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EDDY "THE CHIEF" CLEARWATER
Reservation Blues (Bullseye)
"He turned 65 years young this year, but blues-rock great Eddy Clearwater can still dish out a hot and nasty set of the blues. Drawing on a wealth of blues-tinged sounds, Reservation Blues cuts a wide swath of styles including rock Œn¹ roll, bluesy Texas rock and good old style Chicago blues. In addition to several new tracks, including the great lead off track ³Winds Of Change², the CD features covers of Chuck Berry (³Sweet Little Rock And Roller²) and Dale Hawkins (³Suzie Q²). Concerning his ongoing relationship with producer Duke Robillard, Clearwater states, ³I¹m real proud of what we¹ve done together. His band is like a road map - it just takes me where I want to go.² Supporting Clearwater¹s commanding lead guitar and invincible vocals are Robillard (rhythm guitar), John Packer (bass) and Jeff McAllister (drums) among others. Performing since the age of 13, Clearwater brings his talent and experience as a blues legend to the forefront on Reservation Blues. Web: www.rounder.com."
--20th Century Guitar/NOVEMBER 2000
Music Web Express 3000 (www.mwe3.com)
"...the most personal and most artistically successful record he has released during his long career 'Reservation Blues' takes the achievement of last year's 'Cool Blues Walk' one step further."
(Billboard)
With the release of his critically-acclaimed CD, RESERVATION BLUES (Bullseye Blues & Jazz/September 12, 2000), his new restaurant/music club in the Wicker Park section of Chicago opening in JANUARY 2001, and the focus of a new documentary, Chicago blues legend EDDY 'THE CHIEF' CLEARWATER is just hitting his stride at an age when many people are thinking about retirement.
"He turned 65 years young this year, but blues-rock great Eddy Clearwater can still dish out a hot and nasty set of the blues. Drawing on a wealth of blues-tinged sounds, 'Reservation Blues' cuts a wide swath of styles including rock Œn¹ roll, bluesy Texas rock and good old style Chicago blues. ...Performing since the age of 13, Clearwater brings his talent and experience as a blues legend to the forefront on Reservation Blues. www.rounder.com"
(20th Century Guitar Magazine)
"Eddy Clearwater, one of the blues' finest songwriters, gives us what might be the best album of his long career in 'Reservation Blues'...The man's room-filling voice, stout and strong, has personality to burn, and his instrumental style implies the influence of Berry (on the rockers) and Otis Rush (on the slow grinders)...Clearwater testifies with stunning soul fervor...succeeds in creating a diverse yet cohesive album...Ten out of ten."
(Blues Revue)
"Clearwater remains one of the blues' most dynamic showmen, and, as a recording artist, he's at the top of his game...On 'Reservation Blues', Clearwater cooks up one delicious dish, moving with freewheeling command from the deep, serious blues of 'Winds of Change' and 'Walls of Hate' to the New Orleans-spiced instrumental "Blues Cruise," covers of Dale Hawkins' 'Susie Q' and Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Rock and Roller,' and a rollicking reprise of 'I Wouldn't Lay My Guitar Down.' 'It's all good American music,' said Clearwater...'I'm playing what comes from my soul, what comes from my heart. It's all who I am.'"
(Philadelphia Inquirer)
"At 65 years young, Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater is sounding better than ever, and 'Reservation Blues' is arguably his best album yet. Clearwater wears a Native American headdress on stage and has even been known make a grand entrance atop a stallion when introduced at outdoor performances. (His grandma was a Cherokee.) His penchant for stagery sometimes obscures the fact that Clearwater is a fine songwriter, a dexterous southpaw guitarist, and a deep-hearted singer. What's more, his music effectively bridges the gap between Chicago blues and early rock 'n roll...surpasses anything Clearwater has recorded previously -- and that's saying something when you consider the man has been a consistent performer for 40 years."
(Ed Kopp/Allaboutjazz.com)
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Cool Blues Walk
"With a blast of finger-busting guitar licks, veteran Eddy Clearwater demands right from the opening 'Blues Walk' that we notice he's in a career renaissance. If that's not enough to snap yer head around, there's the smell of smoke on most of the CD as he reignites the fires of the kinfe-edged blues from Chicago's West Side and the git-down rock of Chuck Berry that were the cornerstones of his sound when he first broke out in the '60s. 'Boppin' at the Top of the Rock' slaps hard enough to be one of Chuck's 'great 28.'"
(Pulse!/Ted Drozdowski)
"Not only the heavy hitters can knock one out of the ballpark...and that's just what
Eddy 'The Chief' Clearwater does on 'Cool Blues Walk', an album that elevates the southpaw
guitar- slinger's already solid Chicago style blues to a new level while showcasing his
effortless versatility."
(Philadelphia Inquirer/Nick Cristiano)
"...his best all-around effort yet... Clearwater's voice is strong throughout and his
guitar work ...is even more impassioned than usual. 'Cool Blues Walk' ranks as one of the
most jumping ... well-conceived, and downright fun blues albums to be released in recent
memory." "The Best Of 1998"/#1 Eddy Clearwater 'Cool Blues Walk'.
(Illinois Entertainer/Kevin Toelle)
"...the enduring and endearing musical qualities of Eddy Clearwater are in full
evidence on his most recent Bullseye release, 'Cool Blues Walk'...this is arguably the
Chief's most cohesive release to date..."
(Vintage Guitar/Dave Hussong)
"His excellent new CD 'Cool Blues Walk', is a reminder that the lefthanded guitarist
is also a fine, witty songwriter."
(Minneapolis Star-Tribune/Tom Surowicz)
'Some of Clearwater's best work to date...powered by stabbing horns, boogie-based piano
and Clearwater's piercing lead and surging rhythm playing..."
(Metro San Jose/Nicky Baxter)
"These blues cry tears of joy"
(Daily Herald/Mark Guarino)
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Mean Case of the Blues
Real Blues
Mean Case of the Blues
October/November, 1997
For forty years now, Eddy Harrington, better known as Clearwater, has been ripping up blues clubs and dance floors all around
the world. Starting out in the late 1950's Chicago as an almost exact Chuck Berry
imitator, Eddy learned how to mix rock 'n' roll with is repertoire of blues and Mexican
rhumbas. That's right - rhumbas! Eddy had a mixed band of Mexicans and Blacks
in the 1960's, which accounted for his ability to come up with unique rhythmic dance music
and boogies, some of which were captured on 45s for labels like Atomic-H and Federal (all
now rare collector's items). But, Eddy's blood relations were all true bluesmen and
he's become one of the 'Windy City's' best singers / songwriters / guitarists and
all-around entertainers over the past thirty years, and he's built a 'live' show that is
second-to-none.
Eddy Clearwater will give you more bang-for-your-buck than any other performer out of Chicago today. He, like the late
great Luther Allison, believes in giving the audience hours of non-stop high-energy
entertainment, although Eddy's more of an upbeat nature in regards to repertoire.
Eddy has hillbilly, C&W, boogie-woogie, rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, vintage R&B and
straight Chicago blues all mixed together in his music which gives him the unique sound
that separates him from the rest of the pack, and he's a fine songsmith adept at both
humorous and meaningful lyrics as well as being a great guitarist on his upside-down
guitar (he's a lefty), and a powerful vocalist. His habit of ending gigs only after
the audience was completely drained of energy, sweat-drenched and begging for mercy, was
at risk after Eddy's recent open-heart surgery, but apparently he's made a complete
recovery and Eddy Clearwater at 75 percent is still 25 percent better than most of the
acts out there.
Eddy always opts for great bandmates and this is no exception with the wonderful Mark Wydra on guitar, Alan Batts on piano, Jerry
Porter on drums, Dan Knopf on bass, Gerry Soto on keyboards, Billy Branch on harp and Mike
Peavy on sax. The title cut, "Mean Case of the Blues," is just that, a
real tough, mean-sounding slow blues with great chromatic harp from Billy Branch and
biting guitar. "Send For Me" is a light good-time shuffle and "Check
Up On My Baby" is a good tempo dance-floor number, while "Love Being Loved By
You" is very much in the same vein. The real highlight of this ten-song set is
the three-song closing of "Come On Down / Party At My House / Don't Take My
Blues," the last two tracks representing both sides of Eddy in dramatic fashion.
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Blue Suede News
Mean Case of the Blues
Fall, 1997
Eddy Clearwater came up on Chicago's West Side, alongside artists like Magic Sam, Luther Allison, and Freddie King. Early
on, he was known as something of a Chuck Berry imitator. These days, he displays
considerable versatility in his guitar attack, and he's also a gifted songwriter.
Most of these tunes are self-penned, although "the Chief" does tip his hat to
Magic Sam by covering "Look Whatcha Done." He also serves up a sassy
version of "Send For Me," gleaned from Nat "King" Cole's
repertoire. His originals draw on several styles. Some cuts are straight-ahead
blues. Others, like "Come On Down," and "Party At My House," are
tinged with rockabilly. Clearwater enjoys some solid horn and keyboard backup here,
and Billy Branch's contribution on harp is a special treat. Clearwater underwent
heart surgery earlier this year, and has just recently married his manager, Renee
Greenman. With all that going on, he's still managed to release this CD, which is a
joyful and rowdy celebration of life.
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