Leadbelly Calls - Talking To Huddie Ledbetter (2020) [CD Rip]

The well-known German blues musician Timo Gross , often discussed in Blues Magazine , has forged the plan together with Adax Dörsam to release an album of songs by Leadbelly as a tribute. Although Leadbelly has been dead for over seventy years, his writings from the 1920s about the black population are still very topical today. They are still disadvantaged by the state and have fewer opportunities in society. 'Black Lives Matter,' how topical!

On the CD there is a wonderful mix of the angular guitar playing and the smoky voice of Timo with the guitar sounds of Adax. Various special instruments such as saz, charango are used. To give it their own contemporary sound, they even mix ethno, electro through it, but it remains blues.

The CD opens with a narration about Leadbelly 'Prologue Leadbelly'. The actual album starts with the second song Black Betty. This version is very original with a fine groove and use of the classic Turkish Saz and Coral Sitar guitar. The well-known Cottonfields gets the same uptempo rhythm. It sounds old-school yet modern. Nice acoustic guitar playing and steel guitar give it a country atmosphere. Where Did You Sleep is a quiet slow blues, sung intensely and the sitar fits perfectly. Dobro intro features Take This Hammer and the chorus sung indicates the hammer blows of the railway workers. Great track. Techno rhythm dominates Western Plain and together with the distorting voice it gives the song a distinct but well-crafted look. Lots of sounds make it very special.The groovy and rocky It'll Blow A Poor Man Down sounds good and turns into the quiet melancholic Blow My Blues Away. The sad John Hardy is sung solo and only played with dobro. Then comes another well-known song, Midnight Special, best known from Creedence Clearwater Revival. The country blues The Gallis Pole is nice and fast and groovy away. My Baby Left Me starts with electric guitar intro. A sad love song and music and singing radiate that. The penultimate song Good Night Irene is a subdued love song. Surprisingly, the album ends with Epilogue: Western Plain (Ethno Mix). A mix of old-school blues with modern contemporary sounds.Then comes another well-known song, Midnight Special, best known from Creedence Clearwater Revival. The country blues The Gallis Pole is nice and fast and groovy away. My Baby Left Me starts with electric guitar intro. A sad love song and music and singing radiate that. The penultimate song Good Night Irene is a subdued love song. Surprisingly, the album ends with Epilogue: Western Plain (Ethno Mix). A mix of old-school blues with modern contemporary sounds.Then comes another well-known song, Midnight Special, best known from Creedence Clearwater Revival. The country blues The Gallis Pole is nice and fast and groovy away. My Baby Left Me starts with electric guitar intro. A sad love song and music and singing radiate that. The penultimate song Good Night Irene is a subdued love song. Surprisingly, the album ends with Epilogue: Western Plain (Ethno Mix). A mix of old-school blues with modern contemporary sounds.Surprisingly, the album ends with Epilogue: Western Plain (Ethno Mix). A mix of old-school blues with modern contemporary sounds.Surprisingly, the album ends with Epilogue: Western Plain (Ethno Mix). A mix of old-school blues with modern contemporary sounds.

Conclusion : A blues album in which Leadbelly is honored in a dignified way. The dark, sad mood of the lyrics is appropriately cast in old blues lines and contemporary rhythms. A masterfully made album.