John Lee Hooker - The Best of Friends

The premise behind this compilation is somewhat unusual: classic tracks, yes, but classic tracks recorded by John Lee Hooker... and friends. Charles Brown, Eric Clapton, Ry Cooder, Los Lobos, and Bonnie Raitt are only some of the performers who appear here, and the tracks, selected from recordings made by the prolific guitarist since 1988, show that Hooker hasn't lost his touch. Among the highlights, there's a smokin' duet with Raitt on "I'm in the Mood," a rendition of "Boom Boom" with a guest appearance from Jimmie Vaughan, and a reprise of Hooker's 1956 hit "Dimples" with Los Lobos backing up. Mention must also be made of the lone solo track on this CD, the acoustic "Tupelo," which hearkens to Hooker's Delta blues roots. There are also three previously unreleased tracks, which are probably the real reason to get this compilation. --Genevieve Williams Amazon.com

RICK SHAQ GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE... WELL YOU KNOW THE REST!"

Though Hooker is a legend, someone with a little more time, could have certainly put together, something better than this. If I was John Lee, I certainly would have wanted something a lot stronger, and wilder, to be my swan song. One song in particular makes me want to use some magical power to get it off the CD, and that's "Tupelo". Being forced to listen to that, is like listening to your 6th grade teacher sloooowwwllly scratch her nails on a blackboard. If your image of Hooker, is him, playing a song, in the original "Blues Brother's" movie, stomping his feet in the street, shaking up, the entire city of Chicago, then don't get this CD, because it will ruin your memories of him! February 4, 2007

Great Listening

For anyone who likes Jazz and Blues, what a wonderful CD. I enjoyed from beginning to the end. January 9, 2007

music

This is another old school guy's cd that's got to be had by any true blues fan January 8, 2007

***1/2. Polished latter-day Hooker

Author Stephen Thomas Erlewine once said something like this about "The Best Of Friends":
"This is for people who like to think they like Hooker, but really just want to hear Eric Clapton wail away."

It sounds a bit like the point of view of an old blues purist, perhaps, but one with a lot of truth to it. Many people who aren't attracted to John Lee Hooker's raw, gritty 40s, 50s and 60s recordings will certainly find these guest star-heavy re-recordings much more accessible, and who knows...maybe some of those who got to know John Lee Hooker when he suddenly popped up on MTV at age 73 can use this music as a "gateway" to the REAL blues.

This is a compilation of songs from the Hook's last five guest star-heavy albums (plus a couple of previously unreleased recordings). There is really nothing here to match Hooker's magnificent VeeJay-recordings, his best ever band backed material, but this is certainly not bad music...with the possible exception of two stylistically challenged numbers, "Chill Out" and "The Healer".
Van Morrison appears on two numbers, "I Cover The Waterfront", and a slow, soulful "Don't Look Back", playing guitar and singing a verse or two, and his contributions are really the only ones which add something new to the songs.
Eric Clapton plays relatively restrained guitar on a pretty good "Boogie Chillen", and "This Is Hip" and "Dimples" get a nice swaggering groove going, although neither of them come anywhere close to surpassing the original recordings.

"Burnin' Hell" is marred by the monotonous guitar playing of Ben Harper, and "Baby Lee" and "I'm In The Mood" are too slick, but "Tupelo" is classic John Lee Hooker, just the Hook himself and his guitar and a piece of plywood to stomp on! And "Big Legs, Tight Skirt" is really good as well, although not as good as Hooker's definitive rendition which he cut for VeeJay in the mid-50s.
Again, this is a pretty good album, especially for "casual" blues listeners, but it does fall a little flat when compared to the gritty and powerful waxings Hooker made when he was in his prime. October 12, 2004

Super CD

Absolutely a gem no doubt about it. You will not go wrong with this cd. October 29, 2003

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