Although
Orrin Keepnews
'
Riverside Records
was primarily a
jazz
label, the company dabbled in
blues
in the 1960s -- and one of the bluesmen who recorded for
Riverside
was
John Lee Hooker
. Recorded in 1960, this
Keepnews
-produced session came at a time when
Hooker
was signed to
Vee-Jay
. The last thing
wanted to do was emulate
's electric-oriented, very amplified
output, which fared well among
rock
and
R&B
audiences.
had an acoustic
country blues
vision for the bluesman, and
That's My Story
favors a raw, stripped-down, bare-bones approach -- no electric guitar, no distortion, no singles aimed at
rock & rollers
. Over the years,
fans have debated the merits of his
albums. Some much prefer him in an electric setting; others applaud the rural vision that
had for him. But, truth be told, both approaches are equally valid. While many of his electric recordings are stunning, he is also well served by the rawness that
goes for on
. From the sobering
"Gonna Use My Rod"
(which finds
warning that he will shoot anyone who fools around with his wife) to the
gospel
-themed
"One of These Days,"
's performances are often compelling. Most of the time, he is joined by two
musicians, acoustic bassist
Sam Jones
and drummer
Louis Hayes
, both
Cannonball Adderley
sidemen at the time. However, the
giant is unaccompanied on a few selections, including the autobiographical title song and the overtly political
"Democrat Man"
(a passionate endorsement of the Democratic Party). While
falls short of essential, it is a solid, rewarding product of
's association with
. ~ Alex Henderson