Johnny B. Moore
Rockin’ in the Same Old Boat (Delmark)
Veteran West Side blues guitarist Johnny B. Moore recorded this album before suffering a stroke in July. According to his record label, he’s recovering and starting to perform again at local clubs. That’s a huge relief, and not just for the people who know him: “Rockin’ in the Same Old Boat” is an electric-guitar blues album of rare precision, with Moore plucking melodies and repetitive phrases that make Jimmy Reed’s “Big Boss Man” feel almost new. A particular highlight is Bobby “Blue” Bland’s title track, in which Moore calls to mind Roger McGuinn’s solos in the Byrds’ “Eight Miles High.” The only thing ragged here is Moore’s phlegmy voice, which rambles cheerfully throughout Blind Lemon Jefferson’s “Matchbox Blues.”