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John Hammond jr.: So many roads

 A l b u m   D e t a i l s


Label: Vanguard Records
Released: 1965
Time:
 38:35
Category: Blues
Producer(s): See Artists ...
Rating: ******.... (6/10)
Media type: CD
Web address: www.johnhammond.com
Appears with:
Purchase date: 2002.05.03
Price in €: 12,99



 S o n g s ,   T r a c k s


[1] Down in the Bottom (W.Dixon) - 3:01
[2] Long Distance Call (M.Waters) - 3:18
[3] Who Do You Love? (E.McDaniel) - 3:00
[4] I Want You to Love Me (M.Waters) - 4:05
[5] Judgment Day (R.Johnson/J.Hammond) - 3:22
[6] So Many Roads, So Many Trains (M.Paul) - 2:40
[7] Rambling Blues (R.Johnson) - 3:15
[8] O Yea! (E.McDaniels) - 3:32
[9] You Can't Judge a Book by the Cover (W.Dixon) - 3:28
[10] Gambling Blues (L.S.Jackson) - 3:10
[11] Baby Please Don't Go (B.J.Williams) - 2:19
[12] Big Boss Man (L.Dixon/A.Smith) - 2:40

 A r t i s t s ,   P e r s o n n e l


JOHN PAUL HAMMOND - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals

MICHAEL BLOOMFIELD - Piano
CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE - Harmonica
ROBBIE ROBERTSON - Guitar
JIMMY LEWIS - Bass
LEVON HELM - Drums
GARTH HUDSON - Hammond B3 Organ

JULES HALFANT - Design
BARRY FEINSTEIN - Photography
BARRY KITTLESON - Liner Notes

 C o m m e n t s ,   N o t e s


1965 LP Vanguard 79178
1966 LP Vanguard VSD-79178
1993 CS Vanguard 79178
1993 CD Vanguard VMD-79178-2

"I usually play about 200 dates a year and have for a long time. And it's usually just me and a guitar"

John Hammond



So Many Roads is Hammond's most notable mid-'60s Vanguard album, due not so much to Hammond's own singing and playing (though he's up to the task) as the yet-to-be-famous backing musicians. Three future members of the Band - Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, and Levon Helm - are among the supporting cast, along with Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica, and Mike Bloomfield also contributes. It's one of the first fully realized blues-rock albums, although it's not in the same league as the best efforts of the era by the likes of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band or John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. In part that's because the repertoire is so heavy on familiar Chicago blues classics by the likes of Willie Dixon, Bo Diddley, and Muddy Waters; in part that's because the interpretations are so reverent and close to the originals in arrangement; and in part it's also because Hammond's blues vocals were only okay. Revisionist critics thus tend to downgrade the record a notch. But in the context of its time - when songs like "Down in the Bottom," "Long Distance Call," "Big Boss Man," and "You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover" were not as well known as they would become - it was a punchy, well-done set of electric blues with a rock touch.

Richie Unterberger - All Music Guide
© 1992 - 2002 AEC One Stop Group, Inc.



Guitarist John Hammond's 1965 collaboration with bluesman Michael Bloomfield (piano), harmonica great Charlie Musselwhite and members of the Band (Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson and Garth Hudson) is a faithful portrait of urban blues. With Hammond's raspy, emotional voice leading the way, this is electrified rockin' blues with songs by Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Big Joe Wiliams, along with the rural styles of Robert Johnson. It showcases little of the acoustic side of Hammond, who's among the most capable of slide guitarists. Familiar takes include Williams' "Baby Please Don't Go" and Dixon's "You Can't Judge a Book By the Cover."

Stephen Ide (Mansfield, MA)
Dirty linen



Great Classic Blues and Robbie Robertson's best playing!

This is one of my favorite blues CD's and much of the reason is Robbie Robertson's incredible edgy guitar playing, which I don't think he ever equaled in his work with The Band or elsewhere. Other members of The Band are also on this CD -- Garth Hudson, Levon Helm -- as well as the already mentioned Mike Bloomfield (inexplicably on piano, but I don't think even he could have surpassed Robertson on guitar in this set) and Charlie Musselwhie. John Hammond's dramatic vocals are great as is his choice of some of the best blues tunes in existence. Highly recommended for all fans of blues, and blues-guitar.

Joan May, September 2, 2000



You aren't just kidding!

Check out "Who Do You Love"! It's got Charlie Musselwhite at his best, and Mike Bloomfield on piano (Bloomfield seemed to be a victim of excess, but as a sideman or with Butterfield, he came through as a tremendous student of the blues and quite a talent in his own right!). And it just doesn't get any better than "So Many Roads." John Hammond really hit his groove with this record/CD.

Eric T. Dean, Jr., March 16, 2000



Kick ___ white boy blues!

John Hammond's strength is not songwriting. Rather, his strength is effectively covering and interpreting old blues songs into a more contemporary setting. This is John Hammond's best early album from 1965. The record features ace players such as Charlie Musselwhite on harmonica as well as future Band members Levon Helm and Garth Hudson. The playing is strong and Hammond gives his best white boy blues growl. The record is pure electric blues, none of the acoustic wimpy stuff. Hammond's vocals may seem a bit parodical because it sounds like he is trying too hard, but it is good music nonetheless. Check out his version of Bo Diddley's "Who Do You Love?"

A music fan from Lafayette, CA, October 8, 1999



Since his Vanguard label days - making riveting LPs like So Many Roads John Hammond's shown a penchant for presenting blues classics with distinction and absolute sanction; a yowling howling vowel-rousing voice and a guitar style that's as raw and it is elegant. Hammond has made career of maintaining the epoch of blue compositional masters. He also plays well with others (Charlie Musselwhite, Mike Bloomfield, The Band) thus setting up his collaboration with Tom Waits on Wicked Grin (Pointblank). Here, Hammond snorts and soothes Waitsongs as if taming a savage metal beast, creasing craggy songs with agile new accents. Listen for "shoit" on "Shore Leave," "voigin" on "Heartattack and Vine" and "hhaardt" and "fiyah" on a sprightly bright Spanglish take on "Jockey Full Of Bourbon." Hammond makes shadows appear where they had not previously, opening songs like the flinty "Get Behind The Mule" and the boogie-wooging "Big Black Mariah" up to new-blue-noir sluices and romantic juices.

a.d. amorosi - April 12, 2001
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