Quintus McCormick Blues Band - Hey Jodie! (2009) [RE-UP]

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Quintus McCormick Blues Band - Hey Jodie! (2009) [RE-UP]

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Delmark Records consistently unearths blues talent heretofore undiscovered, and guitarist/vocalist Quintus McCormick certainly fills that bill. Born in Detroit in 1957, he was listening primarily to rock & roll, but upon a move to Chicago in the late '70s, it took yet another decade for him to discover his calling as a bluesman. This recording shows McCormick has emerged from the shadows of being a sideman (James Cotton, Lefty Dizz, A.C. Reed), leading a band with a horn section and backup singers to present his side of authentic urban music. His acknowledged influence of guitarist Albert King is quite evident in his solos and fills, while vocally he's quite reminiscent of Bobby "Blue" Bland, or former employer/mentor Otis Clay. These songs were written by McCormick, with the stamp of authentic 12-bar blues, a little contemporary soul, and some rocking beats at times. The basic style of tunes like "Get You Some Business," the shuffle "I'm Alright Now," and the lone cover "Let the Good Times Roll" shows McCormick has studied populist blues that appeal to a wider audience. He's also heard his share of Sam Cooke, as reflected in the more soulful "Hot Lovin' Woman," while Clay's Southern-type crossover sound is evident during the slow title track and the swinging, swaying "I'm a Good Man Baby." His chops on guitar, so similar to Albert King that a blindfold test might not reveal the truth, hits home during the appropriately titled "What Goes Around Comes Around," while the rockin', good-time "I Wasn't Thinkin'" also gets down to the core of how the blues should uplift you past any mistake or error of judgment. "Fifty/Fifty" is the most interesting cut, a simmering blues with the able horn trio on the side, where McCormick talks about bringing home the bacon and cheese, while the rest will fall into place. The harmonica playing of Ted Reynolds is solid when he gets a shot to dig in, but the other complements of female vocals as heard on occasion, or the misplaced synth whining of Roosevelt Purifoy, are thankfully only a marginal component of a few tracks. For a debut effort, this is pretty good, holding to the tradition of Chicago blues while taking a few liberties that ensure McCormick will be universally well-liked beyond the well established electric blues tradition.–by Michael G. Nastos

1. Hey Jodie! (Take Good Care Of My Baby) 3:42
2. Get You Some Business 4:25
3. What Goes Around Comes Around 5:17
4. You Should Learn From This 3:08
5. Fifty\\Fifty 3:23
6. You Got To Do Me Better Than That 4:36
7. I'm Alright Now 3:49
8. Get That Money 3:30
9. Hot Lovin' Woman 3:50
10. Plano Texas Blues 4:43
11. I'm A Good Man, Baby 3:55
12. I Wasn't Thinking 4:09
13. There Ain't No Right Way To Do Wrong 4:33
14. You Got It 4:01
15. Let The Good Times Roll 4:01

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Quintus McCormick Blues Band - Hey Jodie! (2009) [RE-UP]

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BIO: Quintus McCormick has toured the world with some of the most successful and important blues artists of our time: James Cotton, Otis Clay, A.C. Reed, and Lefty Dizz to name a few. Working as a sideman, Quintus’ reputation as a brilliant guitarist, gifted songwriter and astonishing vocalist spread like wildfire throughout the music community. His ever-evolving musicianship simply became too powerful to harness. Music legends Buddy Guy and James Cotton encouraged Quintus to form his own band. Thus, he rounded up the best of Chicago’s elite musicians and established The Quintus McCormick Band! For the past 11 years, Quintus and his “on-fire” musical group have been a mainstay of the Chicago blues scene, appearing frequently in the city’s world-renown nightclubs: Kingston Mines, Buddy Guy’s Legends, Blues on Halsted, House of Blues, and Blue Chicago. Quintus and his band have also performed at countless festivals and concerts. Night after night, music lovers are torn between gleefully stomping their feet and watching in awe as this unparalleled group of “musician’s musicians” belt out the funkiest, house-rockin’ blues and soul music Chicago has ever produced, as Quintus makes his way through the crowd, picking blistering guitar solos and singing one-on-one to the fans he so dearly and passionately loves to entertain.