joined forces with Broonzy, then the dominant force on the local blues scene. After serving as Broonzy's invaluable accompanist for a few years, Slim emerged as his own man in 1944.
After the close of World War II, Slim joined Hy-Tone Records, cutting eight tracks that were later picked up by King. Lee Egalnick's Miracle label reeled in the pianist in 1947; backed by his jumping band, the House Rockers (its members usually included saxists Alex Atkins and Ernest Cotton), Slim recorded his classic "Lend Me Your Love" and "Rockin' the House." The next year brought the landmark "Nobody Loves Me" (better known via subsequent covers by Lowell Fulson, Joe Williams, and B.B. King as "Everyday I Have the Blues") and the heartbroken "Messin' Around (With the Blues)."
The pianist kept on label-hopping, moving from Miracle to Peacock to Premium (where he waxed the first version of his uncommonly wise down-tempo blues "Mother Earth") to Chess to Mercury before staying put at Chicago's United Records from 1952 to 1954. This was a particularly fertile period for the pianist; he recruited his first permanent guitarist, the estimable Matt Murphy, who added some serious fret fire to "The Come Back," "Sassy Mae," and "Memphis Slim U.S.A."
Before the decade was through, the pianist landed at Vee-Jay Records, where he cut definitive versions of his best-known songs with Murphy and a stellar combo in gorgeously sympathetic support (Murphy was nothing short of spectacular throughout).
Slim exhibited his perpetually independent mindset by leaving the country for good in 1962. A tour of Europe in partnership with bassist Willie Dixon a couple of years earlier had so intrigued the pianist that he permanently moved to Paris, where recording and touring possibilities seemed limitless and the veteran pianist was treated with the respect too often denied even African-American blues stars at home back then. He remained there until his 1988 death, enjoying his stature as expatriate blues royalty.
© Bill Dahl /TiVo
Artistas semelhantes
-
Clap Your Hands - Rock A Rhythm' Blues
Blues - Lançado por Universal Music Division Decca Records France em 01/01/1964
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Blues For You
R&B - Lançado por Reminisce Music em 29/05/2023
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Legend Of The Blues, Vol. 2
Blues - Lançado por Roots em 01/01/2000
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Real Honky Tonk (Remastered)
Blues - Lançado por Avid Entertainment em 09/11/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of Legends - Boogie Woogie & Blues Piano, Vol. 8
Blues - Lançado por Documents 2 em 13/01/2017
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Memphis Slim (Remastered)
Blues - Lançado por Avid Entertainment em 09/11/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pete Seeger at the Village Gate with Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon - Volume Two
Pete Seeger, Memphis Slim, Willie Dixon
Folk - Lançado por Folkways Records em 01/01/1962
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milestones of Legends - Boogie Woogie & Blues Piano, Vol. 1
Memphis Slim, Jelly Roll Morton
Blues - Lançado por Documents 2 em 13/01/2017
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Memphis Slim (Remastered)
Blues - Lançado por Avid Entertainment em 09/11/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Alone With My Friends (Album Version)
Blues - Lançado por Original Blues Classics em 01/04/1961
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Legend Of The Blues, Vol. 2
Blues - Lançado por Cherry Red Records em 01/01/1969
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Worried Life Blues Vol 2
Jazz - Lançado por Documents em 01/09/2005
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Best of Memphis Slim
Blues - Lançado por Platinum Collection em 23/11/2010
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Every Day I Have The Blues
Blues - Lançado por H&H Music Ltd em 01/01/2009
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lost Without You
Blues - Lançado por TKO Records em 18/03/2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Memphis Slim's Tribute To Big Bill Broonzy Etc.
Jazz - Lançado por Candid em 01/01/1961
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Best of the Best
Blues - Lançado por Plaza Mayor Company, Ltd. em 15/12/2014
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Songs of Memphis Slim & Willie Dixon + at the Village Gate (Live)
Blues - Lançado por Blues & Roots Records em 20/06/2016
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Trouble
Blues - Lançado por Good Time Records em 25/11/2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Gotta Find My Baby - Memphis Slim
Blues - Lançado por ISIS em 26/04/2022
Qualidade de CD de 16 bits 44.1 kHz - Stereo