Steve Bailey Crazy 'Bout You - A Tribute To Sonny Boy Williamson (CD)

(APM Records) 11 tracks, digisleeve.

A multi-award winning Seattle harmonica player who got his first-hand experience of the blues with legendary Chicago musicians who came through town in the early 1970s. Johnny Littlejohn lived in my house, Carey Bell sat in my living room. Willie Dixon's band sat in my living room. Junior Wells was playing in town and we'd go up to their hotel room. That was an education...". A big influence on Bailey was picking up and learning the harmonica from Sonny Boy Williamson II. This motivated Bailey to conceive of a project that would allow him to pay tribute to all the great songs Williamson II gave to the music world and deliver new versions in a traditional, yet fresh and lively way. Bailey took the opportunity to record the project in London, having previously established a successful collaboration with London blues guitarist Mississippi MacDonald. A single from Crazy 'Bout You, "Nine Below Zer," was released just prior to the Covid pandemic, with the album being shelved due to the latter event. APM Records is now pleased to present Bailey's excellent interpretations of these classics, which additionally benefit from Mississippi MacDonald's Albert Collins-like blues style.