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Liner Notes Henry Gray & the Cats with Little
Paul "Buck" Sinegal The emergence of legendary Baton Rouge pianist Henry Gray as a featured artist, vocalist and bandleader well into his 70s has been a wonderful development for music lovers of the truly authentic blues persuasion. One of the most influential pianists of the modern era, Henry helped define the keyboard sound of the Chicago blues after World War II on dates with Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Elmore James, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Reed, Junior Wells, and other modern blues giants. His work as a key sideman with Howlin' Wolf between 1954 and 1968 was featured on many classic Chess recordings and introduced him to audiences all over the world. Henry left Wolf and the Chicago blues scene in the late '60s to return to the Baton Rouge area where he grew up. There he graced the bands of Louisiana bluesmen Slim Harpo, Lightnin' Slim, Tabby Thomas, Raful Neal, Whisperin' Smith and others before forming a working band with bassist Andy Cornett, Brian "B.B." Bruce on harmonica and drummer Earl Christopher. Henry Gray & The Cats - joined by guest guitarists Sonny Landreth and Martin Simpson - cut their first album, Blues Won't Let Me Take My Rest, "live" at the Grant Street club in Lafayette, Louisiana in 1999 and released it on their own Lucky Cat Records. Excellent reviews and brisk sales of the initial release inspired them to undertake the outing under hand, another stirring collection of Henry Gray originals and blues classics rendered to perfection by the band and their musical friends, including the great Louisiana guitarist Paul "Little Buck" Sinegal. Henry's piano is front and center here, rolling and rocking like a mighty force of nature, and his singing and playing are remarkably robust for a man of 75 - indeed, for a man of any age. Henry Gray is a true American treasure, captured here at the very top of his form, playing and singing his heart out, and we are extremely fortunate to be able to enjoy the sweet late-blooming fruits of his life-long labor as one of the perfect masters of the electric blues. - John Sinclair Watch Yourself - Henry Gray And the Cats Listen to this recording and imagine hanging out in a south-side Chicago juke joint, say around 1955 or 1956, when Post World War II electric blues was in its heyday. Musicians like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Willie Dixon and yes Henry Gray played for the folk who knew on a daily basis the pain and the joy that is the blues. The lights are dim, smoke fills the room, and booze and men and women and the music create a mixture that captures and expresses the full range of human emotion in a song. This new recording by Henry Gray offers us a view into this past and at the same time it brings a fresh breath of air to the more-often stale contemporary American music scene. Henry Gray's life is well chronicled in Sheldon Harris's book titled Blues Who 's Who published by Da Capo Press. Born January 19, 1925 in Kenner, Louisiana which is a stone throwaway from New Orleans. Very early in life he recognized that music was his calling as he taught himself the piano at the age of eight. Settling in Chicago after World War n he worked and recorded with many of the best blues men of that era including Junior Wells, Jimmy Reed, Billy Boy Arnold and others. It is his stint as pianist for Howlin' Wolf that he might be best remembered. He worked and recorded with the "Wolf' from 1956 to 1968. This recording was made live in the studio and captures the spontaneity of a live performance. Just like the old days when the Chess brothers were pumping out the shellac in Chicago. It features his band of over twenty years "the Cats" and pairs for the first time Henry with the outstanding Louisiana guitarist Paul "Lit Buck" Sinegal. "Lil Buck" was the featured guitarist on a host of Excello recordings and with the great Zydeco artist Clifton Chenier. Henry's style of piano playing drives the rhythm forward while maintaining a funky back beat. One can hear the influence of his friend and mentor Big Maceo Merriweather as well as his musical relationship to piano players like Little Brother Montgomery, Champion Jack Dupree and Roosevelt Sykes. The great rhythm man Danny Barker once told me that if a musician can live long enough and stay healthy and active that fame and fortune would come his way. That time has now come for Henry Gray. Henry is truly one of the last living legends of the African American art form known as the blues. The Folk Life Program of the National Endowment for the Arts should recognize him as a national treasure. Jerry Brock More Reviews BOOKING INFO Home | Bio | Music | About the CD | Gigs | Order | Reviews | Links | Email site hosting by: LAlink,
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